1
|
Zhang L, Du Q. Parameter estimation of the hyperbolic frequency-modulated bat calls using hyperbolic scale transform. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 156:16-28. [PMID: 38949290 DOI: 10.1121/10.0026454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Echolocating bats are known to vary their waveforms at the phases of searching, approaching, and capturing the prey. It is meaningful to estimate the parameters of the calls for bat species identification and the technological improvements of the synthetic systems, such as radar and sonar. The type of bat calls is species-related, and many calls can be modeled as hyperbolic frequency- modulated (HFM) signals. To obtain the parameters of the HFM-modeled bat calls, a reversible integral transform, i.e., hyperbolic scale transform (HST), is proposed to transform a call into two-dimensional peaks in the "delay-scale" domain, based on which harmonic separation and parameter estimation are realized. Compared with the methods based on time-frequency analysis, the HST-based method does not need to extract the instantaneous frequency of the bat calls, only searching for peaks. The verification results show that the HST is suitable for analyzing the HFM-modeled bat calls containing multiple harmonics with a large energy difference, and the estimated parameters imply that the use of the waveforms from the searching phase to the capturing phase is beneficial to reduce the ranging bias, and the trends in parameters may be useful for bat species identification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- Department of Early Warning Technology, Air Force Early Warning Academy, Wuhan, 430019, China
| | - Qinglei Du
- Department of Early Warning Technology, Air Force Early Warning Academy, Wuhan, 430019, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hersh TA, Ravignani A, Whitehead H. Cetaceans are the next frontier for vocal rhythm research. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313093121. [PMID: 38814875 PMCID: PMC11194516 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313093121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
While rhythm can facilitate and enhance many aspects of behavior, its evolutionary trajectory in vocal communication systems remains enigmatic. We can trace evolutionary processes by investigating rhythmic abilities in different species, but research to date has largely focused on songbirds and primates. We present evidence that cetaceans-whales, dolphins, and porpoises-are a missing piece of the puzzle for understanding why rhythm evolved in vocal communication systems. Cetaceans not only produce rhythmic vocalizations but also exhibit behaviors known or thought to play a role in the evolution of different features of rhythm. These behaviors include vocal learning abilities, advanced breathing control, sexually selected vocal displays, prolonged mother-infant bonds, and behavioral synchronization. The untapped comparative potential of cetaceans is further enhanced by high interspecific diversity, which generates natural ranges of vocal and social complexity for investigating various evolutionary hypotheses. We show that rhythm (particularly isochronous rhythm, when sounds are equally spaced in time) is prevalent in cetacean vocalizations but is used in different contexts by baleen and toothed whales. We also highlight key questions and research areas that will enhance understanding of vocal rhythms across taxa. By coupling an infraorder-level taxonomic assessment of vocal rhythm production with comparisons to other species, we illustrate how broadly comparative research can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the prevalence, evolution, and possible functions of rhythm in animal communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor A. Hersh
- Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR97365
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen6525 XD, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, HalifaxNS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen6525 XD, The Netherlands
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus8000, Denmark
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome00185, Italy
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, HalifaxNS B3H 4R2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zou J, Jin B, Ao Y, Han Y, Huang B, Jia Y, Yang L, Jia Y, Chen Q, Fu Z. Spectrally non-overlapping background noise disturbs echolocation via acoustic masking in the CF-FM bat, Hipposideros pratti. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad017. [PMID: 37101704 PMCID: PMC10123856 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The environment noise may disturb animal behavior and echolocation via three potential mechanisms: acoustic masking, reduced attention and noise avoidance. Compared with the mechanisms of reduced attention and noise avoidance, acoustic masking is thought to occur only when the signal and background noise overlap spectrally and temporally. In this study, we investigated the effects of spectrally non-overlapping noise on echolocation pulses and electrophysiological responses of a constant frequency-frequency modulation (CF-FM) bat, Hipposideros pratti. We found that H. pratti called at higher intensities while keeping the CFs of their echolocation pulses consistent. Electrophysiological tests indicated that the noise could decrease auditory sensitivity and sharp intensity tuning, suggesting that spectrally non-overlapping noise imparts an acoustic masking effect. Because anthropogenic noises are usually concentrated at low frequencies and are spectrally non-overlapping with the bat's echolocation pulses, our results provide further evidence of negative consequences of anthropogenic noise. On this basis, we sound a warning against noise in the foraging habitats of echolocating bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianwen Zou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Baoling Jin
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Yuqin Ao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Yuqing Han
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Baohua Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Yuyang Jia
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Lijian Yang
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Ya Jia
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Qicai Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China
| | - Ziying Fu
- Corresponding author: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, No.152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430079, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Intra-individual variation in the songs of humpback whales suggests they are sonically searching for conspecifics. Learn Behav 2022; 50:456-481. [PMID: 34791610 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-021-00495-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Observations of animals' vocal actions can provide important clues about how they communicate and about how they perceive and react to changing situations. Here, analyses of consecutive songs produced by singing humpback whales recorded off the coast of Hawaii revealed that singers constantly vary the acoustic qualities of their songs within prolonged song sessions. Unlike the progressive changes in song structure that singing humpback whales make across months and years, intra-individual acoustic variations within song sessions appear to be largely stochastic. Additionally, four sequentially produced song components (or "themes") were each found to vary in unique ways. The most extensively used theme was highly variable in overall duration within and across song sessions, but varied relatively little in frequency content. In contrast, the remaining themes varied greatly in frequency content, but showed less variation in duration. Analyses of variations in the amount of time singers spent producing the four themes suggest that the mechanisms that determine when singers transition between themes may be comparable to those that control when terrestrial animals move their eyes to fixate on different positions as they examine visual scenes. The dynamic changes that individual whales make to songs within song sessions are counterproductive if songs serve mainly to provide conspecifics with indications of a singer's fitness. Instead, within-session changes to the acoustic features of songs may serve to enhance a singer's capacity to echoically detect, localize, and track conspecifics from long distances.
