Bioacoustics of Boana paranaiba

Distribution: Species known from the municipalities of Araguari and Ituiutaba in southeastern Brazil . Additional remarks: Call duration and dominant frequency of H. paranaiba sp. n. coincided with those presented in Guimarães et al. (2001) for a population which they called H. multifasciatus ( Table 2 ). Subsequently we assigned populations previously identified as H. multifasciatus , from which we have advertisement calls, in the Cerrado savanna biome of southeastern and central Brazil in the States of Minas Gerais and Goiás to H. paranaiba sp. n. Thus the name H. multifasciatus should be probably restricted to the Amazon Forest Domain. Specimens from forest environments in northeastern Brazil , State Ceará ( Loebmann et al. 2007 ), regarded as H. multifasciatus deserve an acoustic and morphological evaluation of its taxonomic status. Field studies are necessary to clarify if notes B and C of H. multifasciatus and H. paranaiba sp. n. can be regarded as aggressive calls ( sensu Wells 2007 ), as well as the precise role of H. multifasciatus note D .

Variation: Variation in size is given in Table 1 . There were specimens with color in preservative from a light gray (AAG-UFU 4687 and AAG-UFU 4688), nearly white in some parts, to a very dark brown (AAG- UFU 4619), almost the same color as the transversal stripes. There were specimens with well-delimited small white dots on inguinal region in addition to the dorsal surface. The quantity and distribution of black spots and white dots were quite variable within the type-series. The females (AAG-UFU 3941, AAG-UFU 3942 and AAG-UFU 4074) presented a darker color (tending to grayish rather than creamish) along gular region, chest, posterior belly, and ventral surface of thighs, shanks, hands and feet. from the State of Maranhão (Toledo 2008); advertisement call of H. paranaiba sp. n. from the type locality (present work, MG) and from the State of Goiás ( Guimarães et al. 2001 ). Mean, SD and ranges respectively. The letter “N” represents the number of recorded specimens. The question mark represents data either not provided or unavailable for analysis. H. paranaiba sp. n. H. multifasciatus Source Present work (MG) N=8 Guimarães et al. De Sá (2001) (1996) (GO) (PA) N=5 N=5 D u e ll m a n (1970) (PA) N=5 Toledo (2008) (MA) N=1 Call duration (ms) (note A ) 533 (70.7) 405–701 577 345 (49.8) (?) 541–651 310–446 383 (57.2) 243–597 367 (67.3) 308–490 Dominant frequency (kHz) 2.63 (0.2) 2.25–2.93 2.31 2.7 (0.05) (?) 2.27–2.38 2.5–3.0 2.92 (0.2) 2.6–3.4 2.80 (0.2) 2.6–3.1 Repetition rate 1.8 (call group/min) (0.9) 1–3 5.0? (3.0) 2–9 2.0 (0.6) 0–3 1.5 (0.7) 1–2 Internote interval (ms) (note 388 A ) (121.3) ?? 441 (46.5) ? Pulses/call 129.3 (27.4) 100–168 102 60.4 (?) (?) 87–127 46–72 92.8 (16.1) 72–110 61.5 (19.1) 48–75 Pulse duration (ms) 3.49 (0.65) 1.6–4.5 3.45? (0.49) 2.9–3.9 3.00 (0.30) 2.1–4.0 2.7 (0.6) 1.2–4.2 Repetition rate (pulses/sec) 246 (41.9) 192–302 ? 158 (?) 124–184 200.8 (30.1) 166–235 237.5 (9.2) 231–244 Color in life: Iris bronze to light gray, mostly with a blue ring or half a ring around it. White thin stripe on lower lip; dark brown from the tip of snout until the distal border of the eye on loreal region; dark brown line just below the supra-tympanic fold; dorsum reddish to light yellow, with irregular dark spots, often present on dorsal surfaces, flanks immaculate. Throat cream and belly yellowish cream, with small dark dots surrounding the border of jaw. Small light dots on outer surfaces of thighs, and on inguinal region on a dark brown background. Broad brownish transversal stripes on dorsum, and on dorsal surface of thighs, shanks and arms, outlined by a narrow white line. White transversal supra-anal dermal ridge, and white dermal ridges from the elbow and tibiotarsal articulations to the outer tip of the fourth finger and fifth toe. Brownish stripe along outer surface of tarsi. Color in preservative: dorsum brownish, reddish to light grayish or cream, brownish dorsal transversal stripes, ventral surface of gula and chest cream, belly yellowish cream. Blue ring around iris