BACKGROUND Insect ears contain very different numbers of sensory cells, from only one sensory cell in some moths to thousands of sensory cells, e.g. in cicadas. These differences still await functional explanation and especially the large numbers in cicadas remain puzzling. Insects of the different orders have distinct developmental sequences for the generation of auditory organs. These sensory cells might have different functions depending on the developmental stages. Here we propose that constraints arising during development are also important for the design of insect ears and might influence cell numbers of the adults. PRESENTATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS We propose that the functional requirements of the subadult stages determine the adult complement of sensory units in the auditory system of cicadas. The hypothetical larval sensory organ should function as a vibration receiver, representing a functional caenogenesis. TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS Experiments at different levels have to be designed to test the hypothesis. Firstly, the neuroanatomy of the larval sense organ should be analyzed to detail. Secondly, the function should be unraveled neurophysiologically and behaviorally. Thirdly, the persistence of the sensory cells and the rebuilding of the sensory organ to the adult should be investigated. IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYPOTHESIS Usually, the evolution of insect ears is viewed with respect to physiological and neuronal mechanisms of sound perception. This view should be extended to the development of sense organs. Functional requirements during postembryonic development may act as constraints for the evolution of adult organs, as exemplified with the auditory system of cicadas.

中文翻译：

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昆虫试听的发育限制。

背景技术昆虫的耳朵包含非常不同数量的感觉细胞，从某些蛾中的仅一个感觉细胞到例如蝉中的数千个感觉细胞。这些差异仍在等待功能上的解释，尤其是蝉的数量仍然令人困惑。不同阶的昆虫对于听觉器官的产生具有不同的发育顺序。根据发育阶段，这些感觉细胞可能具有不同的功能。在这里，我们提出在发育过程中产生的限制对于昆虫的耳朵的设计也很重要，并且可能会影响成虫的细胞数量。假设的提出我们建议，亚成年阶段的功能要求决定了蝉听觉系统中感觉单元的成年补体。假设的幼虫感觉器官应充当振动接收器，代表功能性成因。测试假设必须设计不同级别的实验以测试假设。首先，应详细分析幼虫感觉器官的神经解剖结构。其次，应从神经生理学和行为学角度阐明功能。第三，应研究感觉细胞的持久性和对成年人的感觉器官的重建。假设的含义通常，从声音感知的生理和神经元机制来看昆虫耳的进化。这种观点应扩展到感觉器官的发展。胚胎后发育过程中的功能要求可能会限制成年器官的进化，