Guwahati: A recent study has provided new insights into the biodiversity of Meghalaya’s Nokrek rainforest, documenting five distinct acoustic call types of Mecopoda katydids (bush crickets) found in the same forest areas.
Katydids, relatives of grasshoppers, are known for their leaf-like camouflage and wing-rubbing sounds. Typically, a single species of katydid produces one type of call throughout its life.
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However, researchers from Ashoka University discovered an exception in Nokrek, where five species of bush crickets, visually similar in appearance, produce different calls, each corresponding to a separate evolutionary lineage.
Published in Bioacoustics, the study identifies the following call types: “Simple Chirper,” “Fast Chirper,” “True Triller,” “Variable Triller,” and “Three-Part Song.” These calls were recorded within a 10 sq km area of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, which borders the Eastern Himalayas.
Although the crickets are visually similar, their distinct calls enabled researchers to differentiate between the species.
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Genetic analysis confirmed that these groups are genetically distinct, with some related to Mecopoda elongata and others to M. fallax.
The study highlights the importance of combining acoustic and genetic analysis in understanding biodiversity, suggesting that India’s tropical forests, especially through the sounds of nocturnal insects, may harbor additional undiscovered species.