Abstract
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 20130241 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Biology Letters |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 8 May 2013 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Aug 2013 |
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Keywords
- bioacoustics
- hearing
- laser Doppler vibrometry
- electrophysiology
- tympanal organ
- Galleria mellonella
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Extremely high frequency sensitivity in a 'simple' ear. / Moir, Hannah; Jackson, Joseph; Windmill, James.
In: Biology Letters, Vol. 9, No. 4, 20130241, 23.08.2013.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Extremely high frequency sensitivity in a 'simple' ear
AU - Moir, Hannah
AU - Jackson, Joseph
AU - Windmill, James
PY - 2013/8/23
Y1 - 2013/8/23
N2 - An evolutionary war is being played out between the bat, which uses ultrasonic calls to locate insect prey, and the moth, which uses microscale ears to listen for the approaching bat. While the highest known frequency of bat echolocation calls is 212 kHz, the upper limit of moth hearing is considered much lower. Here, we show that the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is capable of hearing ultrasonic frequencies approaching 300 kHz; the highest frequency sensitivity of any animal. With auditory frequency sensitivity that is unprecedented in the animal kingdom, the greater wax moth is ready and armed for any echolocation call adaptations made by the bat in the on-going bat–moth evolutionary war.
AB - An evolutionary war is being played out between the bat, which uses ultrasonic calls to locate insect prey, and the moth, which uses microscale ears to listen for the approaching bat. While the highest known frequency of bat echolocation calls is 212 kHz, the upper limit of moth hearing is considered much lower. Here, we show that the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is capable of hearing ultrasonic frequencies approaching 300 kHz; the highest frequency sensitivity of any animal. With auditory frequency sensitivity that is unprecedented in the animal kingdom, the greater wax moth is ready and armed for any echolocation call adaptations made by the bat in the on-going bat–moth evolutionary war.
KW - bioacoustics
KW - hearing
KW - laser Doppler vibrometry
KW - electrophysiology
KW - tympanal organ
KW - Galleria mellonella
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880813306&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0241
DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0241
M3 - Article
VL - 9
JO - Biology Letters
T2 - Biology Letters
JF - Biology Letters
SN - 1744-9561
IS - 4
M1 - 20130241
ER -