@article {57387, title = {Phylogenetic relationship and variation of alarm call traits of populations of red-cheeked ground squirrels ( Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato) suggest taxonomic delineation}, year = {2019}, abstract = {

Distribution area and taxonomic borders within the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato remain questionable. Early evidence suggests that red-cheeked ground squirrels of Southeast Kazakhstan are remarkably different in terms of the acoustic structure of their alarm calls from the red-cheeked ground squirrels of the Kurgan region in Russia. In this study, we analyzed the differences in the acoustic structure of the alarm call and mitochondrial DNA (complete control region, 1005\–1006 bp and complete cytochrome b gene, 1140 bp) in 3 populations of red-cheeked ground squirrels (Tara, Altyn-Emel and Balkhash), all located within areas isolated by geographical barriers in Southeast Kazakhstan. We found that the alarm call variables were similar between the 3 study populations and differed by the maximum fundamental frequency (8.46 \± 0.75 kHz) from the values (5.62 \± 0.06 kHz) reported for the red-cheeked ground squirrels from the Kurgan region of Russia. Variation in mtDNA control region was only 3\% and variation in cytochrome b gene was only 2.5\%. Phylogenetic trees based on cytochrome b gene polymorphism of 44 individuals from the study area and adjacent territories indicated 3 clades with high (98\–100\%) bootstrap support: \“intermedius,\” \“brevicauda\” and \“iliensis\”). We conclude that the 3 study populations in Southeast Kazakhstan belong to the clade intermedius and suggest a taxonomical revision of the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato, including analyses of nuclear DNA and alarm calls for populations of the brevicauda and iliensis clades.

}, keywords = {alarm call, control region, cytochrome b, mitochondrial DNA, vocal communication}, doi = {10.1111/inz2.2019.14.issue-410.1111/1749-4877.12383}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17494877/14/4}, author = {Matrosova, Vera A. and IVANOVA, Anastasia D. and Volodina, Elena V. and Volodin, Ilya A. and Dmitry Yu. Alexandrov and Sibiryakova, Olga V. and Oleg A. Ermakov} } @article {53409, title = {Age and social affinity effects on contact call interactions in free-ranging spider monkeys}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology}, volume = {72}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-12-2018}, abstract = {

Nonhuman primates\’ vocal repertoire has shown little plasticity, with immatures producing adult-like acoustic structures. Yet, the use of different call types shows a degree of socially dependent flexibility during development. In several nonhuman primate species, group members exchange contact calls respecting a set of social and temporal rules that may be learned (e.g., overlap avoidance, turn-taking, social selection of interacting partners, and call type matching). Here, we study the use of contact calls in free-living adult and immature (old and young) spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We focused our study in two contact call types of the species\’ repertoire: whinnies and high-whinnies. Our results suggest that individuals in all age classes produced both call types, with immatures producing less frequently the whinny call type. Immature individuals exchanged calls less often than adults, although their contribution increased with age. Conversely, mature individuals regulated their emissions by (1) exchanging more calls with their preferred affiliative partner and (2) matching the call type, while immatures did not. Our results show that contact call usage changes during development and suggest that adult rules might be learned. We argue that call matching is a \“conversational rule\” that young individuals acquire with apparent call-type-dependent variations during development. Our findings support the idea that social factors influence vocal development in nonhuman primates.

}, keywords = {Acoustic matching, Call exchanges, New World monkeys, vocal communication, vocal learning}, issn = {0340-5443}, doi = {10.1007/s00265-018-2615-2}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00265-018-2615-2}, author = {Briseno-Jaramillo, M. and Ramos-Fern{\'a}ndez, G. and Palacios-Romo, T. M. and Sosa-L{\'o}pez, J. R. and Lemasson, A.} } @article {53259, title = {Acoustic stability in hyrax snorts: vocal tightrope-walkers or wrathful verbal assailants?}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology}, year = {2018}, month = {Oct-10-2019}, abstract = {

