Ultrasonic Calls of Brazilian Leaf Litter Frogs

• 18 Apr 2024

Source: TH

Researchers uncover a remarkable phenomenon in the Brazilian rainforest involving a tiny leaf litter frog emitting ultrasonic calls imperceptible to humans.

• Leaf litter frogs (Haddadus binotatus) in the Brazilian rainforest produce ultrasonic calls, potentially to deter predators or attract other animals for protection.
  • The call's frequency ranges from 7 Kilohertz (kHz) to 20 kHz, within humans' hearing range, and up to 20 kHz to 44 kHz, beyond human perception.
    • The "normal" human hearing frequency range is between 20 Hz and 20 kHz.
  • While inaudible to humans, these screams can be detected by potential predators like bats, rodents, and small primates, potentially deterring a range of predators with their broad frequency range.
• The discovery raises questions about the purpose of these ultrasonic calls and their impact on predators and the ecosystem.

Read more: Dancing Frogs