Disturbance Sounds of Adult Passalid Beetles (Coleoptera: Passalidae): Structural and Functional Aspects1

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Abstract
Stridulatory apparatus, method of sound production, and disturbance chirp duration, chirp interval, chirp intensity, and resonant oscillation have been studied in 17 species of passalid beetles (Coleoptera: Passalidae). These species were, the North American Odontotaenius disjunctus (Illiger); the Mexican O. zodiacus (Truqui), Heliscus tropicus (Percheron), Oileus rimator (Truqui), Spurius halffteri Reyes-Castillo, Petrejoides orizabae Kuwert, Verres hageni Kaup, Proculejus brevis (Truqui), Pseudacanthus mexicanus (Truqui), and Passalus (Pertinax) punctatostriatus Percheron; and the African Didimus alvaradoi Corella, D. latifrons Corella, D. nachtigali (Kuwert), Erionomus pilosus Aurivillus, E. planiceps (Eschscholtz), Pentalobus barbartus (F.) and P. savagei (Percheron). Stridulatory apparatus is abdomino-alary, with specialized areas of abdominal tergum 6 (pars stridens) rubbing against a restricted area of each metathoracic wing (plectrum). Disturbance sound is due to friction of the abdominal pars stridens against the plectrum in the metathoracic wings. Structures thrown into the resonant oscillation by the stridulatory organs are the wings, which bear rows of spines on their underside.