Physalaemus spiniger (Anura: Leiuperinae): A Frog with an Extensive Vocal Repertoire
Frog calls are often stereotyped and only a few species are known to vary the emission of a single note or call greatly. Calls of Physalaemus spiniger were recorded in the field and analyzed in the laboratory. We recognized and describe five different notes or calls: advertisement, territorial, fighting, release, and amplexus. These notes differ in duration, number of pulses per call, and fundamental frequency (Fh1). There was a great variation in the spectral structure and frequency modulation of the advertisement call, which had up to six harmonic frequencies (H). Of these, one to three were visible and two to three were estimated. The greatest sound intensity was recorded in H3 (1.27 kHz) and H4 (1.68 kHz). The note had an average duration of 237.63 ms and 371.57 pulses/note. The advertisement note (A) may occur in conjunction with the territorial note (T), in this case by changing its physical characteristics. The frequency modulations in the notes were both ascendant and descendant and were located anywhere in the note. We identified at least 22 different ways in which the advertisement call was emitted. The function of this variation and the observed patterns are unclear; however, this species is an excellent model for investigating call parameters as only two other species of frogs are known to possess such extensive vocal repertoires.Abstract
Spectrogram (above) and oscillogram (below) for distinct vocalizations of Physalaemus spiniger in Guaraqueçaba, State of Paraná. (A) Advertisement call (recorded on 19/08/2008 at 21:40 h, 19.6°C and 80% relative air humidity). (B) Territorial call (recorded on 19/08/2008 at 21:40 h, 19.6°C and 80% relative air humidity). (C) Fighting call (recorded on 19/08/2008 at 23 h, 18.1°C and 80% relative air humidity). (D) Release call (recorded on 20/08/2009 at 15:10 h, 19.4°C and 89% relative air humidity). (E) Amplexus call (recorded at 20/08/2009 at 23 h, 18.1°C and 89% relative air humidity). Note that oscillograms are in logarithmic scale.
Twenty-two different configurations (A to V) of advertisement calls of Physalaemus spiniger in Guaraqueçaba, State of Paraná.
Different configurations of the advertisement call (A) of Physalaemus spiniger followed by territorial note (T), in the sequence (AT). The recordings were made in Guaraqueçaba, State of Paraná. Note the duration of note A and note T.
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