Cryptic species of Gryllus in the light of bioacoustic (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

O gênero Gryllus destaca-se com um grande número de espécies descritas e representa um dos mais complexos gêneros na sistemática dos Orthoptera, caracterizado por um conjunto de espécies cosmopolitas e crípticas. Este trabalho compara os sons emitidos por espécimens de Gryllus coletados no campus da UNESP em Rio Claro (SP), bem como a morfologia e morfometria das pars stridens, com o objetivo de aplicar os resultados no reconhecimento de possíveis espécies crípticas e contribuir na discussão de processos de especiação. Três grupos de grilos foram discriminados por diferenças nas pars stridens e sons de chamado, caracterizados por diferentes ritmos, freqüências e composição das notas, indicando assim, a presença de três espécies no local analisado, morfologicamente pouco distintas. Diante dos resultados, sugere-se a utilização das características da pars stridens e do som de chamado como caracteres diagnósticos imprescindíveis na taxonomia dos Gryllus.

Bioacoustic analysis of advertisement call in Hyla nana and Hyla sanborni (Anura, Hylidae) in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

As características relacionadas à comunicação sonora em duas espécies aparentadas, Hyla nana e H. sanborni, pertencentes ao grupo nana de espécies, foram estudadas, entre agosto de 1997 e junho de 1999, em duas poças permanentes de grande porte em área aberta na região de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo. Foram obtidas gravações de 131 exemplares, 71 indivíduos de H. nana e 58 de H. sanborni, durante início de atividade de vocalização e atividade de vocalização em coro. Houve diferença nos ritmos de emissão de notas dos cantos entre o início das atividades e durante os coros. O canto de anúncio das espécies consiste na emissão de séries consecutivas de notas simples, pulsadas, com taxa de repetição rápida. Hyla nana e H. sanborni apresentam dois tipos de notas em seu canto de anúncio, denominados aqui como tipos A e B. Notas do tipo A, introdutórias, apresentam maior duração e número de pulsos, e suas emissões foram mais freqüentes durante o início das atividades de vocalização. As notas introdutórias são as primeiras da série emitida em atividade de coro. As notas do tipo B, secundárias, são curtas e com menor número de pulsos, sendo emitidas durante as vocalizações em coro. Os dois tipos de notas encontrados diferem significativamente em sua estrutura temporal. As duas espécies apresentaram segregação acústica tanto na estrutura espectral como na temporal de seus cantos de anúncio.

Morphometric and bioacoustic data on three species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) described from chapada dos guimarães, mato Grosso, Brazil, with the revalidation of pseudopaludicola ameghini (Cope, 1887)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A new species of the Bokermannohyla circumdata group (Anura: Hylidae) from southeastern Brazil, with bioacoustic data on seven species of the genus

We describe a new species of the Bokermannohyla circumdata group from the Estacao de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ambiental Galheiro (EPDA-Galheiro) (19 degrees 12'S; 47 degrees 08'W), Municipality of Perdizes, State of Minas Gerais, a mid-altitudinal (similar or equal to 850 m above sea level) riparian forest environment in the Cerrado of southeastern Brazil. Bokermannohyla napolii sp. nov. is allied to the large-sized species of the group, diagnosed on the basis of adult morphology/morphometrics, and mainly vocalizations. Adult specimens of the new species are most closely related to those of B. luctuosa and B. circumdata, but can be differentiated from the former by having distal subarticular tubercle of finger III bifid/divided in males, and finger IV bifid/divided in males and females; and from both B. luctuosa and B. circumdata by a distinctive advertisement call structure. We also provide bioacoustic data on seven other species of the genus, including previously unknown advertisement calls of B. circumdata and B. carvalhoi, and re-description of the advertisement calls of B. luctuosa, B. ibitiguara, B. nanuzae, B. sazimai, and B. hylax.

Stridulatory file and calling song of two populations of the tropical bush cricket Eneoptera surinamensis (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Eneopterinae)

This study characterizes the calling song and ultramorphology of the stridulatory file of two geographically isolated populations of the tropical bush cricket Eneoptera surinamensis (De Geer, 1773) from city of Foz do Iguaçu, state of Paraná, and town of Rio Claro, state of São Paulo, Brazil, distant 1,000 Km from each other. The teeth are shell-shaped, the larger ones are distributed in the medium region of the file, decreasing gradually in size towards the edges. Specimens from Foz do Iguaçu have a file with 82 ± 9.8 teeth, length=1.89 mm ± 0.15 with 43.76 ± 5.94 teeth per mm (n=15). Specimens from Rio Claro present a file with 87 ± 9.81, length=1.96 ± 0.19 mm with 44.52 ± 4.61 teeth per mm (n=15). Statistical differences found between the two populations are not significant. The calling song is an uninterrupted trill that alternates two sets of notes distinct for its temporal features.

