Allonemobius fasciatus

Allonemobius fasciatus, commonly known as the Striped ground cricket, belongs to the subfamily Nemobiinae.^[1] A. fasciatus is studied in depth in evolutionary biology because of the species ability to hybridize with another Allonemobius species called Allonemobius socius.^[2]

Geography

Distribution

A. fasciatus is widely distributed in North America ^[3], covering eastern and western portions.^[4] A. fasciatus typically prefers short grassland habitats.^[2] Depending where A. fasciatus resides, traits such a body size can differ.^[3] Within North America, there are various hybrid zones, such as in New Jersey, where A. fasciatus has the ability to hybridize with a close relative, A. socius.^[5]

A. fasciatus is considered to inhabit northern regions of North America, whereas A. socius inhabits southern regions.^[2] In areas where topography can vary, like in mountain regions, A.fasciatus is believed to be found at higher elevations, whereas A. socius is believed to be found in lower elevations.^[6] This can be referred to as a mosaic hybrid zone.^[6] A mosaic hybrid zone occurs because the habitat ranges for A.fasciatus and A.socius overlap.^[7] While it is known that for the most part A. fasciatus remains separated from A. socius when breeding, the potential for interbreeding can occur.^[2]

Behaviour

Communication

Mating calls appear to be related to genotype.^[5] Male mating calls amongst A. fasciatus function in interspecific and intraspecific species recognition.^[5] Adult male mating calls are influenced in the nymph stage by temperature and length of daylight. ^[5] Usually, males will avoid moving areas when calling female conspecifics.^[2]

With the ability for breeding hybridization with A. socius, members of the A. fasciatus species present song calls that are undifferentiated to A. socius by female A. fasciatus.^[5]^[2] Females have the ability to leave a pheromonal residue on surfaces.^[2]

Mate Selection

Females are highly sex-driven and will chose a male to mate with based on the mating call she prefers.^[2]

When female A. fasciatus hybridizes with A. socius males, she loses very little except the energy expended when looking for the male, and risk associated with potential predation.^[2]

Morphology

A. fasciatus wing size is determined by the number of hours of daylight present during development.^[4] Most individuals are short-winged^[4] and longer daylight periods can account for larger wing size.^[4]

Individuals are omnivorous.^[2]

A. fasciatus is different enough genetically from A. socius to be considered its own species.^[4]

Reproduction

A. fasciatus produces one brood in a season.^[4] It takes a nymph two months to hatch and mature.^[4] Development will increase in speed as daylight decreases.^[4] This phenomenon is indicative of seasonal synchrony.^[4]

Hybridization

Ground-dwelling crickets only possess XX and XO chromosomes, which allows male individuals to get the X chromosome from the maternal side.^[4] The lack of Y chromosome is why hybridization can occur between A. fasciatus and A. socius, because differences in genetics is limited to the X chromosome only.^[4]

Females have a high affinity for the sperm that is presented by conspecific males, therefore if mating does occur with a heterospecific male, it rarely results in hybridized offspring.^[2] She ultimately has the ability to mate in and outside of her own species, but her eggs will more often than not be fertilized by her conspecific male.^[2]

Oviposition

In the later part of the summer^[4], A. fasciatus deposits it's embryos into the ground through a reproductive structure called the ovipositor. ^[8] Ovipositor length in A. fasciatus varies depending on the geographical location it is found. ^[3]

When A. fasciatus deposits her diapause egg in the ground, the depth at which the egg is deposited depends on the length of the ovipositor.^[8] As diapause relies on temperature, it is possible that in high temperatures, eggs of A. fasciatus can exit or avoid the diapause phase, however this is not common.^[4] Between the two sister species, at a temperature given of 30 degrees Celsius, A. fasciatus develops quicker than A. socius.^[4]

A.fasciatus undergoes a process called bet hedging that is likely due to temperature and changes in moisture found in the soil where eggs are positioned.^[9]

