51
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Extreme ecological constraints lead to high degree of individual stereotypy in the vocal repertoire of the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03043-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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52
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Torres Ortiz S, Stedt J, Midtiby HS, Egemose HD, Wahlberg M. Group hunting in harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cooperative hunting involves individual predators relating in time and space to each other’s actions to more efficiently track down and catch prey. The evolution of advanced cognitive abilities and sociality in animals are strongly associated with cooperative hunting abilities as has been shown in lions, chimpanzees, and dolphins. Much less is known about cooperative hunting in seemingly unsocial animals, such as the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758)). Using drones, we were able to record 159 hunting sequences of porpoises, out of which 95 sequences involved more than one porpoise. To better understand if the harbour porpoises were individually attracted by the fish school or formed an organized hunting strategy, the behaviour of each individual porpoise in relation to the targeted fish school was analysed. The results indicate role specialization, which is considered the most sophisticated form of collaborative hunting and only rarely seen in animals. Our study challenges previous knowledge about harbour porpoises and opens up for the possibility of other seemingly non-social species employing sophisticated collaborative hunting methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Torres Ortiz
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Johanna Stedt
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik Skov Midtiby
- Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Henrik Dyrberg Egemose
- Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Magnus Wahlberg
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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53
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Cooperation-based concept formation in male bottlenose dolphins. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2373. [PMID: 33888703 PMCID: PMC8062458 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22668-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In Shark Bay, Western Australia, male bottlenose dolphins form a complex nested alliance hierarchy. At the first level, pairs or trios of unrelated males cooperate to herd individual females. Multiple first-order alliances cooperate in teams (second-order alliances) in the pursuit and defence of females, and multiple teams also work together (third-order alliances). Yet it remains unknown how dolphins classify these nested alliance relationships. We use 30 years of behavioural data combined with 40 contemporary sound playback experiments to 14 allied males, recording responses with drone-mounted video and a hydrophone array. We show that males form a first-person social concept of cooperative team membership at the second-order alliance level, independently of first-order alliance history and current relationship strength across all three alliance levels. Such associative concepts develop through experience and likely played an important role in the cooperative behaviour of early humans. These results provide evidence that cooperation-based concepts are not unique to humans, occurring in other animal societies with extensive cooperation between non-kin.
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54
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Walb R, von Fersen L, Meijer T, Hammerschmidt K. Individual Differences in the Vocal Communication of Malayan Tapirs ( Tapirus indicus) Considering Familiarity and Relatedness. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1026. [PMID: 33916401 PMCID: PMC8065771 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in animal communication have shown that many species have individual distinct calls. These individual distinct vocalizations can play an important role in animal communication because they can carry important information about the age, sex, personality, or social role of the signaler. Although we have good knowledge regarding the importance of individual vocalization in social living mammals, it is less clear to what extent solitary living mammals possess individual distinct vocalizations. We recorded and analyzed the vocalizations of 14 captive adult Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) (six females and eight males) to answer this question. We investigated whether familiarity or relatedness had an influence on call similarity. In addition to sex-related differences, we found significant differences between all subjects, comparable to the individual differences found in highly social living species. Surprisingly, kinship appeared to have no influence on call similarity, whereas familiar subjects exhibited significantly higher similarity in their harmonic calls compared to unfamiliar or related subjects. The results support the view that solitary animals could have individual distinct calls, like highly social animals. Therefore, it is likely that non-social factors, like low visibility, could have an influence on call individuality. The increasing knowledge of their behavior will help to protect this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Walb
- Department of Wildlife Management, University of Applied Sciences Van Hall-Larenstein, Agora 1, 8934 CJ Leeuwarden, The Netherlands;
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | | | - Theo Meijer
- Department of Wildlife Management, University of Applied Sciences Van Hall-Larenstein, Agora 1, 8934 CJ Leeuwarden, The Netherlands;
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
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55
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Acoustic Presence of Dolphins through Whistles Detection in Mediterranean Shallow Waters. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The evaluation of acoustic temporal rhythms in wide-ranging cetaceans can reveal patterns in animal spatial presence and the occurrence of periodical phenomena. Here, we aimed at assessing the temporal patterns of dolphin’s acoustic presence in a shallow-water area in the Sicily Strait (Mediterranean Sea). Whistles were collected continuously for 14 months from an acoustic monitoring station installed aboard of an elastic seamark. Over a total of 6955 h of recording, 14,048 signals were identified using both automatic and visual methods. Three parameters were analyzed: hourly presence (HP), used as a proxy of the presence of dolphins in the area; detection rate (DR), indicating the acoustic activity rate of dolphins measured per hour in the entire dataset; and detection rate in presence of dolphins (DRD), indicating the acoustic activity rate of dolphins considering only the hours when whistles were recorded. The highest values of both HP and DR were reached during the night, and the Autumn and Winter months, suggesting an increase in the dolphin’s occurrence and a possible moving away and towards the monitoring station potentially following prey. DRD, instead, showed an almost uniform distribution throughout the day implying that when the animals are close to the monitoring station, the acoustic activity does not show any pattern. However, possible changes in the communication exchange along the seasons were suggested. This study complements other work on this subject, improving the knowledge of dolphins’ acoustic activity in the area.
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56
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Rako-Gospić N, La Manna G, Picciulin M, Ceccherelli G. Influence of foraging context on the whistle structure of the common bottlenose dolphin. Behav Processes 2020; 182:104281. [PMID: 33188844 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Sounds are particularly important for animals that live in complex social communities. In this study, we assessed the communication calls (whistles) that common bottlenose dolphins emit during their foraging activities in the absence and presence of motor boats and during dolphin depredation on trawlers, in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) and Cres-Lošinj Archipelago (Croatia). The latter behaviour involves foraging on concentrated food sources during very noisy human activity and may require the emission of distinctive whistles. Thus, we investigated if whistle structure, in terms of frequency and time parameters, changes depending on these three foraging contexts. In Sardinia, during foraging in interaction with trawlers, whistles differed from those emitted during the other foraging contexts. Conversely, in Cres-Lošinj, significant variations in whistles were found to be related mainly to the presence of motor boats. This study represents the first report on how two dolphin populations adopt different acoustic tactics in the context of similar foraging behaviour. By investigating the effects of opportunistic foraging on acoustic repertoires, we provide new findings on the acoustic adaptation of dolphins to local conditions and contribute to understanding the relationships between dolphins and human activities, such as fishing and boat traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolina Rako-Gospić
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - Gabriella La Manna
- MareTerra Onlus - Environmental Research and Conservation, Regione Salondra 9, Alghero, Italy; Area Marina Protetta Capo Caccia-Isola Piana, Loc. Tramariglio SP 55, Alghero, SS, Italy.
| | - Marta Picciulin
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - Giulia Ceccherelli
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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57
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Panova E, Agafonov A, Logominova I. First description of whistles of Black Sea short-beaked common dolphins, Delphinus delphis ponticus. BIOACOUSTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2020.1842245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Panova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr Agafonov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- T.I. Vyazemsky Karadag Scientific Station – Nature Reserve of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Feodosia, Russia
| | - Irina Logominova
- T.I. Vyazemsky Karadag Scientific Station – Nature Reserve of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Feodosia, Russia
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58
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Effects of intense storm events on dolphin occurrence and foraging behavior. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19247. [PMID: 33159135 PMCID: PMC7648104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76077-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
As storms become increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change, we must better understand how they alter environmental conditions and impact species. However, storms are ephemeral and provide logistical challenges that prevent visual surveys commonly used to understand marine mammal ecology. Thus, relatively little is known about top predators’ responses to such environmental disturbances. In this study, we utilized passive acoustic monitoring to characterize the response of bottlenose dolphins to intense storms offshore Maryland, USA between 2015 and 2017. During and following four autumnal storms, dolphins were detected less frequently and for shorter periods of time. However, dolphins spent a significantly higher percentage of their encounters feeding after the storm than they did before or during. This change in foraging may have resulted from altered distributions and behavior of their prey species, which are prone to responding to environmental changes, such as varied sea surface temperatures caused by storms. It is increasingly vital to determine how these intense storms alter oceanography, prey movements, and the behavior of top predators.
