Advertisement Calls and Reproductive Activity of Hylarana guentheri (Boulenger, 1882) from Bach Ma National Park

Binh V. Ngo, Chung D. Ngo, Xuyen T. Nguyen, Ping-Chun L. Hou, Nhon T. Tran

Abstract


We analyzed variations in advertisement calls from frogs of different localities and reproductive activity of Hylarana guentheri living in a tropical region. We estimated the variation of each call property among three localities of the calling male on acoustical features. The spectral characteristics of single-note and multi-note advertisement calls of the species were described using acoustic spectral parameters. Call duration and dominant frequency were the most stereotyped properties with the average dominant frequency of single-note advertisement call was 1.152 kHz; call rate exhibited an intermediate level of variation among populations; whereas rise time and frequency modulation were highly variable within individuals. Call duration, call rate, and rise time were significantly different between localities. Snout-vent length ranged between 50.2 and 80.2 mm among sexually mature males and between 58.9 and 91.5 mm among females. Histological analyses of testes revealed that sperm did not occur throughout the entire year, indicating discontinuous reproductive activity for males. Reproductive females were observed only during the auxiliary rainy season months (mainly April to July), indicating that females have a seasonal reproductive activity.

Keywords


Amphibia; Anura; Hylarana guentheri; Bach Ma; reproductive activity

Full Text:

PDF

References


Angulo A. and Reichle S. (2008), «Acoustic signals, species diagnosis, and species concepts: the case of a new cryptic species of Leptodactylus (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae) from the Chapare region, Bolivia», Zool. J. Linnean Soc., 152(1), 59 – 77.

Arch V. S., Richards-Zawaki C. L., and Feng A. S. (2011), «Acoustic communication in the Kihansi Spray Toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis): Insights from a captive population», J. Herpetol., 45(1), 45 – 49.

Berven K. A. (1981), «Mate choice in the wood frog, Rana sylvatica», Evolution, 35(4), 707 – 722.

Bevier C. R. (1997), «Utilization of energy substrates during calling activity in tropical frogs», Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 41(5), 343 – 352.

Biavati G. M., Wiederhecker H. C., and Colli G. R. (2004), «Diet of Epipedobates flavopictus (Anura: Dendrobatidae) in a neotropical savanna», J. Herpetol., 38(4), 510 – 518.

Blair W. F. (1964), «Isolating mechanisms and interspecific interactions in anuran amphibians», Quart. Rev. Biol., 39(4), 334 – 344.

Blair W. F. (1968), «Amphibians and Reptiles», in: T. A. Seboek (ed.), Animal Communication, Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington, pp. 289 – 310.

Cannatella D. C., Hillis D. M., Chippindale P. T., Weigt L., Rand A. S., and Ryan M. J. (1998), «Phylogeny of frogs of the Physalaemus pustulosus species group, with an examination of data incongruence», Syst. Biol., 47(2), 311 – 335.

Castellano S., Cuatto B., Rinella R., Rosso A., and Giacoma C. (2002), «The advertisement call of the European treefrogs (Hyla arborea): a multilevel study of variation», Ethology, 108(1), 75 – 89.

Caldwell J. P. and Vitt L. J. (1999), «Dietary asymmetry in leaf litter frogs and lizards in a transitional northern Amazonian rain forest», Oikos, 84(3), 383 – 397.

Chan L. M. (2003), «Seasonality, microhabitat and cryptic variation in tropical salamander reproductive cycles», Biol. J. Linnean Soc., 78(4), 489 – 496.

Channing A., Moyer D., and Burger M. (2002), «Cryptic species of Sharp-Nosed Reed Frogs in the Hyperolius nasutus complex: advertisement call differences», Afr. Zool., 37(1), 91 – 99.

Crump M. L. (1974), «Reproductive strategies in a tropical anuran community», Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist. Misc. Publ., 61, 1 – 68.

De la Riva I., Márquez R., and Bosch J. (1996), «Advertisement calls of four microhylid frogs from Bolivia (Amphibia, Anura)», Am. Midland Naturalist, 136(2), 418 – 422.

Dubois A. (1992), «Notes sur la classification des Ranidae (Amphibiens: Anoures)», Bull. Mensuel Soc. Linn. Lyon, 61, 305 – 352.

Dubois A. (2005), «Amphibia Mundi. 1.1. An ergotaxonomy of recent Amphibians», Alytes, 23, 1 – 24.

Duellman W. E. (1978), «The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador», Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist. Misc. Publ., 165, 1 – 352.

Duellman W. E. and Trueb L. (1986), Biology of Amphibians, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Elmberg J. (1991), «Factors affecting male yearly mating success in the Common Frog, Rana temporaria», Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 28(2), 125 – 131.

Emlen S. T. (1976), «Lek organization and mating strategies in the bullfrog», Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 1(3), 283 – 313.

Gayou D. C. (1984), «Effects of temperature on the mating call of Hyla versicolor», Copeia, 1984(3), 733 – 738.

Gergus E. W. A., Reeder T. W., and Sullivan B. K. (2004), «Geographic variation in Hyla wrightorum: advertisement calls, allozymes, mtDNA, and morphology», Copeia, 2004(4), 758 – 769.

Gerhardt H. C. (1991), «Female mate choice in treefrogs: static and dynamic acoustic criteriav», Animal Behav., 42, 615 – 635.

Gerhardt H. C. (1994), «The evolution of vocalization in frogs and toads», Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 1994(25), 193 – 324.

Gerhardt C. H. and Huber F. (2002), Acoustic Communication in Insect and Anurans, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Houck L. D. (1977), «Life history patterns and reproductive biology of Neotropical salamanders», in: D. H. Taylor and S. J. Guttman (eds.), The Reproductive Biology of Amphibians, Plenum Publ. Corp., New York, pp. 43 – 72.