Life Cycle

A. fasciatus displays a univoltine lifecycle.^[3]^[10]

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Literature Cited

^ Howard, D.J., and Waring, G.L. “Topographic Diversity, Zone Width, and the Strength of Reproductive Isolation in a Zone of Overlap and Hybridization.” Evolution 45. (1991): 1120-1135.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Birge, L.M., Hughes, A.L., Marshall, J.L., and Howard, D.J. “Mating Behaviour Differences and the Cost of Mating in Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius.” J Insect Behav 23 (2010): 268-289.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Mousseau, T. A. and Roff, D. A. “Geographic Variability in the Incidence and Heritability of Wing Dimorphism in the Striped Ground Cricket, Allonemobius fasciatus.” Heredity 62 (1989): 315-318.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Tanaka, Seiji. “Developmental Characteristics of Two Closely Related Species of Allonemobius and Their Hybrids” Oecologia (Berlin) 69 (1986): 388-394.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Mousseau, T. A. and Howard, D. J. “Genetic Variation in Cricket Calling Song across a Hybrid Zone between Two Sibling Species.” Evolution 52 (1998): 1104-1110.
^ ^a ^b Britch, S.C., Cain, L., and Howard, D.J. “Spatio-temporal dynamics of the Allonemobius fasciatus- A. socius Mosaic Hybrid Zone: A 14-year Perspective.” Molecular Ecology 10 (2001): 627-638.
^ Doherty, J.A. and Howard, D.J. “Lack of Preference for Conspecific Calling Songs in Female Crickets.” Animal Behaviour 51 (1996): 981-990.
^ ^a ^b Mousseau, T.A. and Roff, D. A. “Does Natural Selection Alter Genetic Architecture? An Evaluation of Quantitative Genetic Variation Among Populations of Allonemobius socius and A. Fasciatus.” J. Evolutionary Biology. 12 (1999): 361-369.
^ Bradford, M. J. and Roff, D. A. “Bet Hedging and the Diapause Strategies of the Cricket Allonemobius fasciatus." Ecology 74 (1993): 1129-1135.
^ Masaki, S. “Geographical Variation of Life Cycle in Crickets (Ensifera: Grylloidea)” European. Journal of Entomology 93 (1996): 281-302.

[1] Howard, D.J., and Waring, G.L. “Topographic Diversity, Zone Width, and the Strength of Reproductive Isolation in a Zone of Overlap and Hybridization.” Evolution 45. (1991): 1120-1135.

[:2-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Birge, L.M., Hughes, A.L., Marshall, J.L., and Howard, D.J. “Mating Behaviour Differences and the Cost of Mating in Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius.” J Insect Behav 23 (2010): 268-289.

[:0-3] Mousseau, T. A. and Roff, D. A. “Geographic Variability in the Incidence and Heritability of Wing Dimorphism in the Striped Ground Cricket, Allonemobius fasciatus.” Heredity 62 (1989): 315-318.

[:1-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Tanaka, Seiji. “Developmental Characteristics of Two Closely Related Species of Allonemobius and Their Hybrids” Oecologia (Berlin) 69 (1986): 388-394.

[:3-5] Mousseau, T. A. and Howard, D. J. “Genetic Variation in Cricket Calling Song across a Hybrid Zone between Two Sibling Species.” Evolution 52 (1998): 1104-1110.

[:5-6] Britch, S.C., Cain, L., and Howard, D.J. “Spatio-temporal dynamics of the Allonemobius fasciatus- A. socius Mosaic Hybrid Zone: A 14-year Perspective.” Molecular Ecology 10 (2001): 627-638.

[7] Doherty, J.A. and Howard, D.J. “Lack of Preference for Conspecific Calling Songs in Female Crickets.” Animal Behaviour 51 (1996): 981-990.

[:4-8] Mousseau, T.A. and Roff, D. A. “Does Natural Selection Alter Genetic Architecture? An Evaluation of Quantitative Genetic Variation Among Populations of Allonemobius socius and A. Fasciatus.” J. Evolutionary Biology. 12 (1999): 361-369.

[9] Bradford, M. J. and Roff, D. A. “Bet Hedging and the Diapause Strategies of the Cricket Allonemobius fasciatus." Ecology 74 (1993): 1129-1135.

[10] Masaki, S. “Geographical Variation of Life Cycle in Crickets (Ensifera: Grylloidea)” European. Journal of Entomology 93 (1996): 281-302.

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