Stridulatory file and calling song of two populations of the tropical bush cricket Eneoptera surinamensis (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Eneopterinae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Calling sites and acoustic partitioning in species of the Hyla nana and rubicundula groups (Anura, Hylidae)

We analysed spatial and acoustic partitioning among four species of Hyla belonging to two species-groups: nana (H. nana and H. sanborni) and rubicundula (H. elianeae and H. jimi). Field activities were conducted at three permanent ponds, from 1998 through 2001. Four attributes of the calling sites were analysed: perch height, distance of the perch from the edge of the pond, type of perch (vegetation) and the individual's position on the perch. There was extensive overlap in the four calling-site variables analysed. However, we found spatial segregation did occur in calling site height and the distance of perches from pond edges. Bioacoustic analyses revealed behavioural differences among species in calling activity, both time of onset and peak calling in chorus. There was acoustic partitioning among species the fundamental frequency of the advertisement calls, principally as a function of the temporal structure (e.g. note duration, rate of note repetition, duration and rate of repetition of the calling pulses). We propose that differences in physical attributes of calling site and in characteristics of calls allow these species to exist in sympatry.

Revisão taxonômica e ecologia de espécies do gênero Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análises morfológicas e bioacústicas em populações de Scinax hayii (Barbour, 1909) (Anura, Hylidae) ao longo da Mata Atlântica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Variação geográfica no canto de anúncio de Dendropsophus Nanus (Anura, Hylidae)

Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal - IBILCE

Variabilidad espacio-temporal de la biomasa de la capa profunda de reflexión en aguas canarias

[ES] La Capa Profunda de Reflexión (Deep Scattering Layer, DSL) es una capa de reflexión bioacústica formada por organismos mesopelágicos y constituye uno de los recursos biológicos marinos más abundantes de las Aguas de Canarias. Utilizando los datos obtenidos mediante técnicas acústicas y de arrastres pelágicos realizados en estas aguas durante diferentes campañas, investigamos la distribución espacio-temporal de la biomasa de las comunidades mesopelágicas que la componen.

Research on the vocal culture of Orcinus orca in the Loro Parque, Tenerife: a pilot study

This research is focussed on the study of Orcinus orca's communication system. The analysis of vocalizations emitted by marine mammals has started in the '80s and most studies have been carried out in the wild. In this regard the most studied animal has been common dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) as the numerous presence of captive individuals worldwide made researches easier to be carried out. Studies about Orcinus orca's vocalizations have mainly been carried out in the wild (most in British Columbia) because its maintenance in a controlled environment results to be very difficult, only 17 among parks and oceanaria worldwide have some Orcinus orca (45 overall among which 64% born in captivity). These researches showed that Orcinus orca emit three main different types of sounds, classified as: whistles, clicks and calls. Besides, it was discovered that different groups (pods) produce sounds belonging only to the relevant pod (dialects). It is rare to find two pods sharing some calls. The two pods usually live in adjacent areas and can form a clan. This study was carried out in a controlled environment in the Orca ocean structure (Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain) where, at the moment (March 2012) 6 individuals are hosted. Here it was developed an automatic sound recording system. Thanks to the use of suitable mathematical algorithms that allow to isolate only "interesting" sound events that differ from the "background noise", it was possible to create a database. The visualization of the sound events collected in the database is carried out with the use of a software. By looking at this output and at the observation register we could match the animal to the sound produced. Three situations were detected and studied: 1) Chosen alone: the animal chooses to go to the recording pool but it is free to move to another pool with other individuals. 2) Put alone: the animal is put alone in the recording pool. 3) With other orcas: more animals are together in the recording pool. The statistic analysis show that animals emit more vocalizations when they are in the situation "Chosen alone". The research will continue in order to observe eventual differences in the individual repertoire of each Orcinus orca.

Differenzierung von Reviergesängen und mitochondrialem Cytochrom-b in drei ausgewählten Singvogelgattungen (Aves, Passeriformes: Genus Regulus, Genus Seicercus und Parus major)

ZusammenfassungLautäußerungen von Singvögeln (Passeriformes) werden gemeinhin als Träger phylogenetischer Information betrachtet, obwohl direkte Nachweise in vergleichend bioakustischen Studien rar sind. Dieser Thematik widmet sich meine Dissertation am Beispiel dreier Singvogelgruppen: Goldhähnchen (Regulus), Goldbrillenlaubsänger (Seicercus) sowie verwandter Laubsänger (Phylloscopus) und Kohlmeisen (Parus major). Neben der Erhebung bioakustischer Daten wurde für jede Gruppe eine molekulare Phylogenie basierend auf Cytochrom-b-Sequenzen erstellt und für verschiedene akustische Merkmale Homoplasie-indizes berechnet (CI, RI und RC). Die phylogenetisch informativen Gesangsstrukturen innerhalb der Gattungen Regulus und Seicercus/ Phylloscopus sind sämtlich Syntaxmerkmale, zumeist der Gesamtstrophe, seltener von Strophenabschnitten. Bei den Goldhähnchen (Regulus) sind solche Syntaxmerkmale angeboren, Elementmerkmale hingegen sind erlernt und phylogenetisch nicht informativ. Die innerhalb der Kohlmeisen homogene Gesangssyntax ist erst auf höherer taxonomischer Ebene (Gattung Parus) ein informatives Merkmal. Der mittels einer Merkmalsmatrix berechnete akustische Divergenzindex zwischen Taxonpaaren steigt signifikant proportional zur genetischen Distanz. Damit ist erstmalig der Zusammenhang zwischen genetischer und akustischer Differenzierung quantifiziert. Die molekulare Phylogenie erhellt zudem bislang ungeklärte phylogenetische Beziehungen innerhalb aller drei Taxa. Diese werden im Hinblick auf das phylogenetische und das biologische Artkonzept diskutiert. Der Artstatus des Teneriffa-Goldhähnchens (Regulus teneriffae) sowie der bokharensis-Kohlmeisen ist fragwürdig aufgrund ihrer engen Verwandtschaft zu zu einzelnen Subspezies der Wintergoldhähnchen bzw. der Kohlmeisen.

