For most of the last 150 years, evolution was assumed to take place over very long time scales, but an increasing number of studies have demonstrated very rapid adaptive evolution in natural populations. Much of my work has centered on understanding the roles of behavior and ecology in rapid evolutionary change, particularly in sexual signaling systems. The topic is particularly timely because rampant anthropogenic influences, ranging from unintentional introductions to climate change, challenge organisms by changing the ecosystems in which they live. How are these changes in ecology and social experience accommodated on contemporary timescales?
Diversification and even speciation are believed to be tied to the evolution of novel communication systems. There is a growing appreciation for the role of sexual selection in speciation processes, but comparisons are necessarily made between closely related species or populations that have differed in sexual signals for many, many generations. We know little about how novel sexual signals arise and the role of sexual selection in speciation remains controversial, in part, because opportunities to observe contemporary signal change and its consequences for divergence and sexual isolation are incredibly rare. Over the last ~10 years, we have been studying an ongoing adaptive radiation of sexual signals in Hawaiian populations of the Pacific field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. The cricket was introduced to Hawaii where it began to interact with an invasive parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea, about 30 years ago. The fly eavesdrops on the songs that male crickets sing to attract mates, generating strong conflict between sexual and natural selection.
This species is well-known for rapid sexual signal evolution. About 20 years ago, together with colleagues, I discovered the categorical loss of singing ability in the same cricket - silence protects males from the parasitoid fly. More recently, we found that crickets in Hawaii are singing unique new songs that vary in spectral properties - some are reminiscent of a cat’s purr, while others sound like crickets playing tiny maracas, and yet others sound like a typical cricket with a frog in his throat. These novel signals also serve a protective function. This is an outstanding opportunity to uncover the manner in which initial stages of signal evolution proceed, during which new sounds, colors, and behaviors come to be shaped by choosy conspecifics and eavesdropping natural enemies, and to examine the consequences of sexual signal change for pre-mating isolation. Stay tuned! This work has been supported by multiple NSF grants including IOS 1846520, IOS 2240950, and IOS/DEB 2525976.
LISTEN TO A FEW PURRING AND RATTLING CRICKET SONGS BELOW:
Diversification and even speciation are believed to be tied to the evolution of novel communication systems. There is a growing appreciation for the role of sexual selection in speciation processes, but comparisons are necessarily made between closely related species or populations that have differed in sexual signals for many, many generations. We know little about how novel sexual signals arise and the role of sexual selection in speciation remains controversial, in part, because opportunities to observe contemporary signal change and its consequences for divergence and sexual isolation are incredibly rare. Over the last ~10 years, we have been studying an ongoing adaptive radiation of sexual signals in Hawaiian populations of the Pacific field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. The cricket was introduced to Hawaii where it began to interact with an invasive parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea, about 30 years ago. The fly eavesdrops on the songs that male crickets sing to attract mates, generating strong conflict between sexual and natural selection.
This species is well-known for rapid sexual signal evolution. About 20 years ago, together with colleagues, I discovered the categorical loss of singing ability in the same cricket - silence protects males from the parasitoid fly. More recently, we found that crickets in Hawaii are singing unique new songs that vary in spectral properties - some are reminiscent of a cat’s purr, while others sound like crickets playing tiny maracas, and yet others sound like a typical cricket with a frog in his throat. These novel signals also serve a protective function. This is an outstanding opportunity to uncover the manner in which initial stages of signal evolution proceed, during which new sounds, colors, and behaviors come to be shaped by choosy conspecifics and eavesdropping natural enemies, and to examine the consequences of sexual signal change for pre-mating isolation. Stay tuned! This work has been supported by multiple NSF grants including IOS 1846520, IOS 2240950, and IOS/DEB 2525976.
LISTEN TO A FEW PURRING AND RATTLING CRICKET SONGS BELOW:
| mol2_co_26_21.11.17__courtship_purring_.mp3 |
| mol211.1_co_09.02.2018__courtship_purring_.mp3 |
| mol301.1_ca_09.02.2020__calling_purring_.mp3 |
| mol304.1_ca_09.02.2020__calling_purring_.mp3 |
| pbs_rattling_calling.wav |
Selected related publications:
Wikle, A.W.*, Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H., Dominguez, J., Carlson, M.**, Vu, Q.**, Tinghitella, R.M. Lee, N. 2025. Neural and behavioral evolution in an eavesdropper with a rapidly evolving host. Current Biology. 35(5): P1074-1084.E7.