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59
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Lopez-Marulanda J, Rödel HG, Colpaert N, Vanderheul S, Adam O, Delfour F. Contexts of emission of non-signature whistles in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care. Behav Processes 2020; 181:104255. [PMID: 33002564 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Bottlenose dolphins are social cetaceans that strongly rely on acoustic communication and signaling. The diversity of sounds emitted by the species has been structurally classified into whistles, clicks and burst-pulsed sounds. Although click sounds and individually-specific signature whistles have been largely studied, not much is known about non-signature whistles. Most studies that link behavior and whistle production conduct aerial behavioral observations and link the production of whistles to the general category of social interactions. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between the non-signature whistle production and the underwater behaviors of a group of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care, during their free time in the absence of trainers. To do this we made audio-video recordings 15 min before and after 10 training sessions of eight dolphins in Boudewijn Seapark (Belgium). For the behavioral analysis we conducted focal follows on each individual based on six behavioral categories. For the acoustical analysis, carried out at the group level, we used the SIGID method to identify non-signature whistles (N = 661) and we classified them in six categories according to their frequency modulation. The occurrences of the six categories of whistles were highly collinear. Most importantly, non-signature whistle production was positively correlated with the time individuals spent slow swimming alone, and was negatively correlated with the time spent in affiliative body contact. This is the first analysis that links the production of non-signature whistles with particular underwater behaviors in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Lopez-Marulanda
- Institute des Neurosciences Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9197, Université Paris Sud, Orsay, France; Grupo Ecología y Evolución de Vertebrados, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellin, Colombia; Fundación Macuáticos Colombia.
| | - Heiko G Rödel
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée UR 4443, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, F-93430, Villetaneuse, France
| | | | | | - Olivier Adam
- Institute des Neurosciences Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9197, Université Paris Sud, Orsay, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 7190, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, France
| | - Fabienne Delfour
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée UR 4443, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, F-93430, Villetaneuse, France; Parc Astérix, Plailly, France
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60
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Longden EG, Elwen SH, McGovern B, James BS, Embling CB, Gridley T. Mark–recapture of individually distinctive calls—a case study with signature whistles of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Robust abundance estimates of wild animal populations are needed to inform management policies and are often obtained through mark–recapture (MR) studies. Visual methods are commonly used, which limits data collection to daylight hours and good weather conditions. Passive acoustic monitoring offers an alternative, particularly if acoustic cues are naturally produced and individually distinctive. Here we investigate the potential of using individually distinctive signature whistles in a MR framework and evaluate different components of study design. We analyzed signature whistles of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, using data collected from static acoustic monitoring devices deployed in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Signature whistle types (SWTs) were identified using a bout analysis approach (SIGnature IDentification [SIGID]—Janik et al. 2013). We investigated spatial variation in capture by comparing 21 synchronized recording days across four sites, and temporal variation from 125 recording days at one high-use site (Aphrodite Beach). Despite dolphin vocalizations (i.e., echolocation clicks) being detected at each site, SWTs were not detected at all sites and there was high variability in capture rates among sites where SWTs were detected (range 0–21 SWTs detected). At Aphrodite Beach, 53 SWTs were captured over 6 months and discovery curves showed an initial increase in newly detected SWTs, approaching asymptote during the fourth month. A Huggins closed capture model constructed from SWT capture histories at Aphrodite Beach estimated a population of 54–68 individuals from acoustic detection, which overlaps with the known population size (54–76 individuals—Elwen et al. 2019). This study demonstrates the potential power of using signature whistles as proxies for individual occurrence and in MR abundance estimation, but also highlights challenges in using this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Longden
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Simon H Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Barry McGovern
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland, Dunwich, QLD, Australia
| | - Bridget S James
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Clare B Embling
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Tess Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (SEEC), Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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61
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Mooney TA, Di Iorio L, Lammers M, Lin TH, Nedelec SL, Parsons M, Radford C, Urban E, Stanley J. Listening forward: approaching marine biodiversity assessments using acoustic methods. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:201287. [PMID: 32968541 PMCID: PMC7481698 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems and the communities they support are changing at alarmingly rapid rates. Tracking species diversity is vital to managing these stressed habitats. Yet, quantifying and monitoring biodiversity is often challenging, especially in ocean habitats. Given that many animals make sounds, these cues travel efficiently under water, and emerging technologies are increasingly cost-effective, passive acoustics (a long-standing ocean observation method) is now a potential means of quantifying and monitoring marine biodiversity. Properly applying acoustics for biodiversity assessments is vital. Our goal here is to provide a timely consideration of emerging methods using passive acoustics to measure marine biodiversity. We provide a summary of the brief history of using passive acoustics to assess marine biodiversity and community structure, a critical assessment of the challenges faced, and outline recommended practices and considerations for acoustic biodiversity measurements. We focused on temperate and tropical seas, where much of the acoustic biodiversity work has been conducted. Overall, we suggest a cautious approach to applying current acoustic indices to assess marine biodiversity. Key needs are preliminary data and sampling sufficiently to capture the patterns and variability of a habitat. Yet with new analytical tools including source separation and supervised machine learning, there is substantial promise in marine acoustic diversity assessment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
- Author for correspondence: T. Aran Mooney e-mail:
| | - Lucia Di Iorio
- CHORUS Institute, Phelma Minatec, 3 parvis Louis Néel, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Marc Lammers
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, 726 South Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753, USA
| | - Tzu-Hao Lin
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Sophie L. Nedelec
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Miles Parsons
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Craig Radford
- Institute of Marine Science, Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland, PO Box 349, Warkworth 0941, New Zealand
| | - Ed Urban
- Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Jenni Stanley
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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62
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Stockmaier S, Bolnick DI, Page RA, Josic D, Carter GG. Immune-challenged vampire bats produce fewer contact calls. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200272. [PMID: 32673543 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocalizations are an important means to facilitate social interactions, but vocal communication may be affected by infections. While such effects have been shown for mate-attraction calls, other vocalizations that facilitate social contact have received less attention. When isolated, vampire bats produce contact calls that attract highly associated groupmates. Here, we test the effect of an immune challenge on contact calling rates of individually isolated vampire bats. Sickness behaviour did not appear to change call structure, but it decreased the number of contact calls produced. This effect could decrease contact with groupmates and augment other established mechanisms by which sickness reduces social encounters (e.g. mortality, lethargy and social withdrawal or disinterest).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Stockmaier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama
| | - Daniel I Bolnick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3043, USA
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama
| | - Darija Josic
- Museum fuer Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerald G Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama.,Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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63
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Garcia M, Ravignani A. Acoustic allometry and vocal learning in mammals. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200081. [PMID: 32634374 PMCID: PMC7423041 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic allometry is the study of how animal vocalizations reflect their body size. A key aim of this research is to identify outliers to acoustic allometry principles and pinpoint the evolutionary origins of such outliers. A parallel strand of research investigates species capable of vocal learning, the experience-driven ability to produce novel vocal signals through imitation or modification of existing vocalizations. Modification of vocalizations is a common feature found when studying both acoustic allometry and vocal learning. Yet, these two fields have only been investigated separately to date. Here, we review and connect acoustic allometry and vocal learning across mammalian clades, combining perspectives from bioacoustics, anatomy and evolutionary biology. Based on this, we hypothesize that, as a precursor to vocal learning, some species might have evolved the capacity for volitional vocal modulation via sexual selection for 'dishonest' signalling. We provide preliminary support for our hypothesis by showing significant associations between allometric deviation and vocal learning in a dataset of 164 mammals. Our work offers a testable framework for future empirical research linking allometric principles with the evolution of vocal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Garcia
- Animal Behaviour, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8051 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Research Department, Sealcentre Pieterburen, Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
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64
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Woodward SF, Reiss D, Magnasco MO. Learning to localize sounds in a highly reverberant environment: Machine-learning tracking of dolphin whistle-like sounds in a pool. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235155. [PMID: 32584861 PMCID: PMC7316258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking the origin of propagating wave signals in an environment with complex reflective surfaces is, in its full generality, a nearly intractable problem which has engendered multiple domain-specific literatures. We posit that, if the environment and sensor geometries are fixed, machine learning algorithms can "learn" the acoustical geometry of the environment and accurately track signal origin. In this paper, we propose the first machine-learning-based approach to identifying the source locations of semi-stationary, tonal, dolphin-whistle-like sounds in a highly reverberant space, specifically a half-cylindrical dolphin pool. Our algorithm works by supplying a learning network with an overabundance of location "clues", which are then selected under supervised training for their ability to discriminate source location in this particular environment. More specifically, we deliver estimated time-difference-of-arrivals (TDOA's) and normalized cross-correlation values computed from pairs of hydrophone signals to a random forest model for high-feature-volume classification and feature selection, and subsequently deliver the selected features into linear discriminant analysis, linear and quadratic Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Gaussian process models. Based on data from 14 sound source locations and 16 hydrophones, our classification models yielded perfect accuracy at predicting novel sound source locations. Our regression models yielded better accuracy than the established Steered-Response Power (SRP) method when all training data were used, and comparable accuracy along the pool surface when deprived of training data at testing sites; our methods additionally boast improved computation time and the potential for superior localization accuracy in all dimensions with more training data. Because of the generality of our method we argue it may be useful in a much wider variety of contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean F. Woodward
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Diana Reiss
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Marcelo O. Magnasco
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
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65
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Morrison EL, DeLong CM, Wilcox KT. How humans discriminate acoustically among bottlenose dolphin signature whistles with and without masking by boat noise. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:4162. [PMID: 32611182 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise in the world's oceans is known to impede many species' ability to perceive acoustic signals, but little research has addressed how this noise affects the perception of bioacoustic signals used for communication in marine mammals. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) use signature whistles containing identification information. Past studies have used human participants to gain insight into dolphin perception, but most previous research investigated echolocation. In Experiment 1, human participants were tested on their ability to discriminate among signature whistles from three dolphins. Participants' performance was nearly errorless. In Experiment 2, participants identified signature whistles masked by five different samples of boat noise utilizing different signal-to-noise ratios. Lower signal-to-noise ratio and proximity in frequency between the whistle and noise both significantly decreased performance. Like dolphins, human participants primarily identified whistles using frequency contour. Participants reported greater use of amplitude in noise-present vs noise-absent trials, but otherwise did not vary cue usage. These findings can be used to generate hypotheses about dolphins' performance and auditory cue use for future research. This study may provide insight into how specific characteristics of boat noise affect dolphin whistle perception and may have implications for conservation and regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan L Morrison
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology, 18 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, New York 14623, USA
| | - Caroline M DeLong
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology, 18 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, New York 14623, USA
| | - Kenneth Tyler Wilcox
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame, 390 Corbett Family Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
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66
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Five members of a mixed-sex group of bottlenose dolphins share a stereotyped whistle contour in addition to maintaining their individually distinctive signature whistles. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233658. [PMID: 32442214 PMCID: PMC7244121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most commonly, animal communication systems are driven by shared call repertoires, with some individual distinctiveness encoded as a byproduct of voice cues. We provide evidence that bottlenose dolphins produce both individually distinctive whistles, and a shared whistle type. A stereotyped whistle contour (termed the group whistle) is shared by five bottlenose dolphins that have lived, worked, and traveled together for at least 21 years. These five dolphins are members of a group of eight dolphins that work as a specialized team for the Navy Marine Mammal Program. Each dolphin is routinely recorded during periods when an individual is isolated from the others in above ground pools as part of their routine training. Each of the eight dolphins has an individually distinctive signature whistle. In addition, at least five of these dolphins share a distinct non-signature whistle type. This shared whistle contour was produced an average of 22.4% +/- 9.0% of the time during periods in which individuals were isolated. During these isolations the signature whistle was produced an average of 42.9% +/- 11.9% of the time. This is consistent with decades of signature whistle research. A group of 10 naïve observers rated the similarity of the different whistle contours. The observers rated the group whistle contour produced by all five dolphins as highly similar (P < 0.01). Their ratings further showed that the signature whistles of the five dolphins were very different (P < 0.01). These findings were further supported by discriminant function analyses. That said, the shared whistle contours still exhibited individual differences which may allow conspecifics to identify the producer even when a whistle contour is shared among multiple dolphins. This is the first in-depth analysis of a non-signature whistle type shared among multiple conspecifics.