absent. Small dark dots surrounding the border of jaw, sometimes extending to the gula and chest regions, mainly observed in females. Habitat and Behaviour: Males (N=15) call at forest border along streams in relatively shaded environments, such as palm grove marshes, forests, or nearby (< 50 m ) open areas (N=1). Males call on the ground or perched on the vegetation up to 2 m high. In Ituiutaba, three species of the H. albopunctatus group were found calling at close range from each other, where H. raniceps and H. albopunctatus call in open areas, while H. paranaiba sp. n. calls from the forest border to inside. Other syntopic forest species include Hypsiboas lundii Burmeister , Barycholos ternetzi Miranda-Ribeiro , Leptodactylus aff. leptodactyloides Andersson , and Dendropsophus cruzi Pombal & Bastos. In Araguari , H. paranaiba sp. n. was heard all year round, except July. Some of the collected specimens had the dorsum full of superficial scars ( Figure 3 b), probably caused by male-male interactions. H. multifasciatus calls: Five males recorded (KU 128470–74); N=5 recordings (7755–7759): note A = 25, note D = 17). Calls with four types of notes. The advertisement call (here called note A , Figure 5 ) is released alone or in groups of 1–3 calls/call group. Advertisement call repetition rate ranges from 1–3 calls/ min. (mean 1.8 calls/min, SD=0.4; N=5). It presents a pulsed structure and shows no significant modulation. Note duration ranges from 243–597 ms (mean 383 ms, SD=57.2; N=5), with a mean time interval of 441 ms (SD=46.5; N=5). The mean pulse repetition rate is 200.8 pulses/sec. (SD=30.1; N=5), and mean number of pulses per call is 92.8 (SD=16.1; N=5); dominant frequency ranges from 2.60–3.40 kHz (mean 2.92 kHz; SD=0.2; N=5). Call sections with note types B and C were improper for detailed analysis and graphing. Note D ( Figure 6 ) presents between 5–6 visible harmonics (the fundamental being the weakest, around 500 Hz, sometimes not present in the sonograms, and the other five well-defined). Note D is emitted 1–3 times in a single sequence, usually just before the advertisement call (note A ). Note D duration ranges from 79–180 ms (mean 119.4 ms, SD=25.6; N=5), dominant frequency ranges from 2.60–3.00 kHz (mean 2.81 kHz, SD=0.2; N=5), and corresponds to the fifth harmonic. H. paranaiba sp. n. calls: eight males recorded (AAG-UFU 4793–94, ZUEC 16243–44, one male from the paratopotypes (AAG-UFU 4648 or ZUEC 16245), and three non-collected males); N=10 recordings: note A = 25, note B = 22, note C = 9). Calls with three types of notes. The advertisement call (note A , Figure 4 ) is emitted alone or in groups of 1–5 calls/call group. Advertisement call repetition rate ranges from 1–3 calls/ min. (mean 1.8 calls/min.; SD=0.9, N=8). It consists of a pulsed structure with no noticeable modulation. Note duration ranges from 405–701 ms (mean 533 ms; SD=70.7; N=8), with a mean time interval of 388 ms (SD=121.3; N=8); dominant frequency ranges from 2.25–2.93 kHz (mean 2.63 kHz; SD=0.2; N=8). The mean pulse repetition rate is 246.0 pulses/sec. (SD=41.9; N=8), and the mean number of pulses per call is 129.3 (SD=27.4; N=8). The other two types of notes could be released intermingled with note A in variable sequences, such as BAAA/BAA/BA or AAAB/AA , rarely AAC/AC . Note B ( Figure 7 ) may be executed 0–3 times per call, having a pulsed structure and showing both frequency and intensity modulation between the first and second thirds of the note (at the beginning slightly lower than 1 kHz). Note duration ranges from 513–993 ms (mean 825 ms; SD=50.7; N=3), with a mean time interval of 679 ms; dominant frequency peaked at 1.0 kHz (SD=0; N=3). The mean pulse repetition rate is 85 pulses/sec., and the mean number of pulses per call is 70. Note C ( Figure 8 ) is seldom released (N= 3 males ), and it may be emitted alone or just after either a note B (usually) or A (rarely). It presents a pulsed structure, resembling a less intense and shorter note B . Note duration ranges from 219–594 ms (mean 501 ms; SD=65.1; N=2), dominant frequency ranges from 0.87–1.03 (mean 1.0 kHz; SD=0.1; N=2).