Abstract: Amplexus is a distinctive mating strategy in the reproductive life cycle of amphibians, encompassing both assortative and random mating strategies. Prior to amplexus, male frogs commonly emit acoustic signals to attract females, emphasizing the significant role of acoustic communication in the anuran reproductive process. However, it has remained unclear whether males' acoustic signals significantly affect the female choice of male size. In our study, we examined the mating strategy of a paddy frog, Fejervarya multistriata, and whether females can use acoustic signals to locate appropriately sized males. This investigation entailed an examination of the relationships between amplexus pairs’ sizes, the acoustic properties of male frogs, and phonotaxis experiments. The results showed that: (1) F. multistriata employed size-assortative mating as a reproductive strategy. (2) The first frequency band and note interval in male advertisement calls can serve as key indicators of individual male size. (3) Through phonotaxis experiments, female frogs preferred acoustic signals that matched male size. Therefore, we suggested that F. multistriata females can use acoustic signals to select size-matched males, thus achieving assortative mating.
Keywords: acoustic properties; assortative mating; Fejervarya multistriata; female mate-choice; male size