By Susan Milius
From Burlington, Vt., at a meeting of the Animal Behavior Society
A little “chuck” sound that a kind of male frog can add to his call proves attractive to friends and foes alike. Now, researchers suggest an explanation for the sound’s wide appeal.
Small, dark túngara frogs, found in Mexico and northern South America, have become a classic animal for studies of communication. Males gather in pools and call, and females follow the sounds to find mates.