Insect Hearing provides a broadly based view of the functions,
mechanisms, and evolution of hearing in insects. With a single
exception, the chapters focus on problems of hearing and their
solutions, rather than being focused on particular taxa. The exception,
hearing in Drosophila, is justified because, due to its ever growing
toolbox of genetic and optical techniques, Drosophila is rapidly
becoming one of the most important model systems in neurobiology,
including the neurobiology of hearing. Auditory systems, whether
insectan or vertebrate, must perform a number of basic tasks: capturing
mechanical stimuli and transducing these into neural activity,
representing the timing and frequency of sound signals, distinguishing
between behaviorally relevant signals and other sounds and localizing
sound sources. Studying how these are accomplished in insects offers a
valuable comparative view that helps to reveal general principles of
auditory function.