Taxonomic reassessment of Middle Eastern water frogs: Bioacoustic variation among populations considered as Rana ridibunda, R. bedriagae or R. levantina

Abstract

Temporal characteristics of advertisement calls of water frogs of 10 localities in Turkey, Syria, Israel and Egypt were compared with those of Rana ridibunda in Kazakhstan, Armenia and Greece (Thrace) as reference populations. These study sites include the type localities of R. ridibunda, R. r. caralitana, R. esculenta var. bedriagae und R. levantina. The temperature‐dependent as well as the temperature‐independent call parameters clearly revealed two species. R. ridibunda is represented by the three reference populations and, in addition, a population in central Turkey. The other populations (in Turkey, Syria, Israel and Egypt) represent R. bedriagae. R. bedriagae is the oldest available name for water frogs of these regions and was given priority over R. r. caralitana and R. levantina.

Efeito da temperatura sobre o canto de advertência de Pleurodema tucumanum (Anura: Leiuperidae)

“…In these works, the acoustic variables are described using position and dispersion statistics (e.g., Barrio 1964, Duellman and Veloso 1977, McLister et al 1991, Salas et al 1998, Heyer and Carvalho 2000. In other cases, temperature-dependent variables are fitted to linear regression models (e.g., Schneider and Sinsch 1992, Schneider et al 1993, Márquez and Bosch 1997, Stöck 1998, Schneider and Sinsch 1999, Esteban et al 2002, Martino and Sinsch 2002, Heyer and Reid 2003. In this study, we characterized the acoustic variables using position and dispersion statistics.…”

“…This last fact is because these acoustic signals have a genetic base which can be recognized by means of analyses of calls that produce the interspecific hybrids (Duellman and Trueb 1994). Therefore, the acoustic variables represent an important character to discriminate species (Schneider and Sinsch 1992, Schneider et al 1993, Márquez and Bosch 1995, Schneider and Sinsch 1999, Martino and Sinsch 2002, Valetti et al 2009). However, given that frogs are ectotherms, it is expected that acoustic properties of their calls will vary with temperature (Duellman and Trueb 1994).…”

“…However, given that frogs are ectotherms, it is expected that acoustic properties of their calls will vary with temperature (Duellman and Trueb 1994). Moreover, several authors already have demonstrated the correlation of the temporal parameters of the call with the temperature (e.g., Blair 1958, Zweifel 1959, Gerhardt, 1978, Gayou 1984, Schneider and Sinsch 1992, Schneider et al 1993, Márquez and Bosch 1995, Navas 1996b, Schneider and Sinsch 1999, Esteban et al 2002, Martino and Sinsch 2002, Heyer and Reid 2003, mainly in species with energetic calling (Navas 1996a). Hence, the bioacoustic analyses of anuran calls requires considering temperature, so that this factor does not mask intrinsic differences or generate variations in otherwise similar calls.…”

Bioacústica del canto de advertencia de <i>Ceratophrys cranwelli</i> (Anura: Ceratophrydae)

“…El canto de advertencia actúa en la orientación de ambos sexos hacia los sitios de reproducción, en la formación de agregaciones reproductivas, en la localización y discriminación por parte de las hembras de los machos coespecíficos. Por lo tanto, estas emisiones sonoras son especie-específicas (Gerhardt & Davis 1988) y son muy importantes en sus historias de vida (Schneider & Sinsch 1992, Schneider et al 1993, Márquez & Bosch 1995, Schneider & Sinsch 1999, Martino & Sinsch 2002. Debido a la condición ectotérmica de los anuros, la actividad acústica y las variables relacionadas con el canto están potencialmente influenciadas por la temperatura (Duellman & Trueb 1986).…”

“…Debido a la condición ectotérmica de los anuros, la actividad acústica y las variables relacionadas con el canto están potencialmente influenciadas por la temperatura (Duellman & Trueb 1986). Se ha demostrado la correlación de la temperatura con variables temporales del canto de advertencia en diferentes especies de anfibios anuros (Blair 1958, Zweifel 1959, Gerhardt 1978, Gayou 1984, Schneider & Sinsch 1992, Schneider et al 1993, Márquez & Bosch 1995, Navas 1996, Schneider & Sinsch 1999, Esteban et al 2002, Martino & Sinsch 2002, Heyer & Reid 2003, Sinsch & Juraske 2006. Barrio (1980) distingue las poblaciones diploides del género Ceratophrys como C. cranwelli, especie de amplia distribución en el Chaco argentino y el Gran Chaco paraguayo, mientras que las poblaciones octoploides de C. ornata (Bell 1843) se distribuyen en la región pampeana de Argentina.…”