DIFFERENCES IN VIBRATORY SOUND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A SLOVENIAN AND AN AUSTRALIAN POPULATION OF NEZARA-VIRIDULA (L) (HETEROPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE)

Sound communication, by means of substrate-borne vibrations, was recor ded and analysed from a Slovenian and Australian population of the pen tatomid landbug, Nezara viridula. Mate location and short-range courts hip in N. viridula involves the recognition of such species-specific s ignals and responding appropriately to them. Temporal parameters of al l N. viridula song types differed considerably between males and femal es of the two populations. In particular, the female calling song, whi ch enables Slovenian male bugs to locate the female on a host plant, w as significantly different, The song repertoire from a Slovenian and A ustralian population and the species status of N. viridula are discuss ed.