Symphony across latitudes: exploring the acoustic diversity of katydids across the latitudinal gradient in India

Katydids (order: Orthoptera) are nocturnal insects that use species-specific calls for acoustic communication. Katydid communities are affected by variations in environment and habitat. However, very little is known about the biogeographic patterns of katydid communities from the biodiverse regions of the Indian subcontinent. It is important to understand biogeographical patterns in the rapidly changing environment due to climate change and invasive species. The objective of my study was therefore to understand the latitudinal patterns in acoustic assemblages of katydids from the Indian subcontinent. Field studies were conducted from 2015 to 2024 in three geographical locations from Western Ghats to Central India and the Western Himalayas in an increasing latitudinal gradient. A total of 26 call types were recorded from the study sites located across the three latitudes. This study also provides the first description of acoustic communities from Central India and the Western Himalayas. I also included eight call types from previously described acoustic assemblage data, making a total of 34 call types, to understand the latitudinal patterns. Preliminary analysis shows distinct community composition in the biogeographic areas. Only few species inhabited all three areas, and most call types were observed in a specific geographical area. The study indicated that the acoustic diversity of katydids follows the general pattern of a latitudinal biodiversity gradient. Given that katydids are important ecological indicators of ecosystem health, my study can help in understanding ecological processes that drive diversity and predicting how recent anthropogenic changes will affect species interactions and diversity.