Advertisement calls, intraspecific variation and species diagnosis of six Brazilian species of Elachistocleis (Anura: Microhylidae: Gastrophryninae)

Author(s)

Marinho, Pedro ^{[1, 2]} ; De Carvalho, Thiago Ribeiro ^[3] ; Bang, Davi Lee ^{[1, 2]} ; Da Veiga Teixeira, Bernardo Franco ^{[1, 2]} ; Azarak, Priscila Alencar ^[4] ; Costa Campos, Carlos Eduardo ^[5] ; Giaretta, Ariovaldo Antonio ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] UFU, Fac Ciencias Integradas Pontal, Lab Taxon Sistemat & Evolucao Anuros Neotropicais, Rua 20, 1600, BR-38304402 Ituiutaba, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol, FFCLRF, Programa Posgrad Biol Comparada, Ave Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14040901 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Dept Zool, Lab Herpetol, Inst Biociencias, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Amazonas, Programa Posgrad Diversidade Biol, Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Amapa, Dept Ciencias Biol & Saude, Lab Herpetol, Rod Juscelino Kubitschek, Km 02, BR-68903419 Macapa, Amapa - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 4521, n. 3, p. 357-375, NOV 15 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

We describe for the first time the advertisement calls of three Elachistocleis species (E. surumu, E. magna, E. carvalhoi) and provide additional data on the calls of three other species (E. matogrosso, E. helianneae, E. muiraquitan). Additionally, we evaluate intraspecific variation in morphology and color patterns, and comment on species diagnosis in the genus. The advertisement calls of the six species of Elachistocleis have a stereotyped temporal and spectral structure, which consists of a long sustained multipulsed note with an upsweep in frequency at its onset, followed by a constant frequency along the note. Newly collected Elachistocleis from northern and western Brazil showed intraspecific variation in morphology and coloration that had not been previously reported. Coloration was listed as a diagnostic feature in the original descriptions of the Elachistocleis species evaluated in this study, but color patterns were variable in some species and sometimes did not allow for species differentiation. Our results indicated that the three species with greater degrees of morphological similarity (E. helianneae, E. matogrosso, E. muiraquitan) differed in microtemporal and spectral traits of their calls. Moreover, pulse duration in E. helianneae was very distinct, lasting approximately twice the average pulse duration in calls of the other species studied. Therefore, pulse duration might be an informative trait when assigning specimens to E. helianneae, which is widely distributed across Amazonian lowland forests and in a region of Amazonian savanna. Our results bring novelties on species diagnosis and intraspecific variation in Elachistocleis based on acoustic evidence and morphological/color patterns, and accentuate the importance of taking into consideration multiple lines of evidence as a means for accurate species-level identification in this genus of Neotropical frogs. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/08489-0 - Diversity of vocalizations in Leptodactylidae and exploratory analysis of vocal morphology: a phylogenetic comparative approach investigation of acoustic evolution in a group of Neotropical anurans
• Grantee: Thiago Ribeiro de Carvalho Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 17/27137-7 - Vocal anatomy evolution associated with the acoustic diversity in Bokermannohyla Faivovich, Haddad, Garcia, Frost, Campbell & Wheeller, 2005 (Anura, Hylidae, Cophomantini)
• Grantee: Davi Lee Bang
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/15763-7 - Advertisement call evolution in the genus Leptodactylus (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leptodactylinae), with taxonomic application on populations and species of the genus
• Grantee: Thiago Ribeiro de Carvalho Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate