Ecology and taxonomy-driven deviations in the frog call-body size relationship across the diverse Australian frog fauna

Hoskin, C.J., James, S., and Grigg, G.C. (2009) Ecology and taxonomy-driven deviations in the frog call-body size relationship across the diverse Australian frog fauna. Journal of Zoology, 278 (1). pp. 36-41.

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Abstract

Relationships between some properties of frog calls and body size are widely recognized. However, generality across call components and diverse faunas, and sources of deviation, remain poorly tested. Using 116 east Australian frog species, we tested the relationship between three call traits and body size, and the effects of taxonomic family and calling habitat. Call dominant frequency (DF) has a highly significant negative relationship with size, whereas call duration and pulse rate do not. Frog families show the same slope of relationship between DF and size, but hylids call at significantly higher frequency relative to size. Within hylids, stream breeders call at significantly lower DF than pool breeders of comparable size - below the DF of stream noise in typical breeding habitat - a shift likely to enhance signal detection against background environmental noise. This contrasts with all previous observations from other regions that frogs call at high (even ultrasonic) frequency to avoid masking by stream noise.

Item ID: 29009
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1469-7998
Keywords: frog call; body size; signal evolution; environmental noise; dominant frequency; stream habitat
Date Deposited: 02 Oct 2013 06:10
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0603 Evolutionary Biology > 060303 Biological Adaptation @ 60%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0603 Evolutionary Biology > 060309 Phylogeny and Comparative Analysis @ 40%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
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