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67
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Nicol C, Bejder L, Green L, Johnson C, Keeling L, Noren D, Van der Hoop J, Simmonds M. Anthropogenic Threats to Wild Cetacean Welfare and a Tool to Inform Policy in This Area. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:57. [PMID: 32185183 PMCID: PMC7058697 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activities and anthropogenic environmental changes are having a profound effect on biodiversity and the sustainability and health of many populations and species of wild mammals. There has been less attention devoted to the impact of human activities on the welfare of individual wild mammals, although ethical reasoning suggests that the welfare of an individual is important regardless of species abundance or population health. There is growing interest in developing methodologies and frameworks that could be used to obtain an overview of anthropogenic threats to animal welfare. This paper shows the steps taken to develop a functional welfare assessment tool for wild cetaceans (WATWC) via an iterative process involving input from a wide range of experts and stakeholders. Animal welfare is a multidimensional concept, and the WATWC presented made use of the Five Domains model of animal welfare to ensure that all areas of potential welfare impact were considered. A pilot version of the tool was tested and then refined to improve functionality. We demonstrated that the refined version of the WATWC was useful to assess real-world impacts of human activity on Southern Resident killer whales. There was close within-scenario agreement between assessors as well as between-scenario differentiation of overall welfare impact. The current article discusses the challenges raised by assessing welfare in scenarios where objective data on cetacean behavioral and physiological responses are sparse and proposes that the WATWC approach has value in identifying important information gaps and in contributing to policy decisions relating to human impacts on whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lars Bejder
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, United States.,Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Laura Green
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Craig Johnson
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Sciences, Tāwharau Ora, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Linda Keeling
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dawn Noren
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Mark Simmonds
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, United Kingdom.,HSI-UK, London, United Kingdom
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68
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Walmsley SF, Rendell L, Hussey NE, Marcoux M. Vocal sequences in narwhals (Monodon monoceros). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:1078. [PMID: 32113269 DOI: 10.1121/10.0000671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sequences are indicative of signal complexity in vocal communication. While vocal sequences are well-described in birds and terrestrial mammals, the extent to which marine mammals use them is less well understood. This study documents the first known examples of sequence use in the narwhal (Monodon monoceros), a gregarious Arctic cetacean. Eight female narwhals were fitted with animal-borne recording devices, resulting in one of the largest datasets of narwhal acoustic behaviour to date. A combination of visual and quantitative classification procedures was used to test whether subjectively defined vocalization patterns were organized into sequences. Next, acoustic characteristics were analyzed to assess whether sequences could disclose group or individual identity. Finally, generalized linear models were used to investigate the behavioural context under which sequences were produced. Two types of sequences, consisting of "paired" patterns and "burst pulse series," were identified. Sequences of burst pulse series were typically produced in periods of high vocal activity, whereas the opposite was true for sequences of paired patterns, suggesting different functions for each. These findings extend the set of odontocetes which are known to use vocal sequences. Inquiry into vocal sequences in other understudied marine mammals may provide further insights into the evolution of vocal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam F Walmsley
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Luke Rendell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Marianne Marcoux
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N6, Canada
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69
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La Manna G, Rako‐Gospić N, Sarà G, Gatti F, Bonizzoni S, Ceccherelli G. Whistle variation in Mediterranean common bottlenose dolphin: The role of geographical, anthropogenic, social, and behavioral factors. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1971-1987. [PMID: 32128130 PMCID: PMC7042681 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The studies on the variation of acoustic communication in different species have provided insight that genetics, geographic isolation, and adaptation to ecological and social conditions play important roles in the variability of acoustic signals. The dolphin whistles are communication signals that can vary significantly among and within populations. Although it is known that they are influenced by different environmental and social variables, the factors influencing the variation between populations have received scant attention. In the present study, we investigated the factors associated with the acoustic variability in the whistles of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), inhabiting two Mediterranean areas (Sardinia and Croatia). We explored which factors, among (a) geographical isolation of populations, (b) different environments in terms of noise and boat presence, and (c) social factors (including group size, behavior, and presence of calves), were associated with whistle characteristics. We first applied a principal component analysis to reduce the number of collinear whistle frequency and temporal characteristics and then generalized linear mixed models on the first two principal components. The study revealed that both geographic distance/isolation and local environment are associated with whistle variations between localities. The prominent differences in the acoustic environments between the two areas, which contributed to the acoustic variability in the first principal component (PC1), were found. The calf's presence and foraging and social behavior were also found to be associated with dolphin whistle variation. The second principal component (PC2) was associated only with locality and group size, showing that longer and more complex tonal sound may facilitate individual recognition and cohesion in social groups. Thus, both social and behavioral context influenced significantly the structure of whistles, and they should be considered when investigating acoustic variability among distant dolphin populations to avoid confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gianluca Sarà
- MareTerra Onlus ‐ Environmental Research and ConservationAlgheroItaly
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del MareUniversità di PalermoPalermoItaly
| | - Federica Gatti
- MareTerra Onlus ‐ Environmental Research and ConservationAlgheroItaly
- Università di Roma La SapienzaRomaItaly
| | - Silvia Bonizzoni
- Dolphin Biology and ConservationCordenonsItaly
- OceanCareWädenswilSwitzerland
| | - Giulia Ceccherelli
- MareTerra Onlus ‐ Environmental Research and ConservationAlgheroItaly
- Dipartimento di Chimica e FarmaciaUniversità degli Studi di SassariSassariItaly
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70
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Robinson KJ, Ternes K, Hazon N, Wells RS, Janik VM. Bottlenose dolphin calves have multi-year elevations of plasma oxytocin compared to all other age classes. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 286:113323. [PMID: 31733207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Providing for infants nutritionally via lactation is one of the hallmarks of mammalian reproduction, and infants without motivated mothers providing for them are unlikely to survive. Mothers must maintain regular contact with infants both spatially and temporally while utilising their environment to forage, avoid threats and find shelter. However, mothers can only do this and maximise their reproductive success with some degree of co-operation from infants, despite their developing physical and cognitive capabilities. The neuropeptide hormone oxytocin (OT) triggers proximity-seeking behaviour and acts in a positive feedback loop across mother-infant bonds, stimulating appropriate pro-social behaviour across the pair. However, data on infant OT levels is lacking, and it is unclear how important infants are in maintaining mother-infant associations. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a mammalian species that is fully physically mobile at birth and has multi-year, but individually variable, lactation periods. We investigated OT concentrations in mother-infant pairs of wild individuals compared to other age and reproductive classes. An ELISA to detect OT in dolphin plasma was successfully validated with extracted plasma. We highlight a statistical method for testing for parallelism that could be applied to other ELISA validation studies. OT concentrations were consistently elevated in calves up to at least 4 years of age with lactating mothers (12.1 ± 0.9 pg/ml), while all mothers (4.5 ± 0.4 pg/ml) had OT concentrations comparable to non-lactating individuals (5.9 ± 0.5 pg/ml). Concentrations within infants were individually variable, and may reflect the strength of the bond with their mother. The OT system likely provides a physiological mechanism for motivating infants to perform behaviours that prevent long-term separation from their mothers during this crucial time in their life history. Elevated infant OT has also been linked to energetic and developmental advantages which may lead to greater survival rates. Environmental or anthropogenic disturbances to OT release can occur during bond formation or can disrupt the communication methods used to reinforce these bonds via OT elevation. Variation in OT expression in infants, and its behavioural and physiological consequences, may explain differences in reproductive success despite appropriate maternal behaviour expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Robinson
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK.
| | - Kerstin Ternes
- Zoo Duisburg, Mülheimer Straße 273, 47058 Duisburg, Germany
| | - Neil Hazon
- Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Vincent M Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
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71
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Fukuzawa Y, Webb WH, Pawley MD, Roper MM, Marsland S, Brunton DH, Gilman A. Koe
: Web‐based software to classify acoustic units and analyse sequence structure in animal vocalizations. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Fukuzawa
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
| | - Wesley H. Webb
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
| | - Matthew D.M. Pawley
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
| | - Michelle M. Roper
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
| | - Stephen Marsland
- School of Mathematics and Statistics Victoria University Wellington New Zealand
| | - Dianne H. Brunton
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
| | - Andrew Gilman
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Auckland New Zealand
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72
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Abstract
Humans and songbirds learn to sing or speak by listening to acoustic models, forming auditory templates, and then learning to produce vocalizations that match the templates. These taxa have evolved specialized telencephalic pathways to accomplish this complex form of vocal learning, which has been reported for very few other taxa. By contrast, the acoustic structure of most animal vocalizations is produced by species-specific vocal motor programmes in the brainstem that do not require auditory feedback. However, many mammals and birds can learn to fine-tune the acoustic features of inherited vocal motor patterns based upon listening to conspecifics or noise. These limited forms of vocal learning range from rapid alteration based on real-time auditory feedback to long-term changes of vocal repertoire and they may involve different mechanisms than complex vocal learning. Limited vocal learning can involve the brainstem, mid-brain and/or telencephalic networks. Understanding complex vocal learning, which underpins human speech, requires careful analysis of which species are capable of which forms of vocal learning. Selecting multiple animal models for comparing the neural pathways that generate these different forms of learning will provide a richer view of the evolution of complex vocal learning and the neural mechanisms that make it possible. This article is part of the theme issue ‘What can animal communication teach us about human language?’
