https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/massey/oai:mro.massey.ac.nz:10179/11875
type: CreativeWork
name: Acoustic communication and behaviour of the golden haired pine bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Zoology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
description: The golden-haired bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) imposes significant threats to New Zealand pine log exports. To date, control strategies against this invasive insect have relied heavily upon fumigation treatments. However, novel environmentally friendly and cost-effective strategies that decrease reliance on fumigants and can be used as part of an integrated package of disinfestation methods are urgently needed. The adults of H. ligniperda produce characteristic and species-specific sounds when disturbed or aggregated. Males produce distinct audible simple and interrupted chirps using an elytral abdominal stridulatory mechanism whereby the pars stridens, usually present on the left elytrum, are scrapped by the sclerotized pegs present on the seventh segment of the abdominal tergite, whereas the females (despite having a similar stridulatory mechanism) just produce a click-like sound. Although the ability to produce sounds by H. ligniperda has been acknowledged for decades, nothing is yet known as to the relevance of acoustics on the behaviour of this species. Thus, the main objective of this thesis was to study the sound-related behaviours of H. ligniperda under various scenarios (i.e. distress, mating, competition territoriality and colony) and to investigate the functions and characteristics (temporal and spectral) of the acoustic signals produced by this insect and their role in intraspecific communication. Our results indicate that the role of sound in communication in the case of H. ligniperda is oriented more towards communication between the sexes rather than within individuals of the same sex. Depending upon the scenarios studied, the males of H. ligniperda can produce different frequencies of acoustic signals, ranging from 232 Hz to 21890 Hz. The minimum and maximum amplitudes of male acoustic signals (chirps) were highest in a colony context (-661270 and 764270), and lowest during competition (-12633 and 190383). …
abstract: The golden-haired bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) imposes significant threats to New Zealand pine log exports. To date, control strategies against this invasive insect have relied heavily upon fumigation treatments. However, novel environmentally friendly and cost-effective strategies that decrease reliance on fumigants and can be used as part of an integrated package of disinfestation methods are urgently needed. The adults of H. ligniperda produce characteristic and species-specific sounds when disturbed or aggregated. Males produce distinct audible simple and interrupted chirps using an elytral abdominal stridulatory mechanism whereby the pars stridens, usually present on the left elytrum, are scrapped by the sclerotized pegs present on the seventh segment of the abdominal tergite, whereas the females (despite having a similar stridulatory mechanism) just produce a click-like sound. Although the ability to produce sounds by H. ligniperda has been acknowledged for decades, nothing is yet known as to the relevance of acoustics on the behaviour of this species. Thus, the main objective of this thesis was to study the sound-related behaviours of H. ligniperda under various scenarios (i.e. distress, mating, competition territoriality and colony) and to investigate the functions and characteristics (temporal and spectral) of the acoustic signals produced by this insect and their role in intraspecific communication. Our results indicate that the role of sound in communication in the case of H. ligniperda is oriented more towards communication between the sexes rather than within individuals of the same sex. Depending upon the scenarios studied, the males of H. ligniperda can produce different frequencies of acoustic signals, ranging from 232 Hz to 21890 Hz. The minimum and maximum amplitudes of male acoustic signals (chirps) were highest in a colony context (-661270 and 764270), and lowest during competition (-12633 and 190383). …
author: Sapkota, Sunil
keywords: Hylurgus ligniperda, Golden haired pine bark beetle, Insect sounds, Sound production by insects, Animal communication, Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Biology::Terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecology::Ethology and behavioural ecology
date published: 2017
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:18:16Z
provider: Massey University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Massey University