Assistant professor (fixed term position) University of Greifswald Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
The insect order Mantophasmatodea (heewalkers) was discovered and formally described only 20 years ago in 2002. It is thus the most recently described insect order known to science. Extant species occur in southern Africa, where the predatory, secondary wingless insects waited a long time for their discovery, well hidden in shrubs and tufts of grass. Given the young history of this order, it is not surprising that many aspects on behavior, biodiversity and systematics is still not very well known. A fascinating aspect of mantophasmatodean behavior is their communication system using substrate vibrations. Males and females tap the substrate with their abdomen to generate fine vibrations in the branches or blades of grass on which they reside. These signals are species- and sex-specific and serve the insects for species recognition and mate localization. The structure and function of the different vibrational signals, as well as their perception with the help of special organs in the legs of the heelwalkers, will be the focus of my talk. In addition, I give an insight into the research, biology and diversity of this exciting insect order.