Sound Producing Mechanisms in Recent Reptiles: Review and Comment

Abstract

Reptiles produce sound by three categories of devices: those involving massive air expulsions or movements, those involving modulations of intermittent air movements through a modified glottis, and those involving rubbing or vibration of the integument. Each ocours in numerous species and there is good evidence of multiple origins. Most of the devices are used as predator deterrents, but there are a few cases of sound being used as an intraspecific communicating device. The various structures are here discussed. One may ask the general question whether the distribution of reptilian sensory modalities may not have forced this rather miscellaneous distribution of signalling devices.