Within the last decade or two, the vast majority of Hawaiian field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) have lost the ability to create their mating song due to a mutation affecting the male crickets’ wings. This mutation, referred to as “flatwing,” has been overall beneficial for the crickets, keeping them safe from a parasitic fly that finds them by listening to their song. However, scientists are interested in how the rapid spread of this mutation has affected the crickets’ social dynamics.
This article was originally published on this website.
