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Re: Re: Tree hole frog calls in Borneo

Subject: Re: Re: Tree hole frog calls in Borneo
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 18:20:51 -0500
Rich Peet  wrote:
> Note that in his story he states that an individual frog can change 
> his tone only about 250 to 300 cycles.
> 
> I think I have posted this sound bite before but note that this group 
> of Eastern Narrowmouth Toads of Texas seem to have each individual 
> calling at a different frequency. I would suspect that this does not 
> equal the size of the different toads.  Work for someone else to play 
> with.  
> 
> How each of these toads decide their pitch would be interesting to 
> also determine.  I noted my local treefrogs also have different 
> pitches for each individual but would need to pull out a group of 
> examples if someone has interest in more pitch changing frogs and 
> toads.  I suspect it is not rare within 750 cycles. From a non-
> research type guy.

The greenhouse frog down here has a variability much greater than that. 
Check the sonogram and call here:
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/greenhouse.frog.html

The eastern narrowmouth toad is much less variable.
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/eastern.narrowmouth.toad.html

Most frogs have some variation in frequency from individual to 
individual. And individual calls may contain considerable variation in 
frequency. Take a look at the sono's of Barking Treefrogs or Green 
Treefrogs, for instance:
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/barking.tfrog.html
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/green.tfrog.html

I think the point is not so much how much that it varies, but that the 
Borneo frog is actively tuning his frequency to the hole's resonant 
frequency.

Walt




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