title: Take time to smell the frogs: vocal sac glands of reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae) contain species-specific chemical cocktails.
abstract: Males of all reed frog species (Anura: Hyperoliidae) have a prominent, often colourful, gular patch on their vocal sac, which is particularly conspicuous once the vocal sac is inflated. Although the presence, shape, and form of the gular patch are well-known diagnostic characters for these frogs, its function remains unknown. By integrating biochemical and histological methods, we found strong evidence that the gular patch is a gland producing volatile compounds, which might be emitted while calling. Volatile compounds were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the gular glands in 11 species of the hyperoliid generaAfrixalus, Heterixalus, Hyperolius, andPhlyctimantis. Comparing the gular gland contents of 17 specimens of four sympatricHyperoliusspecies yielded a large variety of 65 compounds in species-specific combinations. We suggest that reed frogs might use a complex combination of at least acoustic and chemical signals in species recognition and mate choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Wien 1090, Austria.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Starnberger
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poth
authors.forename: Pardha Saradhi
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Peram
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vences
authors.forename: Jette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Barej
authors.forename: Mark-Oliver
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Rödel
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walzl
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hödl
keywords: Afrixalus; Amphibia; Heterixalus; Hyperolius; Phlyctimantis; chemical communication; gular gland anatomy; histology; pheromones