Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
_Effect of temperature on calls._--The present data are insufficient to
test statistically the correlation between temperature and variation
within certain components of the calls in _Smilisca_, but even a crude
graph shows some general correlations. The widest range of temperatures
is associated with the recordings of _S. baudini_. Three individuals
recorded at a temperature of 30 deg. C. at Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, had pulse
rates of 180 pulses per second and fundamental frequencies of 160-180
cps., as compared with an individual recorded at a temperature of 17 deg.
C., which had a pulse rate of 140 and a fundamental frequency of 135
cps. All individuals of _S. baudini_ recorded at higher temperatures had
faster pulse rates and higher fundamental frequencies. Pulse rates
differ in the other species in the genus but less strikingly (probably
owing to narrower ranges of temperatures at which recordings were made).
In five recordings of _S. sordida_ made at 20 deg. C. the pulse rate is
80-90, as compared with four recordings made at 25 deg. C. having pulse
rates of 120-135. Thirteen recordings of _S. sila_ made at 17 deg. C. have
pulse rates of 97-112 (average 105); one individual recorded at 26 deg. C.
has 120 pulses per second. Seemingly no correlation exists between
temperature and other characteristics of the calls, such as duration and
rate of note-repetition.
_The breeding call as an isolating mechanism._--Blair (1958), Bogert
(1960), Duellman (1963a), Fouquette (1960), Johnson (1959), and others
have provided evidence that the breeding calls of male hylids (and
other anurans) serve as isolating mechanisms in sympatric species. In
summarizing this discussion of the breeding calls of _Smilisca_ we want
to point out what seem to be important differences in the calls that may
prevent interspecific hybridization in sympatric species of _Smilisca_.
The genus is readily divided into two species-groups on morphological
characters; this division is supported by the breeding calls. In the
species of the _baudini_ group the calls are unmodulated and lack
secondary notes. In the _sordida_ group the calls either have secondary
notes or are modulated.
_Smilisca baudini_ occurs sympatrically with _S. cyanosticta_ and _S.
phaeota_; where they occur together, both species sometimes breed in
like places at the same time. We are not aware of these species breeding
synchronously at exactly the same site, although _S. baudini_ and _S.
cyanosticta_ were calling on the same nights and less than 100 meters
apart in Oaxaca in June, 1964. Regardless of their respective breeding
habits, sympatric species have calls that differ notably. Except for the
higher fundamental and dominant frequencies, the calls of _S.
cyanosticta_ and _S. phaeota_ closely resemble one another, but the
calls of both species differ markedly from that of _S. baudini_. The
geographic ranges of _S. cyanosticta_ and _S. phaeota_ are widely
separated.
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