Bailey, N.W., Zuk, M., and Tinghitella, R.M. 2024. Quiet but not forgotten: Insights into adaptive evolution and behavior from 20 years of (mostly) silent Hawaiian crickets. Advances in the Study of Behavior. 56:51-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.asb.2024.03.001.
Gallagher, J.H.*, Broder, E.D., Wikle, A.W.*, O’Toole, H.**, Durso, C., and Tinghitella, R.M. 2024. Surviving the serenade: how conflicting selection pressures shape the early stages of sexual signal diversification. Evolution. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae035.
Gallagher, J.G.*, Zonana, D., Broder, E.D., Syammach, A.**, and Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A novel cricket morph has diverged in song and wing morphology across island populations. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14235.
Wikle, A.W.*, Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, and Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A rapidly evolving cricket produces percussive vibrations: how, who, when, and why. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad031.
Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.W.*, Welsh, G.T.*, Zonana, D.M., Firneno, T.J., Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A well-studied parasitoid fly uses multiple alternative hosts in its introduced range.
Evolutionary Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-022-10225-1.
Gallagher, J.H.*, Zonana, D., Broder, E.D., Herner, B.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Decoupling of sexual signals and their underlying morphology during rapid phenotypic diversification. Evolution Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/evl3.302.
Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.W.*, Venable, C.P., Zonana, D.M., Ingley, S.J. Smith, T.C.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Behavioral responses of a parasitoid fly to rapidly evolving host signals. Ecology & Evolution. 12:e9193. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9193.
Fitzgerald, S.L.**, Anner, S.C.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Varied female and male courtship behavior facilitated the evolution of a novel sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology. 33(4): 859-867.
Tinghitella, R.M.^, Broder, E.D.^, Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.*, Zonana, D.M. 2021. Responses of intended and unintended receivers to a novel sexual signal suggest clandestine communication. Nature Communications. 12: 797.
Broder, E.D., Elias, D.O., Rodriguez, R., Rosenthal, G.G., Seymoure, B., Tinghitella, R.M. 2021.Evolutionary novelty in communication between the sexes. Biology Letters. 16: 20200733.
Broder, E.D., Wikle, A.W., Gallagher, J.H., & Tinghitella, R.M. 2021. Substrate-borne vibration in Teleogryllus oceanicus courtship displays. Journal of Orthoptera Research. 30(1): 43-50.
Tinghitella, R.M., Broder E.D., Gurule-Small G.A., Hallagan, C., & Wilson, J. 2018. Purring crickets: The evolution of a novel sexual signal. The American Naturalist. 192(6): 773-782.
Tinghitella, R.M., Zuk, M., Beveridge, M., & Simmons, L.W. 2011. Island hopping introduces Polynesian field crickets to novel environments, genetic bottlenecks, and rapid evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 24(6): 1199-1211.
Tinghitella, R.M. & Zuk, M. 2009. Asymmetric mating preferences accommodated the rapid evolutionary loss of a sexual signal. Evolution. 63: 2087-2098.
Tinghitella, R.M., Wang, J.M. & Zuk, M. 2009. Pre-existing behavior renders a mutation adaptive: flexibility in male phonotaxis and the loss of singing ability in the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. Behavioral Ecology. 20: 722-728.
Zuk, M. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2008. Rapid evolution and sexual signals. In: Sociobiology of Communication: an interdisciplinary perspective. Eds: P d’Ettorre & D.P. Hughes. Oxford University Press.
Tinghitella, R.M. 2008. Rapid evolutionary change in a sexual signal: Genetic control of the mutation “flatwing” that renders male field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) mute. Heredity. 100: 261-267.
Zuk, M., Rotenberry, J.T. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2006. Silent Night: Adaptive disappearance of a sexual signal in a parasitized population of field crickets. Biology Letters. 2: 521-524.