The source-filter theory proposes that information on caller properties is communicated through acoustic qualities, as physical state and performance ability are reflected in the voice. Vocal stability, manifested through harshness, is especially intriguing and has rarely been explored although harsh sounds are prevalent in nature. Male rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) produce loud complex calls that we term songs. Only the calls of older, socially dominant males include a harsh sound termed snort. As snorts are the rarest element in songs, we hypothesized that high-quality snorts are difficult to produce, and that their quality consists in the ability to maintain smoothness throughout this low-pitched, harsh call. We quantified harshness by measuring periodicity deviations and expected to find a link between social parameters (residence, rank, and weight) and the ability to produce longer, smoother snorts. In addition, we presumed that if calls are used as vocal contests, conspecifics would avoid answering songs that exhibit a higher acoustic ability than their own songs. We found that in wild hyrax songs, snort harshness was associated with both weight and social rank, but in opposite directions. Heavier males produced smoother snorts and higher-ranked individuals produced harsher snorts, possibly indicating aggressiveness. Playback experiments showed that longer and harsher synthetic snorts, inserted into natural songs, reduced conspecific answer rates. Snorts may communicate complex information on hyrax weight and dominance by means of element length and harshness. Our present results provide a stimulating insight into the understanding of acoustics in mammalian vocal communication.

}, keywords = {inner arousal theory, jitter, nonlinear vocalizations, source-filter theory, vocal communication}, issn = {1045-2249}, doi = {10.1093/beheco/ary141}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/beheco/advance-article/doi/10.1093/beheco/ary141/5142363}, author = {Weissman, Yishai A and Demartsev, Vlad and Ilany, Amiyaal and Barocas, Adi and Bar-Ziv, Einat and Shnitzer, Inbar and Geffen, Eli and Koren, Lee} } @article {53256, title = {Testosterone pulses at the nest site modify ultrasonic vocalization types in a monogamous and territorial mouse}, journal = {Ethology}, volume = {124}, year = {2018}, pages = {804{\textendash}815}, abstract = {

Modulation of baseline testosterone (T) via long-lasting T implants alters territorial, sexual, and social behavior of animals in the field. Transient T increases occur in numerous species after social interactions, but these transient increases in T have not been manipulated in the field. In the laboratory, these T increases can influence future behavior for days, causing changes in social behavior and inducing preferences for specific locations. We manipulated transient increases in T in the field at the nests of the monogamous and territorial California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) to examine long-term (\>24 hr) changes in ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). Males of bonded male\–female dyads (=pair) were administered a T injection (vs. saline) three times over seven days and USVs of the male\–female dyad were measured for three days after the last injection. At T nests, the male\–female dyad produced significantly more 1SV (one call SV: an SV is a sustained vocalization that is long in duration and low in modulation) and 4SV (four call SV) type USVs than controls, but no significant changes in aggressive barks. Overall, male\–female dyad mice at T nests produced a greater diversity in call types such that 1SV, 4SV, 5SV, and a complex sweep were produced at T nests but not control nests. There were significantly more USVs produced at T nests on night 2 after the final injection. There were no differences in spectral characteristics of SV calls or aggressive barks between T and control nests. The function of the changes that occurred is unknown, but is consistent with increased long-term changes in behavioral interactions with nest mates and may reflect T-induced conditioned place preferences to the nest site. Significantly, transient increases in T influence future acoustic communication under field conditions with competing biotic and abiotic stimuli.

}, keywords = {androgens, conditioned place preference, field, male-female dyad, pair bond, Peromyscus californicus, social behavior, vocal communication}, doi = {10.1111/eth.12812}, author = {Timonin, Mary E and Kalcounis-Rueppell, Matina C and Marler, Catherine A} } @article {53242, title = {Duetting Patterns of Titi Monkeys (Primates, Pitheciidae: Callicebinae) and Relationships with Phylogeny}, journal = {Animals}, volume = {8}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-10-2018}, pages = {178}, abstract = {

