Male Advertisement and Female Choice in Frogs: Recent Findings and New Approaches to the Study of Communication in a Dynamic Acoustic Environment

SYNOPSIS. Typically, anuran amphibians communicate in a complex acoustic environment to which the calls of many males contribute. Although research has demonstrated that male vocal behavior is responsive to changes in this environment, a more thorough understanding of male-male interactions should benefit from the use of computer based systems for data acquisition and interactive playback. I discuss how I have used such systems in studies of note timing behavior, unison bout singing, aggressive behavior and female choice. In addition, I indicate how energetic constraints may be involved in shaping the temporal dynamics of chorusing