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Martinez V, Sillam-Dussès D, Devetak D, Lorent V, Podlesnik J. Antlion larvae localize long distant preys by a mechanism based on time difference. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:35-45. [PMID: 37261561 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01641-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Pit building antlions Euroleon nostras have been submitted to artificial cues in order to delineate their faculty to localize a prey. Series of propagating pulses in sand have been created from an extended source made of 10 piezoelectric transducers equally spaced on a line and located at a large distance from the pit. The envelope of each pulse encompasses six oscillations at a carrier frequency of 1250 Hz and up to eight oscillations at 1666 Hz. In one set of experiments, the first wave front is followed by similar wave fronts and the antlions respond to the cue by throwing sand in the opposite direction of the wave front propagation direction. In another set of experiments, the first wave front is randomly spatially structured while the propagation of the wave fronts inside the envelope of the pulse are not. In that case, the antlions respond less to the cue by throwing sand, and when they do, their sand throwing is more randomly distributed in direction. The finding shows that the localization of vibration signal by antlions are based on the equivalent for hearing animals of interaural time difference in which the onset has more significance than the interaural phase difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Martinez
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, LEEC, UR 4443, 93430, Villetaneuse, France
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, LPL, CNRS, UMR 7538, 93430, Villetaneuse, France
| | - David Sillam-Dussès
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, LEEC, UR 4443, 93430, Villetaneuse, France
| | - Dušan Devetak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Vincent Lorent
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, LPL, CNRS, UMR 7538, 93430, Villetaneuse, France.
| | - Jan Podlesnik
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia
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Vaglietti S, Villeri V, Dell’Oca M, Marchetti C, Cesano F, Rizzo F, Miller D, LaPierre L, Pelassa I, Monje FJ, Colnaghi L, Ghirardi M, Fiumara F. PolyQ length-based molecular encoding of vocalization frequency in FOXP2. iScience 2023; 26:108036. [PMID: 37860754 PMCID: PMC10582585 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXP2, a regulator of vocalization- and speech/language-related phenotypes, contains two long polyQ repeats (Q1 and Q2) displaying marked, still enigmatic length variation across mammals. We found that the Q1/Q2 length ratio quantitatively encodes vocalization frequency ranges, from the infrasonic to the ultrasonic, displaying striking convergent evolution patterns. Thus, species emitting ultrasonic vocalizations converge with bats in having a low ratio, whereas species vocalizing in the low-frequency/infrasonic range converge with elephants and whales, which have higher ratios. Similar, taxon-specific patterns were observed for the FOXP2-related protein FOXP1. At the molecular level, we observed that the FOXP2 polyQ tracts form coiled coils, assembling into condensates and fibrils, and drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). By integrating evolutionary and molecular analyses, we found that polyQ length variation related to vocalization frequency impacts FOXP2 structure, LLPS, and transcriptional activity, thus defining a novel form of polyQ length-based molecular encoding of vocalization frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Vaglietti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Veronica Villeri
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Dell’Oca
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Marchetti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Federico Cesano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR 518057, China
| | - Dave Miller
- Cascades Pika Watch, Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR 97221, USA
| | - Louis LaPierre
- Deptartment of Natural Science, Lower Columbia College, Longview, WA 98632, USA
| | - Ilaria Pelassa
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Francisco J. Monje
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Luca Colnaghi
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Mirella Ghirardi
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
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Denny KL, Huskey S, Anderson CV, Smith ME. Communication via Biotremors in the Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus): Part I- Biotremor Production and Response to Substrate-Borne Vibrations. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:484-497. [PMID: 37365691 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Biotremors are vibrations, usually surface waves along the boundary of a medium, produced by an organism. While substrate-borne vibrations are utilized by different reptile species, true conspecific communication via biotremors has not yet been demonstrated in lizards. Recent research revealed that the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) produces biotremors. The prerequisites for any communication system are the ability of an organism to produce and detect a signal. We tested C. calyptratus behavioral responses to vibrations by placing them on a dowel attached to a shaker, emitting vibrations of 25, 50, 150, 300, and 600 Hz and compared their locomotory velocity before and after the stimulus. Adult chameleons exhibited a freeze response to 50 and 150 Hz, while juveniles exhibited a similar response to frequencies between 50 and 300 Hz. In a second experiment, chameleons were induced to produce biotremors via experimenter contact. These biotremors ranged in mean fundamental frequency from 106.4 to 170.3 Hz and in duration from 0.06 to 0.29 s. Overall, two classes of biotremors were identified, "hoots" and "mini-hoots," which differed significantly in mean relative signal intensity (-7.5 and -32.5 dB, respectively). Juvenile chameleons 2 months of age were able to produce biotremors, suggesting this behavior may serve a wide range of ecological functions throughout ontogeny. Overall, the data demonstrate that C. calyptratus can both produce and detect biotremors that could be used for intraspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L Denny
- Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
| | - Steve Huskey
- Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
| | | | - Michael E Smith
- Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
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Šturm R, López Díez JJ, Polajnar J, Sueur J, Virant-Doberlet M. Is It Time for Ecotremology? Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.828503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Our awareness of air-borne sounds in natural and urban habitats has led to the recent recognition of soundscape ecology and ecoacoustics as interdisciplinary fields of research that can help us better understand ecological processes and ecosystem dynamics. Because the vibroscape (i.e., the substrate-borne vibrations occurring in a given environment) is hidden to the human senses, we have largely overlooked its ecological significance. Substrate vibrations provide information crucial to the reproduction and survival of most animals, especially arthropods, which are essential to ecosystem functioning. Thus, vibroscape is an important component of the environment perceived by the majority of animals. Nowadays, when the environment is rapidly changing due to human activities, climate change, and invasive species, this hidden vibratory world is also likely to change without our notice, with potentially crucial effects on arthropod communities. Here, we introduce ecotremology, a discipline that mainly aims at studying substrate-borne vibrations for unraveling ecological processes and biological conservation. As biotremology follows the main research concepts of bioacoustics, ecotremology is consistent with the paradigms of ecoacoustics. We argue that information extracted from substrate vibrations present in the environment can be used to comprehensively assess and reliably predict ecosystem changes. We identify key research questions and discuss the technical challenges associated with ecotremology studies.
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Zeyl JN, den Ouden O, Köppl C, Assink J, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Patrick SC, Clusella-Trullas S. Infrasonic hearing in birds: a review of audiometry and hypothesized structure-function relationships. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1036-1054. [PMID: 32237036 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The perception of airborne infrasound (sounds below 20 Hz, inaudible to humans except at very high levels) has been documented in a handful of mammals and birds. While animals that produce vocalizations with infrasonic components (e.g. elephants) present conspicuous examples of potential use of infrasound in the context of communication, the extent to which airborne infrasound perception exists among terrestrial animals is unclear. Given that most infrasound in the environment arises from geophysical sources, many of which could be ecologically relevant, communication might not be the only use of infrasound by animals. Therefore, infrasound perception could be more common than currently realized. At least three bird species, each of which do not communicate using infrasound, are capable of detecting infrasound, but the associated auditory mechanisms are not well understood. Here we combine an evaluation of hearing measurements with anatomical observations to propose and evaluate hypotheses supporting avian infrasound detection. Environmental infrasound is mixed with non-acoustic pressure fluctuations that also occur at infrasonic frequencies. The ear can detect such non-acoustic pressure perturbations and therefore, distinguishing responses to infrasound from responses to non-acoustic perturbations presents a great challenge. Our review shows that infrasound could stimulate the ear through the middle ear (tympanic) route and by extratympanic routes bypassing the middle ear. While vibration velocities of the middle ear decline towards infrasonic frequencies, whole-body vibrations - which are normally much lower amplitude than that those of the middle ear in the 'audible' range (i.e. >20 Hz) - do not exhibit a similar decline and therefore may reach vibration magnitudes comparable to the middle ear at infrasonic frequencies. Low stiffness in the middle and inner ear is expected to aid infrasound transmission. In the middle ear, this could be achieved by large air cavities in the skull connected to the middle ear and low stiffness of middle ear structures; in the inner ear, the stiffness of round windows and cochlear partitions are key factors. Within the inner ear, the sizes of the helicotrema and cochlear aqueduct are expected to play important roles in shunting low-frequency vibrations away from low-frequency hair-cell sensors in the cochlea. The basilar papilla, the auditory organ in birds, responds to infrasound in some species, and in pigeons, infrasonic-sensitive neurons were traced back to the apical, abneural end of the basilar papilla. Vestibular organs and the paratympanic organ, a hair cell organ outside of the inner ear, are additional untested candidates for infrasound detection in birds. In summary, this review brings together evidence to create a hypothetical framework for infrasonic hearing mechanisms in birds and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey N Zeyl
