Abstract:
The stimulatory organs of male and female Mutillid wasps are similar and occur between their 3rd and 4th abdominal termites. The three investigated species, Smicromyrme rufipes, Dasylabris kozlovi and Mutilla marginata, possess files with different 'ripple' distances that are species specific (2.5 to 5.4 micrometres). The sonogram of the distress calls from female M. marginata shows the ripple frequency with low amplitude rising in the first 20 milliseconds from 1.2 to 1.5 kHz and then falling back in the following 20 milliseconds. The main sound energy occurs in the 2nd and 3rd harmonics.