Sounds of Courtship, Discovery, and Defense 

In nature, the treehopper signals provided here originate not as audible airborne "sounds," but as substrate vibrations that treehoppers use to communicate through the physical structures of plants. Researchers record and amplify the signals by various means, including phonograph needles or accelerometers attached to the plant, and laser vibrometers that can measure vibrations based on reflected light. Once recorded, signals can be played back as airborne sounds with no changes in pitch or structure. Studies reveal that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator.

The vibrational mating signals of treehoppers are diverse, ranging from a simple set of repeated clicks or tones, to complicated series of clicks and tones that sweep up or down in frequency, rivaling the signals of many vertebrates in complexity. Biologist Rex Cocroft recorded the samples of male courtship calls and two kinds of nymphal communications provided below. Listen to National Public Radio profiles of Rex's research on communication in treehoppers at:

The Hidden Language of Insect: Societies of Sound in the Forest

The Hidden Language of Insects: a Journey to the Edge of the Amazon

The Geographic Century Part 1

The Geographic Century Part 2

 Representative Male Courtship Calls 

[listen] Acutalis (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Acutalini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Alchisme (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Amastris (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Amastrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Aphetea (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Polyglyptini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Atymna (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Bocydium (Membracidae: Stegaspidinae: Stegaspidini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Campylenchia (Membracidae: Membracinae: Membracini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Campylocentrus (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Boocerini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Cladonota (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hypsoprorini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Cymbomorpha (Membracidae: Darninae: Cymbomorphini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Cyphonia (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Ceresini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Cyrtolobus (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Enchenopa (Membracidae: Membracinae: Membracini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Enchophyllum (Membracidae: Membracinae: Membracini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Glossonotus (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Heteronotus (Membracidae: Heteronotinae: Heteronotini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Hypsoprora (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hypsoprorini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Ischnocentrus (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Boocerini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Leptocentrus (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Leptocentrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Metcalfiella (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Metheisa (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Polyglyptini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Microcentrus (Membracidae: Stegaspidinae: Microcentrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Micrutalis (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Micrutalini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Nassunia (Membracidae: Heteronotinae: Heteronotini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Notocera (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hypsoprorini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Ophiderma (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Otinotus (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Leptocentrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Oxyrhachis (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Oxyrhachini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Platycentrus (Membracidae: Centrotinae: Platycentrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Platycotis (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Polyglypta (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Polyglyptini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Poppea (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Ceresini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Potnia (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Publilia (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Polyglyptini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Smilia (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Stictocephala (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Ceresini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Stylocentrus (Membracidae: Stegaspidinae: Stegaspidini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Thelia (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Tolania (Membracidae: Nicomiinae: Nicomiini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Trinarea (Membracidae: Membracinae: Talipidini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Tropidaspis (Aetalionidae: Biturritiinae: Biturritiini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Tylopelta (Membracidae: Membracinae: Membracini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Umbonia (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Vanduzea (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Amastrini). Copyright © 2008, by Reginald B. Cocroft.

 Signals of Nymphs Communicating Discovery and Defense 

[listen] Discovery signal recruiting siblings to a new feeding site, Calloconophora nymphs (Membracidae: Membracinae: Aconophorini). Copyright © 2011, by Reginald B. Cocroft.
[listen] Defensive signal alerting mother to the presence of a predator, Umbonia nymphs (Membracidae: Membracinae: Hoplophorionini). Copyright © 2011, by Reginald B. Cocroft.

Prepared 18 January 2011.