In order to understand the acoustic characteristics and adaptive strategies of sympatric male
Amolops wuyiensis
and male
Odorrana tormotus
in environments controlled for high noise levels, we recorded and analyzed the advertisement calls produced by
individual males during breeding season. The results show that
A. wuyiensis produced a single type of call composed of variable
syllables (from 3 to 6 syllables) with 2~10 pulses over different time periods. The average values of call duration, dominant
frequency and signal noise ratio were 2 198.20 ms, 2 231.90 Hz and 33.00 dB respectively. There were no ultrasonic elements in
A.
wuyiensis calls and they did not have the basis of ultrasonic communication. The average values of call duration, dominant frequency
and signal noise ratio of
O. tormotus were 331.80 ms, 6 665.50 Hz and 37.00 dB respectively. Call structure of
O. tormotus was
consistent with previous studies. The noise did not mask the calls from the male
A. wuyiensis and male
O. tormotus, which have
higher frequencies and amplitudes. To fulfill the intra-species communication in a noise-controlled environment, the
A. wuyiensis
male, which has a low vocal frequency and long transmission length, varied vocal frequency, composition, and duration, the latter of
which serves to attract females. By contrast, the male
O. tormotus increased vocal frequency, which reduces the energy expended on
intra-species communication.
