Acoustic Diversity in Zhangixalus lishuiensis: Intra-Individual Variation, Acoustic Divergence, and Genus-Level...

Advertisement calls play a crucial role in anuran species recognition and mate selection, yet acoustic characteristics of Zhangixalus lishuiensis remain undescribed. This study presents the first detailed acoustic analysis of advertisement calls in Zhangixalus lishuiensis from Lishui, Zhejiang Province, China. Based on recordings from 13 males collected in the field during the breeding season, we documented a hierarchical call structure consisting of three note types (Initial Note, Middle Note, and Short Note) organized into two note groups (Note Group 1 (NG1) and Note Group 2). Four structural variants of NG1 were identified, revealing intra-individual acoustic diversity within the population. Compared to the closely related Z. zhoukaiyae from the Dabie Mountains population, male Z. lishuiensis produced calls with significantly longer temporal parameters but lower dominant frequency, despite overall structural similarity, indicating acoustic divergence between these taxa. Comparative analysis across eleven Zhangixalus species revealed substantial variation in call durationand dominant frequency. These findings enrich the bioacoustic characterization of Zhangixalus and establish a foundation for acoustic-based species identification, monitoring, and taxonomic studies in this genus.