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
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73
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La Manna G, Rako-Gòspic N, Manghi M, Ceccherelli G. Influence of environmental, social and behavioural variables on the whistling of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2736-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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74
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Mishima Y, Morisaka T, Ishikawa M, Karasawa Y, Yoshida Y. Pulsed call sequences as contact calls in Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 146:409. [PMID: 31370601 DOI: 10.1121/1.5116692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Pacific white-sided dolphins are a group-living species and appear to exchange "contact calls" to maintain group cohesion. The aim of this study was to find and characterize their contact calls. Calls were recorded from two females at Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN (OAK) and three females at Izu-Mito Sea Paradise (IMSP). Because they often produced pulsed calls consecutively, a "pulsed call sequence" was defined as three or more successive pulsed calls occurring within 325 ms, which was calculated using a bout analysis. The pulsed call sequences increased during separation periods and decreased during reunions and were used for vocal exchange, suggesting that the sequences are contact calls in Pacific white-sided dolphins. Most of the pulsed call sequences were classified into unique types; several stereotyped, repeated patterns were found. One sequence type was found at OAK and the two dolphins shared the type; they exchanged sequences with type matching. On the other hand, three sequence types were found in IMSP and the three dolphins shared all of the types; however, each dolphin preferentially used different types and frequently exchanged with their own favorite types but not with type matching. These results suggest that the sequence type may function as an individual and/or group identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Mishima
- Department of Marine Resources and Energy, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan
| | - Tadamichi Morisaka
- Cetacean Research Center, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577, Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu-shi, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Megumi Ishikawa
- Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN, 1-1-10, Kaigandori, Minato-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 552-0022, Japan
| | - Yuu Karasawa
- Izu-Mito Sea Paradise, 3-1, Nagahama, Uchiura, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka, 410-0295, Japan
| | - Yayoi Yoshida
- Department of Environmental and Societal Affairs, School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, 3-20-1, Orido, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka, 424-8610, Japan
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75
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Panova E, Agafonov A, Belikov R, Melnikova F. Characteristics and microgeographic variation of whistles from the vocal repertoire of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the White Sea. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 146:681. [PMID: 31370657 DOI: 10.1121/1.5119249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) produces a variety of sounds, including whistles as well as pulsed, noisy, and biphonic vocalizations. This study presents the fine-scale, microgeographic characteristics of beluga whistles from data collected in four locations across Onega Bay and Dvina Bay in the White Sea, Russia. Ten parameters were measured from 1232 whistles. The whistles had a fundamental frequency from 0.4 to 25.0 kHz and duration from 0.04 to 3.93 s. Although two distinct types could be recognized in the White Sea beluga's whistle repertoire, other whistles formed a graded continuum. Among them, "flat" whistle contours with no inflection points appear to be the most common (39.7%), to be followed by frequency-modulated whistles: ascending (27.1%) and descending (15.6%). Non-linear phenomena detected in the whistles included frequency jumps (23.1%), biphonations (13.2%), sidebands (5.2%), and subharmonics (0.5%). The whistles varied in frequency parameters and duration across the locations, while those recorded in the same location in different years showed minimal difference. Beluga whistles appear to be an extremely diverse class of vocalizations. This, together with the lack of clear correlations between the behavior of whales and whistle production suggests whistles may perform multiple functions within the beluga whale communication system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Panova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy prospekt, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexandr Agafonov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy prospekt, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Roman Belikov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy prospekt, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Faina Melnikova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy prospekt, Moscow 117997, Russia
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76
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Fearey J, Elwen SH, James BS, Gridley T. Identification of potential signature whistles from free-ranging common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in South Africa. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:777-789. [PMID: 31177344 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01274-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Conveying identity is important for social animals to maintain individually based relationships. Communication of identity information relies on both signal encoding and perception. Several delphinid species use individually distinctive signature whistles to transmit identity information, best described for the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). In this study, we investigate signature whistle use in wild common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Acoustic recordings were analysed from 11 encounters from three locations in South Africa (Hout Bay, False Bay, and Plettenberg Bay) during 2009, 2016 and 2017. The frequency contours of whistles were visually categorised, with 29 signature whistle types (SWTs) identified through contour categorisation and a bout analysis approach developed specifically to identify signature whistles in bottlenose dolphins (SIGID). Categorisation verification was conducted using an unsupervised neural network (ARTwarp) at both a 91% and 96% vigilance parameter. For this, individual SWTs were analysed type by type and then in a 'global' analysis whereby all 497 whistle contours were categorised simultaneously. Overall the analysis demonstrated high stereotypy in the structure and temporal production of whistles, consistent with signature whistle use. We suggest that individual identity information may be encoded in these whistle contours. However, the large group sizes and high degree of vocal activity characteristic of this dolphin species generate a cluttered acoustic environment with high potential for masking from conspecific vocalisations. Therefore, further investigation into the mechanisms of identity perception in such acoustically cluttered environments is required to demonstrate the function of these stereotyped whistle types in common dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Fearey
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - S H Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria , 0002, South Africa
| | - B S James
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
| | - T Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa.
