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The tymbal of a cicada: nature’s sound-generating metastructure

Author

Listed:
  • Pritam Ghoshal

    (Purdue University, Advanced Dynamics and Mechanics Lab
    Purdue University, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, School of Mechanical Engineering)

  • Richa Singh

    (Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences)

  • Hongcheng Tao

    (Purdue University, Advanced Dynamics and Mechanics Lab
    Purdue University, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, School of Mechanical Engineering)

  • Eshan Ganju

    (Purdue University, School of Materials Engineering)

  • Nikhilesh Chawla

    (Purdue University, School of Materials Engineering)

  • James M. Gibert

    (Purdue University, Advanced Dynamics and Mechanics Lab
    Purdue University, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, School of Mechanical Engineering)

  • Anil K. Bajaj

    (Purdue University, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, School of Mechanical Engineering)

Abstract

Cicadas generate sound through the interplay of tymbal buckling and body resonance, but a unified framework explaining the diversity of calls across species has been absent. In this study, we conceptualize the cicada’s sound-generation mechanism as a naturally occurring biological metastructure, characterized by periodically arranged ribs and inherent frequency filtering. We introduce a novel mechanical model comprising a chain of bistable oscillators coupled to a chain of resonators, which successfully captures both the snap-through dynamics of the tymbals and the subsequent acoustic filtering. This model represents the first species-adaptable framework capable of reproducing the distinct song frequencies and call patterns observed across multiple cicada species, offering a new understanding of this remarkable biomechanical system.

Suggested Citation

  • Pritam Ghoshal & Richa Singh & Hongcheng Tao & Eshan Ganju & Nikhilesh Chawla & James M. Gibert & Anil K. Bajaj, 2025. "The tymbal of a cicada: nature’s sound-generating metastructure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-65149-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65149-5
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