Análises acústicas e morfológicas de duas espécies de anuros simpátricas no Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Minas Gerais

Abstract

Anuran amphibians are widely recognized for their vocalizations, which are primarily used for communication. Among these, the advertisement call plays a crucial role in attracting females and mediating social interactions. Bioacoustics is essential for species identification and description, contributing to taxonomy, systematics, and evolutionary studies. Comparative analyses of advertisement calls—considering quantitative, qualitative, and temporal parameters—enhance our understanding of intra- and interspecific interactions and assist in identifying cryptic species. Morphometric analyses are also widely used in species descriptions, particularly in distinguishing cryptic taxa. Phylogenetically related species that coexist in the same environment often compete for resources, leading to adaptive strategies reflected in morphology and vocalizations. In this study, we investigated the phenotypic differences between Bokermannohyla ibitipoca and Bokermannohyla feioi, two sympatric tree frogs from Ibitipoca State Park, Lima Duarte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We compared their morphometric measurements and advertisement calls to assess phenotypic variation and explore potential coexistence strategies. To analyze these variables, we conducted Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Our results indicated that both species exhibited similar morphometric traits, yet showed larger differences in their acoustic parameters, suggesting that vocal divergence may serve as a reproductive strategy to reduce call overlap and minimize incorrect mating events. Additionally, differences in microhabitat selection for vocalization may influence call characteristics in these species. Our findings underscore the role of bioacoustics in differentiating morphologically similar species and highlight the need for complementary methods, such as molecular analyses, to further investigate diversification processes within the genus Bokermannohyla.