Mate Choice Based on Acoustic Features in Johnstone's Whistling Frog<i>Eleutherodactylus johnstonei</i>: an Experimental Approach

Tárano, Zaida; Fuenmayor, Eloisa

doi:10.2994/sajh-d-12-00016.1

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…I used natural whines and chucks to prepare the stimuli following the procedures described in Bernal et al. () and Tárano & Fuenmayor (). The whines contrasted on each trial were identical (as in Schwartz & Rand 1991) but differed in the number of chucks; different whines were used with different females and on the replicates of each treatment trial (Gerhardt ; McGregor ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The combinations tested (number of chucks, call order, and timing) are shown in Table 1 (each combination of stimuli in relation to chuck number is called a trial type, that is, whine vs. w + chk or w + chk vs. w + 2chk). I used natural whines and chucks to prepare the stimuli following the procedures described in Bernal et al (2009) andFuenmayor (2013). The whines contrasted on each trial were identical (as in Schwartz & Rand 1991) but differed in the number of chucks; different whines were used with different females and on the replicates of each treatment trial (Gerhardt 1995;McGregor 2000).…”

Section: Preparation Of Stimulimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Choosing a Mate in a Cocktail Party‐Like Situation: The Effect of Call Complexity and Call Timing between Two Rival Males on Female Mating Preferences in the Túngara Frog Physalaemus pustulosus

Tárano

2015

Ethology

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Signal detection, recognition, and localization are hampered when multiple signalers coincide in time and space, a problem known as ‘cocktail party effect’. In many taxa, senders utter complex calls consisting of two or more elements which often vary in the ease with which they can be assessed in different signaling environments. Receivers’ selective attention to different cues may increase the probability of correctly assigning a signal to its source (localization) in face of conspecific interference. Túngara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus, produce complex calls consisting of an initial whine, followed by zero up to seven broad‐banded, amplitude‐modulated chucks. Under ideal conditions (without interference or noise), females prefer whines followed by chucks over whines alone, but the preference is not linear; females do not discriminate between whines with one or two chucks. When whines lack chucks, call overlap elicits random responses in females, with no preference for leading calls. In this study, I explored the combined effect of call timing and call complexity on female preferences in a two‐choice paradigm—a simplification of the cocktail party scenario. I tested the hypothesis that the effect of call overlap can be reduced when the calls of one of the two rivals have chucks, specifically more chucks than those of the rival. I gave females a choice between whines alone and with chucks (one or two) presented at three time relations (alternated, abutted, and partially overlapped) and two emission orders (whine with less chucks leading and whine with more chucks leading). I found that the preference for one chuck over no chuck was preserved in all the experimental treatments, but when a w + 2chk preceded a w + chk, either overlapped or abutted, a preference existed for the whine with more chucks. Therefore, an interaction between call order and the number of chucks was obtained. The results only partially supported the hypothesis, and call order emerges as an opportunistic component of signaling in P. pustulosus.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Preparation Of Stimulimentioning

confidence: 99%

Choosing a Mate in a Cocktail Party‐Like Situation: The Effect of Call Complexity and Call Timing between Two Rival Males on Female Mating Preferences in the Túngara Frog Physalaemus pustulosus

Tárano

2015

Ethology

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“…Eleutherodactylus johnstonei males call in aggregations of several individuals and defend small territories (<2 m in radius) through acoustic and visual displays, and fighting (Ovaska & Hunte ; Bourne ). Females are acoustically attracted to males (Bourne ) and behaviorally discriminate acoustic differences between them (Tárano & Fuenmayor ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When preparing the stimuli, we considered all the cautions indicated by Gerhardt (), McGregor () and Kroodsma et al. () to avoid execution problems when natural stimuli are used (explained in detail in Tárano & Fuenmayor ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, we explored additional cues for acoustic competition in E. johnstonei by analyzing the modification of several call features when males were presented with playbacks that differed in temporal or spectral characteristics. In a recent study, we have demonstrated directional female preferences for the longest calls available (for calls of typical duration over short calls, for long calls over typical calls), for calls repeated at short periods (but with no discrimination between typical-and long-period calls), and for calls of typical or low dominant frequency over high-frequency calls (T arano & Fuenmayor 2013). Therefore, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that males modify their vocal behavior when faced with potential competitors in relation to their attractiveness to females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Complex Vocal Responses to Conspecific Calls in Whistling Frogs Eleutherodactylus johnstonei: Playback Experiments in the Field

Tárano

Fuenmayor

2014

Ethology

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We simulated the presence of an acoustic competitor by broadcasting conspecific playbacks to males of Johnstone's whistling frog, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, in the field. We broadcast calls that differed in duration (short, typical, and long), dominant frequency (high, typical, and low), and period (short, typical, and long), and analyzed male vocal responses. We tested the hypothesis that males respond by escalating vocally when they are exposed to female‐attractive calls and by ignoring unattractive ones. At the population level, males responded to playbacks in ways that would potentially increase their attractiveness with regard to solo calling: males increased the duration, reduced the dominant frequency, and increased their calling effort (duty cycle), despite an increase in call period. The modification of call duration occurred only in response to playbacks of low‐frequency calls, long calls, and short‐period calls (selective response), while the modification of the dominant frequency was independent of the characteristic of the playback (fixed response). Contrary to the expected, males did not reduce the call period when they were exposed to attractive playbacks. At the ultimate level, the results suggest energy‐saving strategies. In addition, males seem to trade off call period for the avoidance of acoustic interference with attractive calls as calling effort was typically increased by increasing call duration but only rarely by reducing the call period. Interactive playbacks are necessary to better understand the calling strategies of males of E. johnstonei.

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Auditory and distance cues interact to modulate female gray treefrog preferences for male advertisement calls

Boyd

Gordon

2021

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Mate Choice Based on Acoustic Features in Johnstone's Whistling FrogEleutherodactylus johnstonei: an Experimental Approach

Cited by 12 publications

References 42 publications

Choosing a Mate in a Cocktail Party‐Like Situation: The Effect of Call Complexity and Call Timing between Two Rival Males on Female Mating Preferences in the Túngara Frog Physalaemus pustulosus

Choosing a Mate in a Cocktail Party‐Like Situation: The Effect of Call Complexity and Call Timing between Two Rival Males on Female Mating Preferences in the Túngara Frog Physalaemus pustulosus

Complex Vocal Responses to Conspecific Calls in Whistling Frogs Eleutherodactylus johnstonei: Playback Experiments in the Field

Auditory and distance cues interact to modulate female gray treefrog preferences for male advertisement calls

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