Physalaemus olfersii (Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856)

Hepp, Fábio & Pombal, José P., 2020, Review of bioacoustical traits in the genus Physalaemus Fitzinger, 1826 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae), Zootaxa 4725 (1), pp. 1-106 : 69

Physalaemus olfersii species group

Only one call type was recorded for this group. Calls have long durations, varying from 1 to 5 s (higher durations observed in P. feioi , P. orophilus , and P. olfersii ). Several species of this clade emit calls with rectangular-shaped envelopes (e.g., P. feioi , P. orophilus , P. lateristriga , and P. olfersii ). Slight PAM is perceptible in calls of most species ( P. soaresi , P. maximus , P. lateristriga , and P. olfersii ), but two species have calls with pulse-PAM ( P. feioi and P. orophilus ). In some species ( P. maximus , P. lateristriga , and P. olfersii ), the fundamental frequency is lower than 200 Hz, resulting in several close harmonics visible in audiospectrograms. All species have calls with PFM and most species (except for P. lateristriga and P. olfersii ) have a clear general up-downward FM, yielding arc-shaped bands in audiospectrogram when considering the entire call. Fundamental frequency is lower than 400 Hz, except for P. soaresi which has call with fundamental frequency of ca. 600 Hz. Call energy is concentrated in many higher harmonics. This feature results in a high-pitched timbre for the calls. The long duration, large number of close harmonics (low fundamental frequency and dense-harmonic calls) and high-pitched timbre make the calls sound like human infant cries.