Experimental study of sound interactions in the nozzles of Hyla meridionalis (anoure amphibian) by stimulation with periodic synthetic sound signals ; Étude expérimentale des interactions sonores dans les chœurs de rainettes Hyla meridionalis (Amphibien anoure) par stimulation avec des signaux sonor...
By the action of variable periodic acoustic signals in terms of their duration parameters, it was possible to explain the phenomena of sister edges in the Rainette, the stimulation of call sequences, the organisation of calls in duos, trios, and the loss of this organisation when more animals are present. These different appearances of choir activity can be explained by a single mechanism: the sound signals, provided they have the appropriate acoustic frequencies, are stimulating voice activity. The stimulus effect is accompanied by a delaying effect that postpones the response beyond the actual stimulating time. The effects of this mechanism can be summarised under four rules: 1 — the deviation rule: The duration of discrepancies between responses can be changed but never goes beyond the discrepancies between spontaneous calls of the species. 2 — the alternance rule: If the duration of the stimulating signal is not too long the response starts in the break as the deviation rule can be respected. 3 — the latency rule: When the alter nance rule is applied, the response follows the sound stimulation after a typical latency time of the parameters of the estimating signal and the state of the animal. 4 — the sound level of stimulation rule: The more intense the sti mulation, the more stimulating the signal is, but the longer the delaying effect that accompanies the stimulus effect is lasting. These rules are sufficient to explain the noise interactions in the choir, but choir activity is made more complex by individual differences in activity and response. These rules also shed light on a number of other aspects of behaviour, such as the transmission of rivalry and rain signals. They also make it possible to consider, at least in part, hearing measures; sound activity level and a quantification of the reactogenic power of the signals. They also show that the scope for responses goes far beyond what is used by the species in swabbing conditions and that these rules are likely to belong to a wider set of rules ...