Studio della presenza di capodogli (Physeter macrocephalus, Linnaeus 1758) in due aree del Mar Balear mediante metodi acustici passivi

I capodogli (Physeter macrocephalus) sono mammiferi marini con distribuzione cosmopolita; sono presenti anche nel Mar Mediterraneo, soprattutto nella zona occidentale del bacino. Per individuare la presenza di questi animali possono essere utilizzate differenti modalità. Questo studio è stato condotto tramite l’uso di metodi acustici passivi, in quanto i capodogli (P. macrocephalus) sono animali che emettono suoni. L’uso di metodi acustici ha alcuni vantaggi, infatti permette di individuare la presenza di un animale anche se si trova al di sotto della superficie dell’acqua, purché stia emettendo suoni. Le registrazioni possono essere effettuate indipendentemente dalle condizioni meteorologiche e per lunghi periodi di tempo, permettendo la continuità nella raccolta dei dati. Il lavoro di tesi è stato svolto nell’ambito di un Progetto di Ricerca de L’Oceanogràfic di Valencia. Le registrazioni sono state effettuate tramite lo strumento EAR (Ecological Acoustic Recorder) in due aree del Mar Balear, il Mar di Bamba e il Parco Nazionale di Cabrera, in differenti periodi, profondità e con diverse frequenze di campionamento (50 kHz e 5 kHz). I dati ottenuti sono stati analizzati tramite i programmi X-BAT (Extensible Bioacoustic Tool) e Adobe Audition 3.0 al fine di rilevare i pulsi emessi dai capodogli. Per entrambe le aree di studio i dati sono stati elaborati in modo da ottenere modelli giornalieri e stagionali delle ore positive e del numero di pulsi emessi. La presenza di P. macrocephalus è stata confermata in entrambe le aree di studio, e dal confronto delle analisi spettrali dei pulsi si può affermare che, nonostante le differenze, i pulsi registrati in entrambe le aree sono effettivamente emessi da capodogli. Il lavoro di Tesi permette di suggerire che per futuri studi sia applicata la frequenza di registrazione di 20 kHz utilizzando lo strumento SAMARUC, alla cui progettazione ha partecipato L’Oceanogràfic di Valencia.

Landscape connectivity, habitat structure and activity of bat guilds in farmland-dominated matrices

Agricultural intensification has caused a decline in structural elements in European farmland, where natural habitats are increasingly fragmented. The loss of habitat structures has a detrimental effect on biodiversity and affects bat species that depend on vegetation structures for foraging and commuting. We investigated the impact of connectivity and configuration of structural landscape elements on flight activity, species richness and diversity of insectivorous bats and distinguished three bat guilds according to species-specific bioacoustic characteristics. We tested whether bats with shorter-range echolocation were more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than bats with longer-range echolocation. We expected to find different connectivity thresholds for the three guilds and hypothesized that bats prefer linear over patchy landscape elements. Bat activity was quantified using repeated acoustic monitoring in 225 locations at 15 study plots distributed across the Swiss Central Plateau, where connectivity and the shape of landscape elements were determined by spatial analysis (GIS). Spectrograms of bat calls were assigned to species with the software batit by means of image recognition and statistical classification algorithms. Bat activity was significantly higher around landscape elements compared to open control areas. Short- and long-range echolocating bats were more active in well-connected landscapes, but optimal connectivity levels differed between the guilds. Species richness increased significantly with connectivity, while species diversity did not (Shannon's diversity index). Total bat activity was unaffected by the shape of landscape elements. Synthesis and applications. This study highlights the importance of connectivity in farmland landscapes for bats, with shorter-range echolocating bats being particularly sensitive to habitat fragmentation. More structurally diverse landscape elements are likely to reduce population declines of bats and could improve conditions for other declining species, including birds. Activity was highest around optimal values of connectivity, which must be evaluated for the different guilds and spatially targeted for a region's habitat configuration. In a multi-species approach, we recommend the reintroduction of structural elements to increase habitat heterogeneity should become part of agri-environment schemes.