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
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77
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Early vocal ontogeny in a polytocous mammal: no evidence of social learning among sibling piglets, Sus scrofa. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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78
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Martin MJ, Elwen SH, Kassanjee R, Gridley T. To buzz or burst-pulse? The functional role of Heaviside's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii, rapidly pulsed signals. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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79
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Gábor A, Kaszás N, Miklósi Á, Faragó T, Andics A. Interspecific voice discrimination in dogs. Biol Futur 2019; 70:121-127. [PMID: 34554419 DOI: 10.1556/019.70.2019.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Conspecific individual recognition using vocal cues has been shown in a wide range of species but there is no published evidence that dogs are able to recognize their owner based on his/her voice alone (interspecific individual recognition). METHODS In our test, dogs had to rely on vocal cues to find their hidden owner in a two-way choice task. From behind an opaque screen, both the owner and a control person uttered neutral speech (reading sentences from a receipt) before the dogs were allowed to make their choice. Correct choices were reinforced by food and by verbal praise. RESULTS During the six-choice trials, dogs chose their owner's voice significantly more often than the control person's voice. There was no effect of learning throughout the trials, and dogs did not show side preference. DISCUSSION Thus, dogs are able to discriminate interspecific voices, suggesting that they are able to identify their owner based on vocal cues alone. This experimental design allows exploration of the role of individual acoustic parameters (such as fundamental frequency) in voice discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gábor
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. .,MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Noémi Kaszás
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádam Miklósi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Faragó
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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80
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Deconto LS, Monteiro-Filho ELA. Differences in the sounds of Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis (Cetacea: Delphinidae) between two areas of south-eastern and southern Brazil. BIOACOUSTICS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2017.1361337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucimary S. Deconto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos do Centro de Estudos do Mar, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia, Cananéia, Brazil
| | - Emygdio L. A. Monteiro-Filho
- Departamento de Zoologia, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Centro Politécnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia, Cananéia, Brazil
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81
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Grouping Behaviors of Dolphins and Other Toothed Whales. ETHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF ODONTOCETES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-16663-2_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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82
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Johnson CM, Sullivan J, Jensen J, Buck C, Trexel J, St Leger J. Prosocial Predictions by Bottlenose Dolphins ( Tursiops spp.) Based on Motion Patterns in Visual Stimuli. Psychol Sci 2018; 29:1405-1413. [PMID: 29889620 DOI: 10.1177/0956797618771078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, paradigms that test whether human infants make social attributions to simple moving shapes were adapted for use with bottlenose dolphins. The dolphins observed animated displays in which a target oval would falter while moving upward, and then either a "prosocial" oval would enter and help or caress it or an "antisocial" oval would enter and hinder or hit it. In subsequent displays involving all three shapes, when the pro- and antisocial ovals moved offscreen in opposite directions, the dolphins reliably predicted-based on anticipatory head turns when the target briefly moved behind an occluder-that the target oval would follow the prosocial one. When the roles of the pro- and antisocial ovals were reversed toward a new target, the animals' continued success suggests that such attributions may be dyad specific. Some of the dolphins also directed high arousal behaviors toward these displays, further supporting that they were socially interpreted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jane Jensen
- 3 Psychology Department, University of California, San Diego
| | - Cara Buck
- 3 Psychology Department, University of California, San Diego
| | - Julie Trexel
- 1 Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego
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83
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de Freitas M, Smith JN, Jensen FH, Beedholm K, Madsen PT. Echolocation click source parameters of Australian snubfin dolphins (Orcaella heinsohni). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 143:2564. [PMID: 29716291 DOI: 10.1121/1.5034174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) is endemic to Australian waters, yet little is known about its abundance and habitat use. To investigate the feasibility of Passive Acoustic Monitoring for snubfin dolphins, biosonar clicks were recorded in Cygnet Bay, Australia, using a four-element hydrophone array. Clicks had a mean source level of 200 ± 5 dB re 1 μPa pp, transmission directivity index of 24 dB, mean centroid frequency of 98 ± 9 kHz, and a root-mean-square bandwidth of 31 ± 3 kHz. Such properties lend themselves to passive acoustic monitoring, but are comparable to similarly-sized delphinids, thus requiring additional cues to discriminate between snubfins and sympatric species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda de Freitas
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Building 1131, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Joshua N Smith
- Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Frants H Jensen
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kristian Beedholm
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Building 1131, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Building 1131, C.F. Moellers Alle 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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84
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Lima A, Sébilleau M, Boye M, Durand C, Hausberger M, Lemasson A. Captive Bottlenose Dolphins Do Discriminate Human-Made Sounds Both Underwater and in the Air. Front Psychol 2018; 9:55. [PMID: 29445350 PMCID: PMC5797741 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) spontaneously emit individual acoustic signals that identify them to group members. We tested whether these cetaceans could learn artificial individual sound cues played underwater and whether they would generalize this learning to airborne sounds. Dolphins are thought to perceive only underwater sounds and their training depends largely on visual signals. We investigated the behavioral responses of seven dolphins in a group to learned human-made individual sound cues, played underwater and in the air. Dolphins recognized their own sound cue after hearing it underwater as they immediately moved toward the source, whereas when it was airborne they gazed more at the source of their own sound cue but did not approach it. We hypothesize that they perhaps detected modifications of the sound induced by air or were confused by the novelty of the situation, but nevertheless recognized they were being “targeted.” They did not respond when hearing another group member’s cue in either situation. This study provides further evidence that dolphins respond to individual-specific sounds and that these marine mammals possess some capacity for processing airborne acoustic signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Lima
- Université de Rennes, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR 6552, CNRS, Université de Caen Normandie, Paimpont, France.,Département Scientifique et Pédagogique, Planète Sauvage, Port-Saint-Père, France
| | - Mélissa Sébilleau
- Université de Rennes, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR 6552, CNRS, Université de Caen Normandie, Paimpont, France
| | - Martin Boye
- Département Scientifique et Pédagogique, Planète Sauvage, Port-Saint-Père, France
| | | | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR 6552, Université de Rennes, Université de Caen Normandie, Rennes, France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR 6552, CNRS, Université de Caen Normandie, Paimpont, France
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85
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Bourvis N, Singer M, Saint Georges C, Bodeau N, Chetouani M, Cohen D, Feldman R. Pre-linguistic infants employ complex communicative loops to engage mothers in social exchanges and repair interaction ruptures. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:170274. [PMID: 29410790 PMCID: PMC5792867 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Language has long been identified as a powerful communicative tool among humans. Yet, pre-linguistic communication, which is common in many species, is also used by human infants prior to the acquisition of language. The potential communicational value of pre-linguistic vocal interactions between human infants and mothers has been studied in the past decades. With 120 dyads (mothers and three- or six-month-old infants), we used the classical Still Face Paradigm (SFP) in which mothers interact freely with their infants, then refrain from communication (Still Face, SF), and finally resume play. We employed innovative automated techniques to measure infant and maternal vocalization and pause, and dyadic parameters (infant response to mother, joint silence and overlap) and the emotional component of Infant Directed Speech (e-IDS) throughout the interaction. We showed that: (i) during the initial free play mothers use longer vocalizations and more e-IDS when they interact with older infants and (ii) infant boys exhibit longer vocalizations and shorter pauses than girls. (iii) During the SF and reunion phases, infants show marked and sustained changes in vocalizations but their mothers do not and (iv) mother-infant dyadic parameters increase in the reunion phase. Our quantitative results show that infants, from the age of three months, actively participate to restore the interactive loop after communicative ruptures long before vocalizations show clear linguistic meaning. Thus, auditory signals provide from early in life a channel by which infants co-create interactions, enhancing the mother-infant bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadège Bourvis
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Equipe IMI2S, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, UMR 7222, Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
- Pôle de Psychiatrie Infanto-Juvénile, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Toulon-La Seyne, Toulon, France
| | - Magi Singer
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzlia, Israel
| | - Catherine Saint Georges
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Equipe IMI2S, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, UMR 7222, Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Bodeau
- Equipe IMI2S, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, UMR 7222, Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Mohamed Chetouani
- Equipe IMI2S, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, UMR 7222, Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - David Cohen
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Equipe IMI2S, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, UMR 7222, Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Ruth Feldman
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzlia, Israel
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86
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Verfuss UK, Gillespie D, Gordon J, Marques TA, Miller B, Plunkett R, Theriault JA, Tollit DJ, Zitterbart DP, Hubert P, Thomas L. Comparing methods suitable for monitoring marine mammals in low visibility conditions during seismic surveys. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 126:1-18. [PMID: 29421075 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Loud sound emitted during offshore industrial activities can impact marine mammals. Regulations typically prescribe marine mammal monitoring before and/or during these activities to implement mitigation measures that minimise potential acoustic impacts. Using seismic surveys under low visibility conditions as a case study, we review which monitoring methods are suitable and compare their relative strengths and weaknesses. Passive acoustic monitoring has been implemented as either a complementary or alternative method to visual monitoring in low visibility conditions. Other methods such as RADAR, active sonar and thermal infrared have also been tested, but are rarely recommended by regulatory bodies. The efficiency of the monitoring method(s) will depend on the animal behaviour and environmental conditions, however, using a combination of complementary systems generally improves the overall detection performance. We recommend that the performance of monitoring systems, over a range of conditions, is explored in a modelling framework for a variety of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula K Verfuss
- SMRU Consulting, Europe, New Technology Centre, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SR, UK.
