Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Leininger, Elizabeth

Area of Concentration

Natural Sciences

Abstract

This study explores male – male acoustic signaling behavior in Xenopus borealis, a species of the Xenopus South African clawed frogs. Vocal suppression had been observed in another species of Xenopus, Xenopus laevis. Because X. borealis males have a much more simplified call type than X. laevis, X. borealis males were tested to see if they respond suppressively to the advertisement callings of conspecifics, sexually receptive experimental males were recorded from while given playback of conspecific advertisement calls, heterospecific advertisement calls (X. muelleri) and white noise as a control. On average, males suppressed to any playback, regardless of type. There was no association between suppression and the playback stimulus type presented to the males. Latency to call was tested for the periods of each stimulus playback group. There was no association between amount of time it took males to call and the type of stimulus playback that played during the period. Males suppressed to X. borealis playback stimulus and to control playbacks equally. I did not find sufficient evidence to argue for suppressive behavior in X. borealis, like in the X. laevis species. Perhaps X. borealis males use a different strategy for establishing a vocal mating territory.

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