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

Advertisement calls play a crucial role in anuran species recognition and mate selection, yet acoustic characteristics of <i>Zhangixalus lishuiensis</i> remain undescribed. This study presents the first detailed acoustic analysis of advertisement calls in <i>Zhangixalus lishuiensis</i> 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 <i>Z. zhoukaiyae</i> from the Dabie Mountains population, male <i>Z. lishuiensis</i> 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 <i>Zhangixalus</i> species revealed substantial variation in call durationand dominant frequency. These findings enrich the bioacoustic characterization of <i>Zhangixalus</i> and establish a foundation for acoustic-based species identification, monitoring, and taxonomic studies in this genus.