Figure 1
Inhibitory-resetting model for signal interactions between male neighbors in rhythmic acoustic species.
Black sawtooth line in upper trace shows the periodic ascent (rb, rebound) and descent of the free-running central rhythm generator. After an effector delay t following ascent to the peak level, a call (thick blue dash) is broadcast; meanwhile the generator descends to its basal level over interval r. Calls are repeated rhythmically with a period T. Lower trace shows the same central rhythm generator as it is repeatedly inhibited and reset by a stimulus (male neighbor or acoustic playback; thick red dash). T′ is the modified call period following a stimulus. The rebound rb from inhibition following a stimulus steepens when the stimulus occurs after a longer post-call delay d; rb is steepest (rb3) when the stimulus occurs just as the rhythm generator has ascended to its peak level (following post-call delay d3), yielding the shortest post-stimulus delay for the focal male’s next call. This minimum post-stimulus call delay is designated m. The model is adapted from ref. 21 and was derived from results in extensive playback experiments with various species, including E. diurnus.
