21 s of calling song, male from Dade County, Fla., 24.5°C. Dominant frequency 3.6 kHz. (WTL483-16)
This spectrogram is a 2 s excerpt of the 21 s audio file accessible above. The excerpt begins at 3 s.
74 s of calling, from Cameron County, Tex., 25°C. Dominant frequency 3.6 kHz. Recording by D.B. Weissman (S13-44, R13-231); used by permission.
This spectrogram is a 4 s excerpt of the 74 s audio file accessible immediately above. The excerpt begins at 28 s.
Spectrogram showing first chirp of 4 s sample immediately above.
22 s of mixed courtship, from Dade County, Fla., 24.5°C. (WTL483-16mc)
This spectrogram is a 4 s excerpt of the 22 s audio file accessible immediately above. The excerpt begins at 18 s.
Song:
Weissman and Gray (2019) described the song as loud, with 6-10 pulses per chirp; the pulse rate for the first pulse pair ranges from 50 to 111 and 40-83 for the last pair (Weissman et al. 2009). Chirps per second variable, but distinctive, usually <2.5 at 25°C.
Identification:
A key to the adult males of native US Gryllus is in Weissman and Gray (2019).
Associated with human environments, on watered lawns, golf courses, gardens and other maintained grounds.
Life cycle:
No diapausing stage, which has facilitated continuous rearing for scientific purposes. Probably 2-3 overlapping generations per year.
Season:
June to mid-September but present at other times of the year.
Remarks:
From 1915 until 1957, the many species of North American Gryllus were generally classified as Gryllus assimilis or Acheta assimilis, because until songs were used to distinguish species, taxonomists could not agree on what groups of Gryllus specimens deserved species status. The real G. assimilis was described from Jamaica and is known in the United States only from southern Florida and Brownsville, Texas.
Name derivation:
Latin: "as"="copper coin"; "similis" = "like, resembling"; probably in reference to G. assimilis' orange-reddish color.
