Vocal Repertory of Two Species of the Leptodactylus Pentadactylus Group (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

Abstract

Among frogs, vocalizations play important roles in their social interactions. Herein we describefi ve new types of vocalizations for two foam-nesting species of the Leptodactylus pentadactylusgroup, L. syphax and L. labyrinthicus. Behavioral observations and recordings were done in fourlocalities within the Cerrado biome, at southeast and central Brazil. Before emitting advertisementcalls, males of L. syphax often started producing a sequence of notes, which gradually turned into theadvertisement call. These different notes may be an introductory call, which would serve to preparethe vocal structures for the emission of the high-frequency/amplitude advertisement calls. A male ofL. syphax was emitting advertisement calls when a female approached and started to emit brief andlow-amplitude calls; these vocalizations probably are reciprocation calls. Males of L. labyrinthicusinvolved in agonistic interactions can emit vocal cracks (encounter call) and deep rough sounds (territorialcalls). Five courting males of L. labyrinthicus released screams with their mouth slightly openedin response to the approach of human observers. We conclude that these screams do not representdistress or territorial calls.

Novel observations on Leptodactylus fuscus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) mating behavior

“…Female calls are known for other leptodactylids, such as Leptodactylus syphax Bokermann, 1969and L. troglodytes Lutz, 1926(Silva et al 2008, Kokubum et al 2009. Dimorphic acoustic differences, such as the variation in call duration and range frequency in L. fuscus, occur in many other species in at least 11 anuran families ( Preininger et al 2016).…”