Bioacoustics of Platypelis tetra

Advertisement calls of Platypelis tetra Although we were unable to record advertisement calls of the new species for comparison, we here provide an updated description of the advertisement calls assigned to P. tetra which we think will be useful for future taxonomic studies of the P. tetra complex. The advertisement call recorded on 3 April 2010 at Ambodivoangy (estimated air temperature 26°C) constists of a very short tonal note repeated in long call series (duration of call series up to>30 s) at somewhat irregular intervals ( Fig. 8 ). Each call shows some very slight amplitude modulation with maximum call energy present in the first third of the call’s duration. Frequency is distributed in a rather narrow band. Numerical parameters of 53 calls of two males analyzed are as follows: call duration (= note duration) 8–13 ms (10.3 ± 1.3 ms); inter-call interval within call series 227–460 ms (311.7 ± 54.9 ms); dominant frequency 5071–5201 Hz (5149 ± 53 Hz); prevalent bandwidth 4500–5600 Hz. Within regular call series, calls were repeated at an approximate rate of 190–200 calls/minute. Calls recorded on 5 February 1996 at the type locality in Anjanaharibe Sud Special Reserve (air temperature 18.0‒18.5°C) in general character, are in agreement with those reported from Ambodivoangy, but differ by slightly longer call duration and lower dominant frequency ( Fig. 8 ). Numerical parameters of 50 calls of one male analyzed are as follows: call duration (= note duration) 14–20 ms (16.5 ± 1.7 ms); inter-call interval within call series 241– 281 ms (261.7 ± 11.1 ms); dominant frequency 3953–4083 Hz (4029 ± 45 Hz); prevalent bandwidth 3500–5000 Hz. Within regular call series, calls were repeated at an approximate rate of 215 calls/minute.