Fig. 12. An audible click occurs when froghoppers jump. (A) During a free jump, a
click occurred at the time of take-off. Images were captured at 1000
s-1. A cartoon of a froghopper is shown in the first frame to
clarify the images. (B) Aphrophora was fixed ventral surface
uppermost in PlasticeneTM and with a microphone 5 mm from the right hind
leg. Movements of the hind legs were captured at 1000 s-1. The
rapid simultaneous movement of both hind legs was accompanied by a click even
though the hind legs did not contact anything during their movement. The left
image of a ventral view shows the hind legs fully cocked and tucked between
the overlying middle legs and the thorax. The right image shows both hind legs
fully depressed 1 ms later. (C) Movements of a hind leg were recorded
opto-electronically together with the sound, and 10 jump movements by one
Aphrophora were superimposed. The first sound occurred only 0.05 ms
after the start of the movement.