Scototaxis and shape discrimination in the female cricket <i>Acheta domesticus</i> in an arena and on a compensatory treadmill

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The scototactic responses of adult female Acheta domesticus L. were tested toward various shaped targets in an orientation arena and on a compensatory treadmill. In an arena, crickets oriented toward dark targets (positive scototaxis) if they had horizontal visual angles ≥30d̀, and if the vertical dimensions of the target was ≤ its horizontal dimension. Unattractive targets did not result in negative scototaxis but caused crickets to orient randomly with no net directionality. When complex targets were composed of two or more simple rectangular targets which had been previously defined as attractive or unattractive, intermediate responses were obtained. Crickets oriented less toward complex targets than toward simple attractive targets, but oriented more than toward simple unattractive targets. The responses of a female cricket toward an attractive target can be modified by the presence of a chemical signal emitted by previously tested females. When the signal is present females are less likely to orient toward a target that would otherwise be very attractive. This effect was not as great when the females being tested were taken directly from densely populated colonies. When running on a compensatory treadmill, female crickets exhibit scototactic tendencies similar to those displayed in the arena. When tested on the treadmill over long periods, the amount of time spent orienting toward an attractive target increased.