A unique sound production mechanism in the pipid anuran Xenopus borealis

Abstract

The totally aquatic pipid frog Xenopus borealis produces long trains of click-like sound at high sound pressure levels (> 105 dB SPL) underwater at night. While X. borealis retains an essentially terrestrial respiratory tract, the larynx is highly modified in two ways. First, the cricoid cartilage is greatly expanded posteriorly to form a large ‘box’. Portions of this cricoid box are composed of an unusual elastic cartilage. Second, portions of the arytenoid cartilages are elaborated into calcified rods with disc-like enlargements at their posterior ends. These discs are the only freely moveable components within the larynx–there are no vocal cords. Artificial stimulation of a pair of muscles controlling the discs and discrete lesions that impair their movement demonstrate that motion of the discs is both necessary and sufficient for click production. Unlike all other anurans, X. borealis does not use a moving air column in sound production. A possible mechanism of click production involves two steps: (1) at first, the discs are held tighdy apposed in the midline by fluid adhesive forces, and contraction of bipennate muscles is isometric; (2) when the muscle tension exceeds the adhesive force, the discs separate with very high acceleration leaving a vacuum between them. Air rushing into the space at high speed (an implosion) produces the click. The cricoid box shapes the frequency spectrum of the clicks, and opening the box broadens the power spectrum. The power spectrum of clicks produced by males after breathing helium is unchanged.