A simple latency-dependent spiking-neuron model of cricket phonotaxis

A simple hypothesis regarding the recognition behaviour of crickets for con specific songs is implemented in a dynamic simulation of spiking neurons an d tested on a robot base. The model draws on data from cricket neurophysiol ogy but requires only four neurons to reproduce a wide range of the observe d behaviour. The directional response depends on relative latencies in firi ng onset, and the 'recognition' emerges from the implicit filtering propert ies of leaky-integrate-and-fire neurons. Experimental conditions reproduced include tests of syllable rate preference, song from above with sound from one side, and choice between songs. The robot produces behaviour closely c omparable to the cricket in all but a 'split-song' condition. A number of p roperties can be observed in the neural circuit that correspond to cricket neurophysiology including apparent 'recognition neurons'. Limitations of th e model, extensions and alternative models are discussed.