中国凹耳蛙用高频声进行种内通讯

与绝大多数蛙不同,凹耳蛙发出高频叫声,以避开强环境噪声的掩蔽;雌蛙排卵前产生高频求偶声,诱发雄蛙以超精确度趋近雌蛙;雄蛙能自主开闭咽鼓管,以调谐高频听觉。凹耳蛙进化的这些特征是对嘈杂生境的适应,在其他两栖动物中尚未发现,这对研究动物声通讯进化很有价值。鉴于凹耳蛙为中国特有,数量稀少,分布地区狭窄,建议将它列为稀有濒危物种予以保护。

Intraspecific Communication of Chinese Concave-eared Torrent Frogs by High-frequency Sounds

In contrast to most species of frogs,the concave-eared torrent frogs(Odorrana tormota,previously Rana tormotus,Amolops tormotus)produce high-frequency calls to avoid masking by ambient noice.Before ovulation,gravid females emit high-frequency calls,intending to entice males to approach and showing hyperacute phonotaxis.Males can tune their ears dynamically by closing their normally open Eustachian tubes for selective high-frequency hearing.These characteristics have been evolved in the concave- eared torrent frogs,as an adaptation to the noisy habitat,are not found in other amphibians yet,and are of significance for the evolution of acoustic communications in animals.It is suggested that the Chinese frogs should be listed in the Rare and Endangered Species protected.