Most adult males acquire an inflated abdomen, a specialization for amplified sound production, which is likely its primary function.

Their abdominal segments consist of a thin, semitransparent integument, and are enlarged in length and width, while the intersegmental membranes are much reduced.

[2] Males are capable of producing loud calls, a long and very deep rasping noise,[2] which members of their species can detect from 2 km away.

[1] They employ a different sound mechanism to produce a distinguishable call, sometimes described as a high squeak, and perhaps only partially audible to humans.

[2] Within one species, a primary (plesiomorph) and alternative (apomorph) male form with differing mating strategies can arise.