Long-range vocal communication in socially monogamous titi monkeys is mediated by the production of loud, advertising calls in the form of solos, duets, and choruses. We conducted a power spectral analysis of duets and choruses (simply \“duets\” hereafter) followed by linear discriminant analysis using three acoustic parameters\—dominant frequency of the combined signal, duet sequence duration, and pant call rate\—comparing the coordinated vocalizations recorded from 36 family groups at 18 sites in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Our analysis identified four distinct duetting patterns: (1) a donacophilus pattern, sensu stricto, characteristic of P. donacophilus, P. pallescens, P. olallae, and P. modestus; (2) a moloch pattern comprising P. discolor, P. toppini, P. aureipalatii, and P. urubambensis; (3) a torquatus pattern exemplified by the duet of Cheracebus lucifer; and (4) the distinctive duet of\ P. oenanthe, a putative member of the donacophilus group, which is characterized by a mix of broadband and narrowband syllables, many of which are unique to this species. We also document a sex-related difference in the bellow-pant phrase combination among the three taxa sampled from the moloch lineage. Our data reveal a presumptive taxonomic incoherence illustrated by the distinctive loud calls of both P. urubambensis and P. oenanthe within the donacophilus lineage, sensu largo. The results are discussed in light of recent reassessments of the callicebine phylogeny, based on a suite of genetic studies, and the potential contribution of environmental influences, including habitat acoustics and social learning. A better knowledge of callicebine loud calls may also impact the conservation of critically endangered populations, such as the vocally distinctive Peruvian endemic, the San Martin titi, P. oenanthe.

}, keywords = {Callicebus, Cheracebus, conservation, Plecturocebus, taxonomy, vocal communication}, doi = {10.3390/ani8100178}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/10/178}, author = {Adret, Patrice and Dingess, Kimberly and Caselli, Christini and Vermeer, Jan and Mart{\'\i}nez, Jesus and Luna Amancio, Jossy and van Kuijk, Silvy and Hernani Lineros, Lucero and Wallace, Robert and Fernandez-Duque, Eduardo and Di Fiore, Anthony} } @article {52573, title = {Call concatenation in wild meerkats}, journal = {Animal Behaviour}, volume = {134}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-12-2017}, pages = {257 - 269}, abstract = {

Repertoire size, frequently determined by the number of discrete call types, has been used to assess vocal complexity in animals. However, species can also increase their communicative complexity by using graded signals or by combining individual calls. Animal call sequences can be divided into two main categories, each subdivided into two classes: repetitions, with either an unlimited or finite number of iterations of the same call type, and mixed call combinations, composed of two or more graded or discrete call types. Social contexts involve a wide range of behaviours and, unlike predation contexts, can be associated with both positive and negative emotions. Therefore, interactions linked to social contexts may place additional demands on an animal\&$\#$39;s communicative system and lead to the use of call com- binations. We systematically documented call combinations produced by wild meerkats, Suricata sur- icatta, a highly social carnivore, in social contexts in their natural habitat. We observed 12 distinct call combinations belonging to all four classes of combination, produced in all the observed behavioural contexts. Four combinations were each produced in a specific context whereas the remaining eight were produced in several contexts, albeit in different proportions. The broad use of combinations suggests that they represent a non-negligible part of meerkat social communication and that they can be used in flexible ways across various behavioural contexts. Comparison with combinations produced in predation contexts indicated that social call combinations are more varied in number of classes and structural complexity than the former, perhaps due to the greater variety of social contexts. However, in meerkats, combinations of functionally referential calls have been documented in predation but not social contexts, suggesting that both social and predation pressures may play a role in the evolution of combinatoriality in animal communication.

}, keywords = {call combination, meerkat, natural observations, social context, vocal communication}, issn = {00033472}, doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.12.014}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003347216303463}, author = {Collier, Katie and Townsend, Simon W.} } @article {50489, title = {Conflict or consensus? Synchronous change in mother{\textendash}young vocal communication across weaning in the cat}, journal = {Animal Behaviour}, volume = {130}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-08-2017}, pages = {233 - 240}, abstract = {

Since parent\–offspring conflict theory was first proposed, a number of studies in a range of mammalian species have questioned its importance, suggesting that coordination, rather than conflict, occurs during weaning. In this study we propose a set of behaviours for studying the development of the mother\–offspring relationship: offspring separation calls and the corresponding maternal response, which can be used to describe the continually developing motivational changes in both parties accompanying weaning. We recorded and analysed separation calls of kittens of the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, during the first two postnatal months, and performed playback experiments to observe their mothers\&$\#$39; behavioural response. Three different stimuli were played back: calls of the mothers\&$\#$39; kittens at their correct age, calls of their kittens from an earlier age (1 week old) and a control sound. We found that kittens\&$\#$39; separation calls changed in several respects across the 8 weeks of the study. After the first postnatal month, the number, intensity and fundamental frequency of calls declined markedly, while kittens\&$\#$39; latency to call increased. In parallel, we found that during playback tests, mothers\&$\#$39; willingness to return to the nest or reunite with their kittens decreased notably as the kittens approached weaning age. Since this decline was present even when mothers were played back the calls of their own kittens previously recorded at an earlier age, we conclude that the decline in responsiveness was not due to a change in the kittens\&$\#$39; vocalizations, but rather to a change in the mothers\&$\#$39; motivational state. Our findings support the view that weaning in the domestic cat is a well-synchronized process between mothers and offspring, at least under the favourable nutritional conditions of the present study.

