Vocalization in Maskey's Burrowing Frog, Sphaerotheca maskeyi (Anura: Dicroglossidae)

Abstract

A lthough India is home to more than 440 species of amphibians, little is known about the behavior, breeding biology, and vocalization of most species (Nair et al. 2012). Bioacoustics is a powerful tool used to better understand ecology, behavior, and phylogenetic relationships of anurans (Gerhardt and Huber 2002; Wells 2007). Most anuran species have species-specific advertisement calls that are used by males to establish territories and attract conspecific females (Littlejohn 1977). These calls also can be used to identify cryptic species (e.g.,