Vibratory songs of hybrids from Brazilian and Slovenian populations of the green stink bug Nezara viridula.

ABSTRACT

Males and females of the green stink bug Nezara viridula produce species and sex specific vibrational signals. The songs of bugs from geographically isolated population differ in their temporal characteristics. Hybrids were produced between the bugs from Brazilian and Slovenian populations in order to examine the levels of genetic inheritance of their vibratory songs. Hybrid males and females produced songs which are distinctly different from parental songs and these differences can be attributable to genetic factor. The results show that in some parameters the hybrid songs are intermediate between the parental types. Several song parameters are apparently sex-linked. It remains to be established whether observed genetically determined differences in vibratory songs also indicate that cryptic species exist within the taxon N. viridula.