Dissertation Research: The Evolution of Acoustical and Functional Diversity of Advertisement calls in Asian and Melanesian Forest Frogs (subfamily Platymantinae)

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

0073199 Cannatella and Brown Asian and Melanesian forest frogs provide an excellent model system for studying the effects of body size, ecological habitat, and evolutionary history on diversity of acoustic communication systems. Frogs of the subfamily Platymantinae, including the large genus Platymantis (with an estimated 45-65 species), show a range of "advertisement calls" (often for mating) differing widely in spectral character (call frequencies) and temporal structure (rates of call delivery). Factors that may have influenced the evolution of this acoustic diversity are under study by graduate student Rafe Brown, with guidance from faculty adviser Dr. David Cannatella at the University of Texas. A phylogenetic study of platymantine frogs will be conducted using both morphological and molecular (DNA sequences) data to provide the historical framework for establishing the likely direction of character change among the sublineages of the genus. In turn, this phylogenetic framework will be employed to study variation among species in morphology-related and physiology-related classes of call characters. Because species of Platymantis exhibit a range of habitat preferences, from forest floor to the canopy, the genus constitutes an ideal system for studying the effects of constraints posed by different forest habitats on signal transmission and evolution. Also, the study will explore biomechanic features of vocal sac functioning and relate these to temporal and spectral characters of the advertisement calls in the field.