}, keywords = {domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, mammal, motivation, parent{\textendash}offspring conflict, separation call, vocal communication, weaning}, issn = {00033472}, doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.06.025}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003347217302002}, author = {B{\'a}nszegi, Ox{\'a}na and Szenczi, P{\'e}ter and Urrutia, Andrea and Hudson, Robyn} } @article {50486, title = {Tennis grunts communicate acoustic cues to sex and contest outcome}, journal = {Animal Behaviour}, volume = {130}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-08-2017}, pages = {47 - 55}, abstract = {

Despite their ubiquity in human behaviour, the communicative functions of nonverbal vocalizations remain poorly understood. Here, we analysed the acoustic structure of tennis grunts, nonverbal vocal- izations produced in a competitive context. We predicted that tennis grunts convey information about the vocalizer and context, similar to nonhuman vocal displays. Speci fi cally, we tested whether the fundamental frequency (F0) of tennis grunts conveys static cues to a player\&$\#$39;s sex, height, weight, and age, and covaries dynamically with tennis shot type (a proxy of body posture) and the progress and outcome of male and female professional tennis contests. We also performed playback experiments (using natural and resynthesized stimuli) to assess the perceptual relevance of tennis grunts. The F0 of tennis grunts predicted player sex, but not age or body size. Serve grunts had higher F0 than forehand and backhand grunts, grunts produced later in contests had higher F0 than those produced earlier, and grunts produced during contests that players won had a lower F0 than those produced during lost contests. This difference in F0 between losses and wins emerged early in matches, and did not change in magnitude as the match progressed, suggesting a possible role of physiological and/or psychological factors manifesting early or even before matches. Playbacks revealed that listeners use grunt F0 to infer sex and contest outcome. These fi ndings indicate that tennis grunts communicate information about both the vocalizer and contest, consistent with nonhuman mammal vocalizations.

}, keywords = {dominance, fundamental frequency, nonverbal vocalizations, pitch, tennis grunts, vocal communication}, issn = {00033472}, doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.06.022}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003347217301975}, author = {Raine, Jordan and Pisanski, Katarzyna and Reby, David} } @article {47729, title = {Autonomous recording units in avian ecological research: current use and future applications}, journal = {Avian Conservation and Ecology}, volume = {12}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-01-2017}, abstract = {Acoustic surveys are a widely used sampling tool in ecological research and monitoring. They are used to monitor populations and ecosystems and to study various aspects of animal behavior. Autonomous recording units (ARUs) can record sound in most environments and are increasingly used by researchers to conduct acoustic surveys for birds. In this review, we summarize the use of ARUs in avian ecological research and synthesize current knowledge of the benefits and drawbacks of this technology. ARUs enable researchers to do more repeat visits with less time spent in the field, with the added benefits of a permanent record of the data collected and reduced observer bias. They are useful in remote locations and for targeting rare species. ARUs are mostly comparable to human observers in terms of species richness, but in some cases, they detect fewer species and at shorter distances. Drawbacks of ARUs include the cost of equipment, storage of recordings, loss of data if units fail, and potential sampling trade-offs in spatial vs. temporal coverage. ARUs generate large data sets of audio recordings, but advances in automated species recognition and acoustic processing techniques are contributing to make the processing time manageable. Future applications of ARUs include biodiversity monitoring and studying habitat use, animal movement, and various behavioral ecology questions based on vocalization activity. ARUs have the potential to make significant advances in avian ecological research and to be used in more innovative ways than simply as a substitute for a human observer in the field. }, keywords = {acoustic surveys, Biodiversity monitoring, noninvasive sampling, passive acoustic monitoring, point counts, vocal communication}, issn = {1712-6568}, doi = {10.5751/ACE-00974-120114}, url = {http://www.ace-eco.org/vol12/iss1/art14/}, author = {Julia Shonfield and Erin M. Bayne} }