Physalaemus feioi Cassini, Cruz & Caramaschi, 2010

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 : 72

Physalaemus feioi Cassini, Cruz & Caramaschi, 2010

We found a single call type for the species, referred to as call A. The call has long duration and is composed of a single harmonic note with a sequence of pulses with interpulse silence intervals. The bands have a general upward FM and a downward FM at the end, yielding a slight arc shape in the audiospectrogram when considering the entire call.

Call A ( Fig. 40 A–H and 33H). We examined seven recordings, a total of eight minutes, with 52 calls from nine males. Only some of these calls were measured (see Table 2 ). Call duration varies from 3.854 to 4.920 s. Call rise and fall are very short and similar to each other in duration. There is a long sustain. This segment is usually regular and almost flat but some calls have sustains with a convex shape ( Fig. 40A, D ). The amplitude peak is often at the end of the first seven tenths of the call duration. The envelope of the call is rectangular ( Fig. 40A, D ). More than 50 % of the call energy is concentrated in 45 % of the call duration around the amplitude peak. The call has a strong PAM (there are silence intervals between pulses; Fig. 40A, D ). The rate of the PAM is ca. 15 Hz, forming ca. 55 pulses throughout the call. The pulse rise is longer than fall, with amplitude peak of the pulse at ca. two thirds of the pulse duration ( Fig. 40C ). The amplitude peak of the last pulse is at the beginning or middle of the pulse. Interval durations are similar to pulse duration ( Fig. 40C ). The last pulse is usually the longest (ca. 1.5 times longer than the other pulses; Fig. 40E ). In some calls, the last pulse is the shortest ( Fig. 40A ). The call has a harmonic series ( Fig. 33H ). The fundamental frequency is ca. 330 Hz. The first five harmonics are usually absent in the audiospectrogram. There are ca. four adjacent emphasized harmonics. The wave periods are regular and harmonics are clear throughout the call. The dominant frequency varies from ca. 2340 to 2470 Hz. The dominant harmonic varies from the sixth to the 15 th, but it is usually the seventh ( Fig. 33H ). There is no clear shift in the relative energy between the bands throughout the call. Most of the call energy is between 2100 and 2950 Hz (three harmonics). The call has a general upward FM and a short downward FM at the end, yielding a slight arc shape in the audiospectrogram when considering the entire call ( Fig. 40B, G ). There is a slight PFM throughout the call, which is directly proportional to the synchronic pulse-PAM, i.e. up-downward FM in each pulse ( Fig. 40A, B, C, F ). Additionally, there is another PFM, which is perceptible within the pulses ( Fig. 40H ).

Figures

FIGURE 33. Multiplicity relationship between “instantaneous” dominant frequency and w of calls A of eight Physalaemus species. Each graph shows a single call A of P. cuvieri (A), P. ephippifer (B), P. fischeri (C), P. cicada (D), P. aguirrei (E), P. soaresi (F), P. maximus (G), P. feioi (H). Grid corresponds to the harmonic values (right y-axis). Red squares are the values of “instantaneous” dominant frequency; blue circles are the values of the reciprocal of w; green triangles are the factor values of the ratio “instantaneous” dominant frequency / w reciprocal per delta time. Delta time corresponds to the duration of one period of the measured acoustic oscillation. Note that factors around integer values suggest harmonic relationship between the frequency calculated (w reciprocal) and the dominant frequency. Factors multiple of ½ of the fundamental frequency correspond to subharmonics (see P. ephippifer; B).

FIGURE 40. Call A of Physalaemus feioi. Oscillograms (A, C–E) and audiospectrograms (B, F–H). A typical call (A–B). Segment with nine pulses (C and F). A variant call A with different envelope (D and G). Segment with the last seven pulses of a call (E and H). Note the longer duration of the final pulse (E and H). Horizontal scale bars have 0.5 s (D and G) and 0.1 s (C, F, E, and H); vertical scale bars have 1 kHz. Filter bandwidth (Hz): 61.4 (F); 44.9 (B and G); 92.1 (H).