Complex call production in the túngara frog
Authors:
- A. S. RandARA. S. Rand
- M. J. RyanMRM. J. Ryan
- 3 May 2006
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in Nature
- Vol. 441 (7089) , 38
Abstract
Animals' sound-producing organs often act as an integrated whole--particular vocal structure are not directly associated with the creation of discrete syllables. But here we show that the 'chuck' of the 'whine-chuck' mating call of the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, is caused by a fibrous mass attached to the vocal folds; the chuck is eliminated by removal of this structure, although the frog still tries to produce the sound. Sexual selection affects the acoustic complexity of the frog's call, so evolution may have shaped this unusual vocalization, which is akin to the two-voiced song of songbirds.Keywords
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