Beyond the Limits: Identifying the High-frequency Detectors in the Anuran Ear

Overview

Journal Biol Lett

Specialty Biology

Date 2020 Jul 1

PMID 32603645

Citations 4

Authors

Ariadna Cobo-Cuan

T Ulmar Grafe

Peter M Narins

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Despite the predominance of low-frequency hearing in anuran amphibians, a few frog species have evolved high-frequency communication within certain environmental contexts. is the most remarkable anuran with regard to upper frequency limits; it is the first frog species known to emit exclusively ultrasonic signals. Characteristics of the Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions from the amphibian papilla and the basilar papilla were analysed to gain insight into the structures responsible for high-frequency/ultrasound sensitivity. Our results confirm the matching of vocalization spectra and inner ear tuning in this species. Compared to most anurans, has a hyperextended hearing range spanning from audible to ultrasonic frequencies, far above the previously established 'spectral limits' for the amphibian ear. The exceptional high-frequency sensitivity in the inner ear of illustrates the remarkable plasticity of the auditory system and the extent to which evolution can modify a sensory system to adapt it to its environment.

Citing Articles

The continued importance of comparative auditory research to modern scientific discovery.

Capshaw G, Brown A, Pena J, Carr C, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Tollin D Hear Res. 2023; 433:108766.

PMID: 37084504 PMC: 10321136. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108766.

DPOAEs and tympanal membrane vibrations reveal adaptations of the sexually dimorphic ear of the concave-eared torrent frog, Odorrana tormota.

Cobo-Cuan A, Feng A, Zhang F, Narins P J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2022; 209(1):79-88.

PMID: 36104577 PMC: 9898391. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-022-01569-8.

Comparative transcriptome analysis provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of high-frequency hearing differences between the sexes of Odorrana tormota.

Chen Z, Liu Y, Liang R, Cui C, Zhu Y, Zhang F BMC Genomics. 2022; 23(1):296.

PMID: 35410120 PMC: 9004125. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08536-2.

Beyond the limits: identifying the high-frequency detectors in the anuran ear.

Cobo-Cuan A, Grafe T, Narins P Biol Lett. 2020; 16(7):20200343.

PMID: 32603645 PMC: 7423036. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0343.

References

Kossl M . High frequency distortion products from the ears of two bat species, Megaderma lyra and Carollia perspicillata. Hear Res. 1992; 60(2):156-64. DOI: 10.1016/0378-5955(92)90018-i. View

van Dijk P, Manley G . Distortion product otoacoustic emissions in the tree frog Hyla cinerea. Hear Res. 2001; 153(1-2):14-22. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(00)00251-3. View

Vassilakis P, Meenderink S, Narins P . Distortion product otoacoustic emissions provide clues hearing mechanisms in the frog ear. J Acoust Soc Am. 2005; 116(6):3713-26. DOI: 10.1121/1.1811571. View

Meenderink S, van Dijk P . Temperature dependence of anuran distortion product otoacoustic emissions. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2006; 7(3):246-52. PMC: 2504610. DOI: 10.1007/s10162-006-0039-6. View

Loftus-Hills J, Johnstone B . Auditory function, communication, and the brain-evoked response in anuran amphibians. J Acoust Soc Am. 1970; 47(4):1131-8. DOI: 10.1121/1.1912015. View

Meenderink S, van Dijk P . Level dependence of distortion product otoacoustic emissions in the leopard frog, Rana pipiens pipiens. Hear Res. 2004; 192(1-2):107-18. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2004.01.015. View

Cobo-Cuan A, Narins P . Reciprocal Matched Filtering in the Inner Ear of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis). J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2020; 21(1):33-42. PMC: 7062955. DOI: 10.1007/s10162-019-00740-4. View

Arch V, Grafe T, Gridi-Papp M, Narins P . Pure ultrasonic communication in an endemic Bornean frog. PLoS One. 2009; 4(4):e5413. PMC: 2671607. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005413. View

Feng A, Narins P, Xu C . Vocal acrobatics in a Chinese frog, Amolops tormotus. Naturwissenschaften. 2002; 89(8):352-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00114-002-0335-x. View

10.

Cobo-Cuan A, Grafe T, Narins P . Beyond the limits: identifying the high-frequency detectors in the anuran ear. Biol Lett. 2020; 16(7):20200343. PMC: 7423036. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0343. View

11.

Bergevin C, Freeman D, Saunders J, Shera C . Otoacoustic emissions in humans, birds, lizards, and frogs: evidence for multiple generation mechanisms. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2008; 194(7):665-83. PMC: 2562659. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-008-0338-y. View

12.

Shen J, Xu Z, Feng A, Narins P . Large odorous frogs (Odorrana graminea) produce ultrasonic calls. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2011; 197(10):1027-30. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-011-0660-7. View

13.

Ronken D . Basic properties of auditory-nerve responses from a "simple' ear: the basilar papilla of the frog. Hear Res. 1990; 47(1-2):63-82. DOI: 10.1016/0378-5955(90)90167-n. View

14.

Feng A, Narins P, Xu C, Lin W, Yu Z, Qiu Q . Ultrasonic communication in frogs. Nature. 2006; 440(7082):333-6. DOI: 10.1038/nature04416. View

15.

Arch V, Simmons D, Quinones P, Feng A, Jiang J, Stuart B . Inner ear morphological correlates of ultrasonic hearing in frogs. Hear Res. 2011; 283(1-2):70-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2011.11.006. View

16.

van Dijk P, Mason M, Narins P . Distortion product otoacoustic emissions in frogs: correlation with middle and inner ear properties. Hear Res. 2002; 173(1-2):100-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(02)00605-6. View

17.

Ronken D . Spike discharge properties that are related to the characteristic frequency of single units in the frog auditory nerve. J Acoust Soc Am. 1991; 90(5):2428-40. DOI: 10.1121/1.402047. View

18.

van Dijk P, Narins P, Mason M . Physiological vulnerability of distortion product otoacoustic emissions from the amphibian ear. J Acoust Soc Am. 2003; 114(4 Pt 1):2044-8. DOI: 10.1121/1.1608957. View

19.

Kemp D . Evidence of mechanical nonlinearity and frequency selective wave amplification in the cochlea. Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1979; 224(1-2):37-45. DOI: 10.1007/BF00455222. View

20.

Arch V, Grafe T, Narins P . Ultrasonic signalling by a Bornean frog. Biol Lett. 2007; 4(1):19-22. PMC: 2413264. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0494. View