Thepealeafminer(Liriomyzahuidobrensis)isanotoriouspestofvegetablesandornamentalplantsworldwide.Despitealargenumberofstudiesonitsbiologyandecology,thecourtshipbehaviorandsexualcommunicationofthisspeciesremainunclear.Here,westudiedvibrationalcommunicationinthesexualinteractionofthepealeafminer.Onhostplantleaves,femalesandmalesbehaviorallydisplayedthebobbing-quiveringalternation,whichfinallyledtocopulation.Moreover,recordsoflaservibrometryrevealedthreesignalduetsunderlyingthebehavioralalternation.Sexuallymaturemalesspontaneouslyemittedcalls(MCs)toinitiatetheduets.ThefemalesrapidlyrespondedtoMCsbyemittingreplies(FRs)thatarelongerinduration.TheFRsfurthertriggeredmalereplies(MRs)intheirsearchforpotentialpartners.Leafminer-producedvibrationalsignalsconveyefficientinformationtopartnersandgeneratepairformationonstretchedsubstrates,suchasplantleavesandnylonmesh,butcannotelicitresponsesondensesubstrates,suchasglassandplastic.VibrationalplaybacksofbothMCsandFRscanelicitrepliesinfemalesandmales,respectively.Thisstudycompletelycharacterizessubstrate-bornevibrationalduetsinadipteraninsect.Thediscoveryofvibrationalsexsignalsinthepealeafminerprovidesnewinsightsforthedevelopmentofnovelapproachestocontrolthepestanditsrelativespecies.
