CIRCADIAN RHYTHMICITY OF LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR AND OVIPOSITION IN FEMALE TELEOGRYLLUS-COMMODUS

Locomotor activity of the Teleogryllus commodus ♀ is under circadian control, with τLL=25.3 h and τDD=23.4 h. In LD 12:12 h, running occurs either exclusively during darkness (57%), mainly in the dark phase (35%), or with substantial activity peaks in both phases (8%). For oviposition, τLL>24 h and τDD<24 h; in LD 12:12 h, 80% of the ♀♀ studied deposited their eggs mainly during the light phase and 20% primarily during darkness. In the discussion, a temporal correlation between stridulation, spermatophore formation, ♂ and ♀ locomotion, and oviposition is established, which serves to make an encounter and mating between the sexes as likely as possible. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.