Vibrational communication in Nezara viridula: response of Slovenian and Australian bugs to one another.

Temporal patterns of intersexual vibrational communication between Slovenian and Australian populations of Nezara viridula were investigated. The vibrational and mating responses of individuals of each sex to individuals of the opposite sex from the alternative population were recorded during mating experiments. Australian females did not respond to Slovenian males and only a few copulations occurred in this direction, whereas Slovenian females and Australian males responded to each other and copulated regularly. The two populations probably represent distinct sibling species, but this needs to be clarified further. Whether the observed mating asymmetry actually occurs regularly in nature, also warrants investigation. We suggest how these issues may be resolved.