Analysis of acoustic signals produced by the cicada Platypedia putnami variety lutea (Homoptera : Tibicinidae)

Most male cicadas produce calling songs to attract females, and most cicada s use a specialized timbal organ to produce sound. I-However, several cicad a genera can produce acoustic signals through stridulation or crepitation e ither in addition to or in place of the timbal song. We analyzed the acoust ic signals produced by a crepitating cicada, Platypedia putnami variety lut ea Davis. Peak frequency of the sound pulses produced by crepitation were d etermined to be 10.18 and 9.66 kHz for males and females, respectively. Ind ividual pulse duration was approximate to 10 ms. Males produced pulses at a rate of 8.68 Hz and females produced pulses at a rate of 18.76 Hz. We foun d a delay of approximate to 40 ms between a male pulse and the response by a female. The mean sound pressure level (89.7 dB) of crepitating P. putnami variety lutea did not differ significantly from the predicted value, based on the regression of call intensity as a function of body mass for cicadas producing timbal songs previously published.