Research Training Program

Linnette Garcia
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Ronald Heyer, Ph.D.
Supervising Scientist
Department of Vertebrate Zoology
Division of Reptiles and Amphibians

Description of the Advertisement Call and Resolution of the Systematic Status of Leptodactylus gracilis delattini

Description of the advertisement call and resolution of the systematic status of Leptodactylus gracilis delattini, Muller, 1968 ( Amphibia, Leptodactylidae ) is a project designed to establish systematic relations based on bioacoustics. All of the analyzed data was collected (the specimens) and recorded (their advertisement calls) from different localities in 3 states of the southeastern part of Brazil (Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) by W. Ronald Heyer, Adao J. Cardosa and Ivan Sazima.

The purpose of this research was to describe the call of Leptodactylus gracilis delattini, to compare Laptodactylus gracilis delattini' s call with available calls from other populations of L. gracilis, and to reassess the systematic position of Leptodactylus gracilis delattini. In order to facilitate this latter aspect, the advertisement calls of close relatives ( L. furnarius and L. plaumanni ) of L. gracilis was used for comparative purposes. Based on re-examination of the holotype of L. gracilis delattini and analysis of advertisement calls, it was determined that L. gracilis delattini Muller, 1968 is a strict junior synonym of L. gracilis (Dumeril and Bibron, 1841) and is not distinctive either at the specific, subspecific or population level.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program ( Award: DIR-9200203).