Acoustic niche partitioning in an anuran community from the municipality of Floriano, Piauí, Brazil.

M S C S Lima,D B S Barbosa,R B Pineschi,J Pederassi

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.180399

Abstract

Vocalizations are an important trait for the identification of cryptic and/or closely related amphibian species. Different vocalizations also contribute to partitioning of the acoustic space by sympatric species. This study aimed to describe the advertisement calls of anurans in a pond of the municipality of Floriano, State of Piauí, Brazil, and infer the acoustic niche partitioning of amphibians. Euclidean distance was used in a cluster analysis approach to infer the acoustic similarities among species. Thirteen species were analysed: Boana raniceps, Dendropsophus nanus, D. rubicundulus , D. minutus, Leptodactylus fuscus, L. troglodytes, L. vastus, Pithecopus nordestinus , Physalaemus cuvieri, P. nattereri, Pleurodema diplolister, Proceratophrys cristiceps and Scinax ruber. From these, six showed more than 90% of acoustic overlap: P. nattereri , P. cuvieri, L. fuscus and L. vastus (Leptodactylidae); and, D. nanus and D. rubicundulus (Hylidae). Despite the acoustic similarities among these six species, the acoustic interference was reduced due to the small number of sympatric species and to distinct features on carrier frequency such as dominant frequency and the degree of modulation in the frequency. Environmental factors limit the periods and sites of reproduction respectively, which may maintain the low anuran diversity and consequently reduce acoustic overlap.

Highlights

Vocalization is an important component of the reproductive behaviour of most anuran species (Gerhardt, 1994; Gerhardt and Huber, 2002)
We recorded advertisement calls of 32 individuals distributed in 13 anurans species from three different families: Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826; Physalaemus nattereri (Steindachner, 1863); Pleurodema diplolister (Peters, 1870); Leptodactylus fuscus (Schneider, 1799); L. troglodytes A
Of 13 species analyzed, six showed more than 90% of acoustic overlapping, being divided in two groups: (i) P. nattereri, P. cuvieri, L. fuscus and L. vastus in the Leptodactylidae family; and (ii) D. nanus and D. rubicundulus in Hylidae family

Summary

Introduction

Vocalization is an important component of the reproductive behaviour of most anuran species (Gerhardt, 1994; Gerhardt and Huber, 2002). 566 566/576 the most common type of vocalization, functioning primarily to attract females (Duellman and Trueb, 1994; Gerhardt, 1994). It has evolved to reduce the acoustic interferences. Acoustic niche of an anuran community between sympatric species (Martins and Jim, 2003; 2004, Silva et al, 2008). Due to its relatively invariant features, it can be as useful as a morphological trait in the taxonomy of anuran species (Gerhardt and Huber, 2002)

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