Howard R. D. (1978a), «The evolution of mating strategies in bullfrogs, Rana catesbeiana», Evolution, 32(4), 850 – 871.

Howard R. D. (1978b), «The influence of male-defended ovi-position sites on early embryo mortality in bull-frogs», Ecology, 59(4), 789 – 798.

Howard R. D. (1980), «Mating behaviour and mating success in woodfrogs, Rana sylvatica», Animal Behav., 28(3), 705 – 716.

Huang W. S., Lin J. Y., and Yu Y. L. (1996), «The male reproductive cycle of the toad, Bufo bankorensis, in Taiwan», Zool. Studies, 35(2), 128 – 137.

Huang W. S., Lin J. Y., and Yu Y. L. (1997), «Male reproductive cycle of the toad Bufo melanostictus in Taiwan», Zool. Sci., 14(3), 497 – 503.

Kluge A. G. (1981), «The life history, social organization, and parental behavior of Hyla rosenbergi Boulenger, a nest-building gladiator frog», Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 160, 1 – 170.

Magnusson W. E., Lima A. P., Alves da Silva W., and Carmozina de Araújo M. (2003), «Use geometric forms to estimate volume of invertebrates in ecological studies of dietary overlap», Copeia, 2003(1), 13 – 19.

Márquez R. and Bosch J. (1995), «Advertisement calls of the midwife toads Alytes (Amphibia, Anura, Discoglossidae) in continental Spain», J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res., 33(3 – 4), 185 – 192.

Marshall V. T. and Gerhardt H. C. (2010), «A precedence effect underlies preferences for calls with leading pulses in the grey treefrog, Hyla versicolor», Animal Behav., 80(1), 139 – 145.

Ngo V. B., Tran T. T. N., and Tran C. T. (2009), «Nutritional and reproductive characters of three species (Quasipaa verrucospinosa, Hylarana guentheri, and Fejervarya limnocharis) in Thua Thien Hue», in: C. D. Ngo, T. H. Ta, N. N. Le, Q. X. Hoang, P. V. Vo, S. V. Nguyen, T. V. Nguyen, T. T. Le, and D. Q. Tran (eds.), Proc. of the 1st Natl. Sci. Workshop Amphibia and Reptile, Hue University Publishing House, Vietnam, pp. 179 – 187.

Nguyen V. S., Ho T. C., and Nguyen Q. T. (2009), Herpetofauna of Vietnam, Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Nguyen V., Truong D. H., Hoang T. L., Nguyen V. H., Phung D. V., Ha H. K., Tran D. H., Phan V. H., Nguyen D. A., and Le Q. V. (2004), The Climatic-Hydrology Characters of Thua Thien-Hue Province, Thuan Hoa Publishing House, Vietnam.

Padial J. M., Köhler J., Munöz A., and De la Riva I. (2008), «Assessing the taxonomic status of tropical frogs through bioacoustics: geographical variation in the advertisement calls in the Eleutherodactylus discoidalis species group (Anura)», Zool. J. Linnean Soc., 152(2), 353 – 365.

Robertson J. G. M. (1986), «Female choice, male strategies and the role of vocalizations in the Australian frog Uperoleia rugosa», Animal Behav., 34(3), 773 – 784.

Ryan M. J. (2009), Communication in Frogs and Toads. Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Acad. Press, Oxford, pp. 1159 – 1166.

Ryan M. J. (1980), «The reproductive behavior of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)», Copeia, 1980(1), 108 – 114.

Ryan M. J. (1985), The Tungara Frog, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Salthe S. N. and Duellman W. E. (1973), «Quantitative constrains associated with reproductive mode in anurans», in: J. L. Vial (ed.), Evolutionary Biology of the Anurans, Univ. of Missouri Press, Columbia, pp. 229 – 249.

Salthe S. N. and Mecham J. S. (1974), «Reproductive and courtship patterns», in: B. Lofts (ed.), Physiology of the Amphibia. Vol. II, Acad. Press, New York, pp. 309 – 521.

Schneider H. and Sinsch U. (2007), «Contributions of bioacoustics to the taxonomy of the Anura», in: Amphibian Biology, Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton, New South Wales, Australia, pp. 2893 – 2933.

Silva W. R., Giaretta A. A., and Facure K. G. (2005), «On the natural history of the pepper frog Leptodactylus labyrinthicus (Anura, Leptodactylidae)», J. Nat. Hist., 39(7), 555 – 566.

Turner F. B. (1960), «Population structure and dynamics of the Western Spotted Frog, Rana p. pretiosa Baird & Girard, in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming», Ecol. Monogr., 30(3), 251 – 278.

Wake M. H. and Dickie R. (1998), «Oviduct structure and function and reproductive modes in amphibians», J. Exp. Zool., 282(4 – 5), 477 – 506.

Wells K. D. (1977a), «Territoriality and male mating success in the green frog (Rana clamitans)», Ecology, 58(4), 750 – 762.

Wells K. D. (2007), The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Wollenberg K. C., Glaw F., Meyer A., and Vences M. (2007), «Molecular phylogeny of Malagasy Reed Frogs, Heterixalus, and the relative performance of bioacoustics and color-patterns for resolving their systematics», Mol. Phylogen. Evol., 45(1), 14 – 22.

Yang Y. J. (1998), A Field Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Taiwan, Nature and Ecology Photo Association, Taipei.

Zug G. R. (1993), «Dynamics of reproduction», in: G. R. Zug (ed.), Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, Acad. Press, California, pp. 195 – 207.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2012-19-3-239–250

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.



You can subscribe to the print or electronic version of the journal on the site of EastView Company. If you have any questions, please write to the email sales@ivis.ru