Cicadas wings as determinant factor for the sound emission: The case of textit{Quesada gigas}


Abstract in English

Cicadas (Homoptera:Cicadidae) are insects able to produce loudly songs and it is known that the mechanism to produce sound of tymballing cicadas works as a Helmholtz resonator. In this work we offer evidence on the participation of the wings in a high quality resonating process which defines the details of the acoustic properties of the calling song. The study is carry on textit{Quesada gigas} species and it is dividied in three stages: (i) the acoustical characterization of the abdominal cavity, (ii) the record and calculation of frequency spectrum of the calling song, and (iii) the measurement of the vibration modes of the wings. The comparison between all the results unequivocally show the dramatic influence of the wings in the moment in which the insect emits its calling song.

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