On the variability of the temporal pattern of vibrational calling signals in leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)
Different kinds of variability of calling signals in Cicadellidae are described. In leafhoppers, not only the duration and repetition period of the elements of the signals, but also the general scheme of their temporal pattern can vary to a great extent. The songs of certain species include prolonged and elaborate additional components, which are not the necessary parts of the song and sometimes are reduced partially or fully. Consequently, the presence or absence of such components is not a species-specific character, and vice versa, the presence of identical components even in the signals differing distinctly from each other suggests their conspecificity.