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Cesare Brizio

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 041-052

    Cesare Brizio
    High frequency components of the songs of two Cicadas (Hemiptera Cicadidae) from Sardinia (Italy) investigated by a low-cost USB microphone

    ABSTRACT
    During August 2013, a low-cost ultrasonic USB microphone (Ultramic 250 by Dodotronic), was field-tested for its first application ever in Cicadomorphan bioacoustics studies. Two different species were recorded in the ultrasonic domain, with 250 kHz sampling frequency, one of them also with 96kHz audio recordings for comparison purposes. Ultramic 250 proved suitable for field use, while the recording campaign provided the opportunity to confirm the presence in South-Western Sardinia of two species (Hemiptera Cicadidae), Tibicina corsica corsica Boulard, 1983, endemic to Sardinia and Corse, and the widespread Cicada orni Linnaeus, 1758. To the best knowledge of the author, those reported are the first field recordings of Cicadidae songs encompassing the ultrasonic domain up to 125 kHz and, in particular for C. orni, display sound emissions at frequencies above those previously reported in literature. Even though conceived for the study of Chiropterans, self-contained, low-cost USB ultrasonic microphones proved useful in insect bioacoustics investigations.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 5 (1): 025-038

    Cesare Brizio & Filippo Maria Buzzetti
    Ultrasound recordings of some Orthoptera from Sardinia (Italy)

    ABSTRACT
    During August 2013, Ultramic 250 by Dodotronic was field-tested for application in Orthopteran acoustic biodiversity studies. The songs of four species were recorded: Uromenus brevicollis insularis Chopard, 1924, Rhacocleis baccettii Galvagni, 1976, Svercus palmetorum palmetorum (Krauss, 1902) and Oecanthus dulcisonans Gorochov, 1993. The recording campaign proved the viability of Ultramic 250 for field use and provided the opportunity to assess the presence in South-Western Sardinia of two less documented species, Svercus palmetorum palmetorum (Krauss, 1902) and Oecanthus dulcisonans Gorochov, 1993.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (2): 0303-0314

    Cesare Brizio
    Hidden, Relevant High-Frequency Bioacoustic Features Revealed by Extreme Amplification of Digital 16-bit PCM High-Resolution Field Recordings
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.2.303.314

    ABSTRACT
    Building on the author’s previous usage of amplification above –0dB digital full scale as a tool to improve the comparability of high-resolution (250 kHz sampling frequency) and lower-resolution digital recordings, the effects of extreme amplification (+30 dB Digital Full Scale) on 250 kHz digital recordings are explored, showing how previously unobserved native, relevant song features in the frequency domain may emerge in the inaudible band thanks to the apparently unadvisable process of amplification above zero dB Digital Full Scale.