Emerging voices: Ensifera (Orthoptera) as a model for the evolution of acoustic communication

Insects exhibit a remarkable diversity of communication strategies, spanning chemical, visual, tactile, and acoustic modalities. Among these, acoustic communication has played a pivotal role in the diversification and evolution of several insect lineages. The suborder Ensifera (Order: Orthoptera), comprising katydids, crickets, and their allies, presents a particularly promising system for studying the evolution of acoustic signaling. This clade of approximately 16,000 species includes both highly vocal and entirely silent lineages and everything in between, offering a unique opportunity to investigate the origins, losses, and transformations of acoustic communication.
Despite recent advances in resolving the phylogeny of Orthoptera, previous studies have been limited by sparse taxonomic sampling for Ensifera, with the most comprehensive analyses of next generation sequence phylogeny including only around 50 taxa. To address this gap and enable a fine-scale understanding of acoustic evolution in Ensifera, we undertook a multi-faceted approach that includes: (1) generating a robust phylogenetic framework using target capture, next-generation sequencing data for about 600 taxa; (2) conducting a detailed biogeographic analysis of the group, which dates back approximately 265 million years; and (3) performing a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of acoustic communication across the clade.
Our study not only reveals novel evolutionary relationships among major ensiferan families but also provides critical insights into the ecological and evolutionary drivers of acoustic signaling. By integrating phylogenetics, biogeography, and behavioral, we establish Ensifera as a powerful model for understanding the origins and diversification of acoustic communication in insects.