Crepitation

Definition

A mechanism of sound production in certain grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in which the wings are snapped together during flight, producing a sharp, crackling noise. The sound arises from the sudden collision and release of wing veins or specialized structures, functioning in species recognition, mate attraction, or territorial signaling. Crepitation is distinct from stridulation, which involves rubbing body parts together.

Etymology

From Latin crepitare, to crackle or rustle, frequentative of crepare, to creak or rattle.

Example

Band-winged grasshoppers in the subfamily Oedipodinae produce loud crepitation during their erratic, buzzing flight, with males of Chortophaga viridifasciata (green-striped grasshopper) snapping their hindwings against the forewings to generate species-specific acoustic signals.

Synonyms

• wing snapping

Related Terms

• stridulation
• tymbal
• Acoustic communication
• orthopteran
• tegminal stridulation

Usage Notes

In entomology, crepitation is used specifically for wing-snapping sounds in flight, not for general rubbing noises. The term is sometimes loosely applied to other snapping sounds in arthropods, but specialists reserve it for the grasshopper mechanism. Contrast with stridulation, which involves file-and-scraper systems (e.g., cricket chirping) and can occur while stationary. Crepitation requires flight and produces a less tonal, more percussive sound.