Physalaemus cuqui Lobo, 1993

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 : 58

Physalaemus cuqui Lobo, 1993

We found a single call type for the species, referred to as call A. The call has a single harmonic note with a slight PAM without silence intervals. It has a gradual downward FM throughout the call.

Call A ( Fig. 26 A–B and 24C). We examined two recordings, a total of two minutes, with 47 calls from six males. Only some of these calls were measured (see Table 2 ). Call duration varies from 1.215 to 1.500 s. The limits between the call rise, sustain, and call fall are not clear (see elliptic envelope in Fig. 26A ); the envelope is linear- or exponential-shaped until the amplitude peak and logarithmic-shaped from the peak to the end of the call ( Fig. 26A ). The amplitude peak is at around the end of the first two thirds of the call duration. The envelope is elliptic ( Fig. 26A ). More than 50 % of the call energy is concentrated in 26 % of the call duration around the amplitude peak. The call has a slight PAM (there is no silence interval between amplitude peaks; Fig. 26A ). The rate of the PAM is ca. 21 Hz, yielding ca. 29 cycles throughout the call. The cycle rise and fall are similar, with amplitude peak at the middle of the cycle. The call has a harmonic series ( Fig. 24C ). The fundamental frequency is ca. 510 Hz and approximately the first seven harmonics are emphasized. The wave periods are regular and harmonics are clear throughout the call. The dominant frequency is ca. 2850 Hz ( Fig. 26B ). The dominant harmonic varies from the first to the sixth, but it is usually the sixth. There is a clear shift in relative energy among the bands; the dominant frequency gets higher toward the end of the call, starting at first harmonic and ending in the sixth one ( Fig. 26B ). Most of the call energy is between 500 and 3000 Hz (five to six harmonics). The call has a general downward FM. Additionally the calls have a subtle up-downward FM at the beginning, yielding a arc-shaped bands in this part of the call in audiospectrograms, and a short downward FM at the end ( Fig. 26B ). The general downward FM and the initial up-downward FM result in S-shaped harmonics when considering the entire call ( Fig. 26B ). The call also has a PFM, which is inversely proportional and synchronic to the PAM (26A–B).

Figures

FIGURE 24. Multiplicity relationship between “instantaneous” dominant frequency and w of calls A of eight Physalaemus species. Each graph shows a single call A of P. henselii (A), P. albonotatus (B), P. cuqui (C), P. atim (D), P. albifrons (E), P. erikae (F), P. kroyeri (G), P. centralis (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. The heterogeneity of the factors in P. henselii (A) suggests sidebands.

FIGURE 26. Call A of Physalaemus cuqui. Oscillogram (A) and audiospectrogram (B). A single call (A and B). Filter bandwidth (Hz): 61.9 (B).