| | - Douglas Gillespie
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Jonathan Gordon
- Marine Ecological Research, 7 Beechwood Terrace West, Newport-On-Tay, Fife DD6 8JH, UK
| | - Tiago A Marques
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, The Observatory, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - Brianne Miller
- SMRU Consulting, North America, 1529 W 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1R1, Canada
| | - Rachael Plunkett
- SMRU Consulting, Europe, New Technology Centre, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SR, UK
| | - James A Theriault
- Ocean Environmental Consulting, 9 Ravine Park Cres, Halifax B3M 4S6, NS, Canada
| | - Dominic J Tollit
- SMRU Consulting, North America, 1529 W 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1R1, Canada
| | - Daniel P Zitterbart
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Philippe Hubert
- Prove Systems Ltd, Unit 1 Mill court, Mill lane, Tayport, Fife DD6 9EL, UK
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, The Observatory, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9LZ, UK
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87
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Lima A, Lemasson A, Boye M, Hausberger M. Vocal activities reflect the temporal distribution of bottlenose dolphin social and non-social activity in a zoological park. Zoo Biol 2017; 36:351-359. [PMID: 29134680 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Lima
- Université de Rennes 1; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-CNRS; Université de Caen Normandie, Station Biologique; Paimpont France
- Département Scientifique et Pédagogique; Planète Sauvage; Port-Saint-Père France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes 1; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-CNRS; Université de Caen Normandie, Station Biologique; Paimpont France
| | - Martin Boye
- Département Scientifique et Pédagogique; Planète Sauvage; Port-Saint-Père France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-Université de Rennes 1; Rennes Cedex; Université de Caen Normandie; Rennes France
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88
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Panova EM, Agafonov AV. A beluga whale socialized with bottlenose dolphins imitates their whistles. Anim Cogn 2017; 20:1153-1160. [PMID: 28956181 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1132-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The research on imitation in the animal kingdom has more than a century-long history. A specific kind of imitation, auditory-vocal imitation, is well known in birds, especially among songbirds and parrots, but data for mammals are limited to elephants, marine mammals, and humans. Cetaceans are reported to imitate various signals, including species-specific calls, artificial sounds, and even vocalizations from other species if they share the same habitat. Here we describe the changes in the vocal repertoire of a beluga whale that was housed with a group of bottlenose dolphins. Two months after the beluga's introduction into a new facility, we found that it began to imitate whistles of the dolphins, whereas one type of its own calls seemed to disappear. The case reported here may be considered as an interesting phenomenon of vocal accommodation to new social companions and cross-species socialization in cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Panova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nahimovskiy prospekt, 36, Moscow, Russia, 117997.
| | - Alexandr V Agafonov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nahimovskiy prospekt, 36, Moscow, Russia, 117997
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89
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Romeu B, Cantor M, Bezamat C, Simões-Lopes PC, Daura-Jorge FG. Bottlenose dolphins that forage with artisanal fishermen whistle differently. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Romeu
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Mauricio Cantor
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Carolina Bezamat
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Paulo C. Simões-Lopes
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Fábio G. Daura-Jorge
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
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90
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Sayigh LS, Wells RS, Janik VM. What's in a voice? Dolphins do not use voice cues for individual recognition. Anim Cogn 2017; 20:1067-1079. [PMID: 28791513 PMCID: PMC5640738 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1123-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Most mammals can accomplish acoustic recognition of other individuals by means of “voice cues,” whereby characteristics of the vocal tract render vocalizations of an individual uniquely identifiable. However, sound production in dolphins takes place in gas-filled nasal sacs that are affected by pressure changes, potentially resulting in a lack of reliable voice cues. It is well known that bottlenose dolphins learn to produce individually distinctive signature whistles for individual recognition, but it is not known whether they may also use voice cues. To investigate this question, we played back non-signature whistles to wild dolphins during brief capture-release events in Sarasota Bay, Florida. We hypothesized that non-signature whistles, which have varied contours that can be shared among individuals, would be recognizable to dolphins only if they contained voice cues. Following established methodology used in two previous sets of playback experiments, we found that dolphins did not respond differentially to non-signature whistles of close relatives versus known unrelated individuals. In contrast, our previous studies showed that in an identical context, dolphins reacted strongly to hearing the signature whistle or even a synthetic version of the signature whistle of a close relative. Thus, we conclude that dolphins likely do not use voice cues to identify individuals. The low reliability of voice cues and the need for individual recognition were likely strong selective forces in the evolution of vocal learning in dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laela S Sayigh
- School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA. .,Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Vincent M Janik
- Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
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91
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Vester H, Hallerberg S, Timme M, Hammerschmidt K. Vocal repertoire of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in northern Norway. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 141:4289. [PMID: 28618811 DOI: 10.1121/1.4983685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The knowledge of the vocal repertoire of pilot whales is very limited. In this paper, the vocal repertoire of long-finned pilot whales recorded during different encounters in the Vestfjord in northern Norway between November 2006 and August 2010 are described. Sounds were analysed using two different methods: (1) an observer-based audio-visual inspection of FFT-derived spectrograms, with which, besides a general variety of clicks, buzzes, nonharmonic sounds, and whistles, 129 different distinct call types and 25 subtypes were distinguished. These call types included pulsed calls and discrete structured whistles varying from simple to highly complex structures composed of several segments and elements. In addition, ultrasonic whistles previously not described for pilot whales were found. In addition to the diversity of single calls, call sequences consisting of repetitions and combinations of specific call types were recorded and (2) a parametric approach that permitted the confirmation of the high variability in pilot whale call structures was developed. It is concluded that the pilot whale vocal repertoire is among the most complex for the mammalian species and the high structural variability, along with call repetitions and combinations, require a closer investigation to judge their importance for vocal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Vester
- Cognitive Ethology Lab, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Hallerberg
- Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Berliner Tor 21, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Timme
- Network Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Am Fassberg, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Lab, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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92
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The assessment of biases in the acoustic discrimination of individuals. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177206. [PMID: 28486488 PMCID: PMC5423633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal vocalizations contain information about individual identity that could potentially be used for the monitoring of individuals. However, the performance of individual discrimination is subjected to many biases depending on factors such as the amount of identity information, or methods used. These factors need to be taken into account when comparing results of different studies or selecting the most cost-effective solution for a particular species. In this study, we evaluate several biases associated with the discrimination of individuals. On a large sample of little owl male individuals, we assess how discrimination performance changes with methods of call description, an increasing number of individuals, and number of calls per male. Also, we test whether the discrimination performance within the whole population can be reliably estimated from a subsample of individuals in a pre-screening study. Assessment of discrimination performance at the level of the individual and at the level of call led to different conclusions. Hence, studies interested in individual discrimination should optimize methods at the level of individuals. The description of calls by their frequency modulation leads to the best discrimination performance. In agreement with our expectations, discrimination performance decreased with population size. Increasing the number of calls per individual linearly increased the discrimination of individuals (but not the discrimination of calls), likely because it allows distinction between individuals with very similar calls. The available pre-screening index does not allow precise estimation of the population size that could be reliably monitored. Overall, projects applying acoustic monitoring at the individual level in population need to consider limitations regarding the population size that can be reliably monitored and fine-tune their methods according to their needs and limitations.