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | - Olivier den Ouden
- R&D Seismology and Acoustics, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management, De Bilt, 3730 AE, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Geoscience and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Christine Köppl
- Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all" and Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany
| | - Jelle Assink
- R&D Seismology and Acoustics, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management, De Bilt, 3730 AE, The Netherlands
| | | | - Samantha C Patrick
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK
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Virant-Doberlet M, Kuhelj A, Polajnar J, Šturm R. Predator-Prey Interactions and Eavesdropping in Vibrational Communication Networks. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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On the spot: utilization of directional cues in vibrational communication of a stink bug. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5418. [PMID: 29615688 PMCID: PMC5882921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23710-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Although vibrational signalling is among the most ancient and common forms of communication, many fundamental aspects of this communication channel are still poorly understood. Here, we studied mechanisms underlying orientation towards the source of vibrational signals in the stink bug Nezara viridula (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae), where female vibrational song enables male to locate her on the bean plant. At the junction between the main stem and the leaf stalks, male placed his legs on different sides of the branching and orientation at the branching point was not random. Analyses of signal transmission revealed that only a time delay between the arrival of vibrational wave to receptors located in the legs stretched across the branching was a reliable directional cue underlying orientation, since, unexpectedly, the signal amplitude at the branching point was often higher on the stalk away from the female. The plant and the position of the vibrational source on the plant were the most important factors influencing the unpredictability of the amplitude cue. Determined time delays as short as 0.5 ms resulted in marked changes in interneuron activity and the decision model suggests that the behavioural threshold is in the range between 0.3 and 0.5 ms.
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Simmons AM, Narins PM. Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on Amphibians and Reptiles. EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE ON ANIMALS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8574-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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Ladich F, Winkler H. Acoustic communication in terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:2306-2317. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.132944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Sound propagates much faster and over larger distances in water than in air, mainly because of differences in the density of these media. This raises the question of whether terrestrial (land mammals, birds) and (semi-)aquatic animals (frogs, fishes, cetaceans) differ fundamentally in the way they communicate acoustically. Terrestrial vertebrates primarily produce sounds by vibrating vocal tissue (folds) directly in an airflow. This mechanism has been modified in frogs and cetaceans, whereas fishes generate sounds in quite different ways mainly by utilizing the swimbladder or pectoral fins. On land, vertebrates pick up sounds with light tympana, whereas other mechanisms have had to evolve underwater. Furthermore, fishes differ from all other vertebrates by not having an inner ear end organ devoted exclusively to hearing. Comparing acoustic communication within and between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates reveals that there is no ‘aquatic way’ of sound communication, as compared with a more uniform terrestrial one. Birds and mammals display rich acoustic communication behaviour, which reflects their highly developed cognitive and social capabilities. In contrast, acoustic signaling seems to be the exception in fishes, and is obviously limited to short distances and to substrate-breeding species, whereas all cetaceans communicate acoustically and, because of their predominantly pelagic lifestyle, exploit the benefits of sound propagation in a dense, obstacle-free medium that provides fast and almost lossless signal transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Ladich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Hans Winkler
- Konrad Lorenz-Institute of Comparative Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna 1160, Austria
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