Bioacoustics of Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis

Remark. We here continue considering the nomen Mantidactylus purpureus Ahl, 1929 as a junior synonym of A. madagascarienis (see Guibé 1978 ). This taxon was described on the basis of a syntype series purportedly from "NW Madagaskar " ( Ahl 1929 ). However, the syntypes differ in multiple morphological characters from A. securifer , the species commonly encountered in north-western Madagascar (Glaw et al. 1998), such as relative finger length, webbing, size of inner metatarsal tubercle, and hindlimb length. As discussed previously (e.g., Vences & Glaw 2004 ), it is likely that these specimens were collected during Hildebrandt’s last trip on his 1881 travel route in central and eastern Madagascar (see Beentje 1998 ), along with several other frog species typical for mid- and high-elevation localities in this region. Furthermore, most of the syntypes (especially the largest female, ZMB 53728) have a distinct marbling on the posteroventral portion of thigh. It is therefore almost certain that the type series of M. purpureus belongs to the highland lineage for which the earlier name A. madagascariensis is available. Call. The advertisement call of populations referable to A. madagascariensis has been described by Glaw & Vences (1994) from three different localities (Andasibe, Andringitra, Mandraka). The call consists of a series of pulsed notes repeated at regular intervals, with inter-note intervals being shorter than note duration. Within notes, amplitude almost constantly increases from beginning to the end of notes. Our analysis of more recent recordings from Andasibe (Vences et al. 2006: CD1/Track 2; Fig. 10 ) largely confirmed the characteristics provided by Glaw & Vences (1994) with regard to pulse rate within notes, inter-note intervals, and frequency range. However, we found a higher number of notes per call (3‒9 vs. 3‒5) in calls from Andasibe ( Fig. 10 ) compared to the previous report ( Glaw & Vences 1994 ), most likely a result of different motivational state in recorded males. Calls from Maharira (Ranomafana region) and Andringitra agree in parameters with calls from Andasibe ( Fig. 3 , Table 2). Some remarkable differences are evident when comparing our results with the call parameters of earlier recordings from Mandraka published by Blommers-Schlösser (1979) . Mandraka calls were described as having longer note duration (280‒320 vs. 140‒211 ms) and a higher number of pulses per note (36 vs. 14‒21). However, we re-analysed the respective Mandraka call recordings (provided by R. Blommers-Schlösser) and our analysis revealed call characters in agreement with other calls referred to A. madagascariensis (see Table 2). The numerical parameters provided by Blommers-Schlösser (1979) were likely based on the analysis of analogous sonagrams with high frequency resolution, resulting in a poor resolution of temporal parameters. Despite differences, A. madagascariensis calls within the genus are most similar to those of A. australis (see respective section for A. australis below). For comparative parameters of A. madagascariensis calls from Andasibe, Mandraka and Andringitra see Table 2. Natural history. Stomach content of specimens from different highland localities has been analysed by Vences et al. (1999a) . Females contain up to 1325 eggs ( Vences et al. 1999b ). The tadpole has been described by Blommers-Schlösser (1979) and more recently, Randrianiaina et al. (2011) provided figures of A. madagascariensis tadpoles and their mouthparts. The endocommensal “protist” Protoopalina perantonii was described from A. madagascariensis from Andasibe ( Delvinquier et al. 1998 ). An undescribed species of polystome flatworm, Metapolystoma sp. 1, has been recovered from the bladder of a specimen probably assignable to A. madagascariensis ( Verneau et al. 2009 ) .