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93
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La Manna G, Rako Gospić N, Manghi M, Picciulin M, Sarà G. Assessing geographical variation on whistle acoustic structure of three Mediterranean populations of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Whistles are acoustic signals produced particularly during social interactions. Here, we compare whistles by bottlenose dolphins from three Mediterranean areas (Croatia, Sicily and Sardinia) to investigate the presence of acoustic divergence and to discuss the possible causes of variability. Whistle parameters differ significantly between populations, but PCA highlights that the majority of variability is due to a limited number of frequency parameters. Cluster and DFA show that the Croatian population is acoustically divergent from the western populations of Sicily and Sardinia. This divergence could be consistent with geographical isolation, and a possible genetic differentiation between populations, and/or an adaptation to the acoustic environment. Moreover, in a comparison of whistle parameters of different Mediterranean populations with those of previously published Atlantic populations, it was revealed that the Sicilian population was acoustically closer to Atlantic populations. Our results represent a contribution to identifying acoustically differentiated populations of bottlenose dolphins in the Mediterranean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella La Manna
- MareTerra Onlus–Environmental Research and Conservation, Regione Salondra 9, Alghero, Italy
| | - Nikolina Rako Gospić
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - Michele Manghi
- Nauta Ricerca e Consulenza Scientifica, Strada della Carità 8, Milano, Italy
| | - Marta Picciulin
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Via delle Scienze ed. 16, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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94
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Everyday bat vocalizations contain information about emitter, addressee, context, and behavior. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39419. [PMID: 28005079 PMCID: PMC5178335 DOI: 10.1038/srep39419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal vocal communication is often diverse and structured. Yet, the information concealed in animal vocalizations remains elusive. Several studies have shown that animal calls convey information about their emitter and the context. Often, these studies focus on specific types of calls, as it is rarely possible to probe an entire vocal repertoire at once. In this study, we continuously monitored Egyptian fruit bats for months, recording audio and video around-the-clock. We analyzed almost 15,000 vocalizations, which accompanied the everyday interactions of the bats, and were all directed toward specific individuals, rather than broadcast. We found that bat vocalizations carry ample information about the identity of the emitter, the context of the call, the behavioral response to the call, and even the call’s addressee. Our results underline the importance of studying the mundane, pairwise, directed, vocal interactions of animals.
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95
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Filatova OA, Samarra FIP, Barrett-Lennard LG, Miller PJO, Ford JKB, Yurk H, Matkin CO, Hoyt E. Physical constraints of cultural evolution of dialects in killer whales. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:3755. [PMID: 27908070 DOI: 10.1121/1.4967369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Odontocete sounds are produced by two pairs of phonic lips situated in soft nares below the blowhole; the right pair is larger and is more likely to produce clicks, while the left pair is more likely to produce whistles. This has important implications for the cultural evolution of delphinid sounds: the greater the physical constraints, the greater the probability of random convergence. In this paper the authors examine the call structure of eight killer whale populations to identify structural constraints and to determine if they are consistent among all populations. Constraints were especially pronounced in two-voiced calls. In the calls of all eight populations, the lower component of two-voiced (biphonic) calls was typically centered below 4 kHz, while the upper component was typically above that value. The lower component of two-voiced calls had a narrower frequency range than single-voiced calls in all populations. This may be because some single-voiced calls are homologous to the lower component, while others are homologous to the higher component of two-voiced calls. Physical constraints on the call structure reduce the possible variation and increase the probability of random convergence, producing similar calls in different populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Filatova
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Filipa I P Samarra
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY168LB, Scotland
| | - John K B Ford
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T1K6, Canada
| | - Harald Yurk
- JASCO Research Ltd., 2305-4464 Markham Street, Victoria, British Columbia V8Z7X8, Canada
| | | | - Erich Hoyt
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Park House, Allington Park, Bridport, Dorset DT65DD, United Kingdom
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96
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Sewall KB, Young AM, Wright TF. Social calls provide novel insights into the evolution of vocal learning. Anim Behav 2016; 120:163-172. [PMID: 28163325 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Learned song is among the best-studied models of animal communication. In oscine songbirds, where learned song is most prevalent, it is used primarily for intrasexual selection and mate attraction. Learning of a different class of vocal signals, known as contact calls, is found in a diverse array of species, where they are used to mediate social interactions among individuals. We argue that call learning provides a taxonomically rich system for studying testable hypotheses for the evolutionary origins of vocal learning. We describe and critically evaluate four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses for the origin and current function of vocal learning of calls, which propose that call learning (1) improves auditory detection and recognition, (2) signals local knowledge, (3) signals group membership, or (4) allows for the encoding of more complex social information. We propose approaches to testing these four hypotheses but emphasize that all of them share the idea that social living, not sexual selection, is a central driver of vocal learning. Finally, we identify future areas for research on call learning that could provide new perspectives on the origins and mechanisms of vocal learning in both animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra B Sewall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, U.S.A
| | - Anna M Young
- Department of Biology and Earth Science, Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, U.S.A
| | - Timothy F Wright
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, U.S.A
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97
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Luís AR, Couchinho MN, dos Santos ME. A Quantitative Analysis of Pulsed Signals Emitted by Wild Bottlenose Dolphins. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157781. [PMID: 27383211 PMCID: PMC4934784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), produce a wide variety of vocal emissions for communication and echolocation, of which the pulsed repertoire has been the most difficult to categorize. Packets of high repetition, broadband pulses are still largely reported under a general designation of burst-pulses, and traditional attempts to classify these emissions rely mainly in their aural characteristics and in graphical aspects of spectrograms. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of pulsed signals emitted by wild bottlenose dolphins, in the Sado estuary, Portugal (2011–2014), and test the reliability of a traditional classification approach. Acoustic parameters (minimum frequency, maximum frequency, peak frequency, duration, repetition rate and inter-click-interval) were extracted from 930 pulsed signals, previously categorized using a traditional approach. Discriminant function analysis revealed a high reliability of the traditional classification approach (93.5% of pulsed signals were consistently assigned to their aurally based categories). According to the discriminant function analysis (Wilk’s Λ = 0.11, F3, 2.41 = 282.75, P < 0.001), repetition rate is the feature that best enables the discrimination of different pulsed signals (structure coefficient = 0.98). Classification using hierarchical cluster analysis led to a similar categorization pattern: two main signal types with distinct magnitudes of repetition rate were clustered into five groups. The pulsed signals, here described, present significant differences in their time-frequency features, especially repetition rate (P < 0.001), inter-click-interval (P < 0.001) and duration (P < 0.001). We document the occurrence of a distinct signal type–short burst-pulses, and highlight the existence of a diverse repertoire of pulsed vocalizations emitted in graded sequences. The use of quantitative analysis of pulsed signals is essential to improve classifications and to better assess the contexts of emission, geographic variation and the functional significance of pulsed signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Luís
- MARE–Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA–Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
- Projecto Delfim–Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Lisboa, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Miguel N. Couchinho
- MARE–Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA–Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
- Projecto Delfim–Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manuel E. dos Santos
- MARE–Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA–Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
- Projecto Delfim–Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Lisboa, Portugal
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98
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Ancillotto L, Russo D. Individual vs. non-individual acoustic signalling in African woodland dormice (Graphiurus murinus). Mamm Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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99
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McCordic JA, Root-Gutteridge H, Cusano DA, Denes SL, Parks SE. Calls of North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis contain information on individual identity and age class. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2016. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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100
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Kremers D, Célérier A, Schaal B, Campagna S, Trabalon M, Böye M, Hausberger M, Lemasson A. Sensory Perception in Cetaceans: Part I—Current Knowledge about Dolphin Senses As a Representative Species. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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