Consistency of calling performance in male Hyperolius marmoratus marmoratus: implications for male mating success

Abstract The calling behaviour of male Hyperolius marmoratus marmoratus was monitored continuously over a 21 day period in the laboratory. These data were then compared to the results of a study of calling behaviour and mating success in a natural population of these frogs. Males were classified as callers, intermittent callers or noncallers depending on their level of calling performance. We propose that intermittent calling behaviour allows a male to extend chorus attendance when levels of male-male competition are low. The frogs classified as callers in the captive population showed a high degree of repeatability in call rate (0.464) between nights. In accordance with this, there was no significant difference between a male's calling behaviour on the first and last nights of calling. These results have important implications for male mating success. The consistency of a caller's behaviour facilitates female choice based on male call rate which is evident on a nightly basis, as males that are going to m...