Anatomy of the stemmata in the Photuris firefly larva.

Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) have distinct visual systems at different stages of development. Larvae have stemmata and adults have compound eyes. Adults use compound eyes to mediate photic communication during courtship.

Firefly synchrony: a behavioral strategy to minimize visual clutter.

Most firefly species (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) use bioluminescent flashes for signaling. In some species, the flashing between males occurs rhythmically and repeatedly (synchronically) with millisecond precision. We studied synchrony's behavioral role in the North American firefly, Photinus carolinus.

Acoustic cues underlying auditory distance in barn owls.

Conclusions: We conclude that: (1) among several cues examined, the monaural cue of direct-to-reverberant (D/R) ratio in the ipsilateral ear provides the most information about sound-source distance; (2) interaural level difference (ILD) provides less information about sound-source distance; and (3) a comprehensive theory of three-dimensional auditory localization must incorporate the fact that all of the major acoustic cues change with distance.

Objective: Neural mechanisms underlying auditory localization of distance are poorly understood. The present study was an initial step toward filling this gap in knowledge.

Utility and versatility of extracellular recordings from the cockroach for neurophysiological instruction and demonstration.

The principles of neurophysiology continue to be challenging topics to teach in the context of undergraduate neuroscience education. Laboratory classes containing neurophysiological demonstrations and exercises are, therefore, an important and necessary complement for covering those subjects taught in lecture-based courses. We developed a number of simple yet very instructive exercises, described below, which make use of extracellular recordings from different sensory systems of the cockroach (Periplanta americana).

Flash Precision at the Start of Synchrony in Photuris frontalis.

Synchronous flashing occurs in certain species of Southeast Asian and North American fireflies. Most Southeast Asian synchrony involves stationary congregating fireflies, but North American synchrony occurs in flying fireflies that do not congregate. Southeast Asian synchrony is usually continuous, but North American synchrony is interrupted.

Ultrasonic singing by the blue-throated hummingbird: a comparison between production and perception.

Blue-throated hummingbirds produce elaborate songs extending into the ultrasonic frequency range, up to 30 kHz. Ultrasonic song elements include harmonics and extensions of audible notes, non-harmonic components of audible syllables, and sounds produced at frequencies above 20 kHz without corresponding hearing range sound. To determine whether ultrasonic song elements function in intraspecific communication, we tested the hearing range of male and female blue-throated hummingbirds.