Advertisement calls of Neotropical poison frogs (Amphibia: Dendrobatidae) of the genera Colostethus, Dendrobates and Epipedobates, with notes on dendrobatid call classification

Abstract

The advertisement calls of the following Neotropical poison frog species (Dendrobatidae) are described: Colostethus brunneus, Dendrobates imitator yurimaguensis, D. leucomelas and two populations referable to Epipedobates boulengeri. Oscillograms, audiospectrograms and measurements of vocalizations are provided. Advertisement calls of C. brunneus are similar to possible related species, while D. leucomelas vocalizations deviate from suggested phylogenetic relatives. Advertisement calls of D. imitator yurimaguensis do not differ from those of D. i. imitator ; the validity of the former is doubted. Bioacoustics provide evidence that E. boulengeri could probably comprise a complex of at least two species. Five formerly suggested call types are re-defined using measurable characters. As far as possible, the 71 dendrobatid frog species for which advertisement calls have been described are allocated.

Keywords:

• Anura
• Dendrobatidae
• Colostethus
• Dendrobates
• Epipedobates
• Advertisement Calls
• Taxonomy
• Neotropics