Wikle, A.W.*, Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H., Dominguez, J., Carlson, M.**, Vu, Q.**, Tinghitella, R.M. Lee, N. 2025. Neural and behavioral evolution in an eavesdropper with a rapidly evolving host. Current Biology. 35(5): P1074-1084.E7.
Bailey, N.W., Zuk, M., and Tinghitella, R.M. 2024. Quiet but not forgotten: Insights into adaptive evolution and behavior from 20 years of (mostly) silent Hawaiian crickets. Advances in the Study of Behavior. 56:51-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.asb.2024.03.001.
Gallagher, J.H.*, Broder, E.D., Wikle, A.W.*, O’Toole, H.**, Durso, C., and Tinghitella, R.M. 2024. Surviving the serenade: how conflicting selection pressures shape the early stages of sexual signal diversification. Evolution. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae035.
Gallagher, J.G.*, Zonana, D., Broder, E.D., Syammach, A.**, and Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A novel cricket morph has diverged in song and wing morphology across island populations. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14235.
Wikle, A.W.*, Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, and Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A rapidly evolving cricket produces percussive vibrations: how, who, when, and why. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad031.
Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.W.*, Welsh, G.T.*, Zonana, D.M., Firneno, T.J., Tinghitella, R.M. 2023. A well-studied parasitoid fly uses multiple alternative hosts in its introduced range.
Evolutionary Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-022-10225-1.
Gallagher, J.H.*, Zonana, D., Broder, E.D., Herner, B.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Decoupling of sexual signals and their underlying morphology during rapid phenotypic diversification. Evolution Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/evl3.302.
Broder, E.D., Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.W.*, Venable, C.P., Zonana, D.M., Ingley, S.J. Smith, T.C.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Behavioral responses of a parasitoid fly to rapidly evolving host signals. Ecology & Evolution. 12:e9193. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9193.
Fitzgerald, S.L.**, Anner, S.C.**, Tinghitella, R.M. 2022. Varied female and male courtship behavior facilitated the evolution of a novel sexual signal. Behavioral Ecology. 33(4): 859-867.
Tinghitella, R.M.^, Broder, E.D.^, Gallagher, J.H.*, Wikle, A.*, Zonana, D.M. 2021. Responses of intended and unintended receivers to a novel sexual signal suggest clandestine communication. Nature Communications. 12: 797.
Broder, E.D., Elias, D.O., Rodriguez, R., Rosenthal, G.G., Seymoure, B., Tinghitella, R.M. 2021.Evolutionary novelty in communication between the sexes. Biology Letters. 16: 20200733.
Broder, E.D., Wikle, A.W., Gallagher, J.H., & Tinghitella, R.M. 2021. Substrate-borne vibration in Teleogryllus oceanicus courtship displays. Journal of Orthoptera Research. 30(1): 43-50.
Tinghitella, R.M., Broder E.D., Gurule-Small G.A., Hallagan, C., & Wilson, J. 2018. Purring crickets: The evolution of a novel sexual signal. The American Naturalist. 192(6): 773-782.
Tinghitella, R.M., Zuk, M., Beveridge, M., & Simmons, L.W. 2011. Island hopping introduces Polynesian field crickets to novel environments, genetic bottlenecks, and rapid evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 24(6): 1199-1211.
Tinghitella, R.M. & Zuk, M. 2009. Asymmetric mating preferences accommodated the rapid evolutionary loss of a sexual signal. Evolution. 63: 2087-2098.
Tinghitella, R.M., Wang, J.M. & Zuk, M. 2009. Pre-existing behavior renders a mutation adaptive: flexibility in male phonotaxis and the loss of singing ability in the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. Behavioral Ecology. 20: 722-728.
Zuk, M. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2008. Rapid evolution and sexual signals. In: Sociobiology of Communication: an interdisciplinary perspective. Eds: P d’Ettorre & D.P. Hughes. Oxford University Press.
Tinghitella, R.M. 2008. Rapid evolutionary change in a sexual signal: Genetic control of the mutation “flatwing” that renders male field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) mute. Heredity. 100: 261-267.
Zuk, M., Rotenberry, J.T. & Tinghitella, R.M. 2006. Silent Night: Adaptive disappearance of a sexual signal in a parasitized population of field crickets. Biology Letters. 2: 521-524.