Collapse
|
5
|
Håkansson J, Mikkelsen C, Jakobsen L, Elemans CPH. Bats expand their vocal range by recruiting different laryngeal structures for echolocation and social communication. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001881. [PMID: 36445872 PMCID: PMC9707786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Echolocating bats produce very diverse vocal signals for echolocation and social communication that span an impressive frequency range of 1 to 120 kHz or 7 octaves. This tremendous vocal range is unparalleled in mammalian sound production and thought to be produced by specialized laryngeal vocal membranes on top of vocal folds. However, their function in vocal production remains untested. By filming vocal membranes in excised bat larynges (Myotis daubentonii) in vitro with ultra-high-speed video (up to 250,000 fps) and using deep learning networks to extract their motion, we provide the first direct observations that vocal membranes exhibit flow-induced self-sustained vibrations to produce 10 to 95 kHz echolocation and social communication calls in bats. The vocal membranes achieve the highest fundamental frequencies (fo's) of any mammal, but their vocal range is with 3 to 4 octaves comparable to most mammals. We evaluate the currently outstanding hypotheses for vocal membrane function and propose that most laryngeal adaptations in echolocating bats result from selection for producing high-frequency, rapid echolocation calls to catch fast-moving prey. Furthermore, we show that bats extend their lower vocal range by recruiting their ventricular folds-as in death metal growls-that vibrate at distinctly lower frequencies of 1 to 5 kHz for producing agonistic social calls. The different selection pressures for echolocation and social communication facilitated the evolution of separate laryngeal structures that together vastly expanded the vocal range in bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Håkansson
- Sound Communication and Behavior Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark,* E-mail: (JH); (CPHE)
| | - Cathrine Mikkelsen
- Sound Communication and Behavior Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Lasse Jakobsen
- Sound Communication and Behavior Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Coen P. H. Elemans
- Sound Communication and Behavior Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark,* E-mail: (JH); (CPHE)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hanrahan N, Dalziell AH, Turbill C, Armstrong KN, Welbergen JA. Ethogram of Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas) Behaviours and Associated Social Vocalisations. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.1.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Hanrahan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Anastasia H. Dalziell
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Christopher Turbill
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Kyle N. Armstrong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Collier K, Parsons S. Syntactic properties of male courtship song in the lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.907791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) have sophisticated acoustic abilities adapted to many uses, including both echolocation and social vocalisations. Social vocalisations are used in a wide variety of contexts and vary greatly in acoustic arrangement and complexity. Among the most intricate are the courtship songs that males of certain species use to attract mates and advertise their qualities. To date, however, few studies have examined the phonological construction of bat songs or made a detailed assessment of the syntax used to combine different song elements. Here, we examine the syntactic construction of courtship songs in the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata, a highly vocal, lek-breeding species with exceptionally high song-output rates. We hypothesised that song construction in this species is both hierarchical and non-random, and demonstrates a high degree of individual variation, potentially allowing for individual recognition. We recorded the courtship songs of nine male bats and used manual classification of song components to examine the song structure. Here we examine whether the deployment of different song components is dependent on their position, and also determine the transition probabilities between different components. We find that the frequency of song-element production and the distribution of elements within songs are non-random at both the individual and population level, and that the number of elements used per phrase differs between individuals. Overall, we demonstrate that M. tuberculata songs are hierarchically constructed and employ phonological syntax to build syllables and phrases. We further show that bats employ high structural similarity and conservatism in the construction of syllables, while retaining a capacity for versatility and innovation that allows for considerable individual variation and, likely, individual recognition.
Collapse
|
8
|
Wood M, Širović A. Characterization of fin whale song off the Western Antarctic Peninsula. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264214. [PMID: 35271610 PMCID: PMC8912240 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Song is produced by a variety of terrestrial and marine animals and is particularly common among baleen whales. Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) song is comprised of relatively simple 20 Hz pulses produced at regular intervals. The timing of these intervals, in addition to the presence and frequency of overtones, appears to be unique to each population. The purpose of this study was to characterize Western Antarctic Peninsula fin whale song and describe temporal pattern variations in song type and occurrence. Recordings were collected in the area from 2001-2004 and again 2014-2016. One song type was identified with a primary inter-pulse interval (IPI) of approximately 14 s and secondary IPI of 12.5 s. This song occurred in three pattern variants: singlet, doublet, and long triplet. The interval between pulses increased by 1.5 s between recording periods while the frequency of the overtones decreased from 89 Hz to 86 Hz. Song was never recorded in August and while it was recorded at other times in some years, it was consistently present in recordings from April through June across all years. While multiple pattern variants were present each year, singlets were generally the most prevalent variant. Doublets and triplets occurred from February through June, with highest levels of variants in February. In later years the triplet variant presence increased and in 2016 it comprised 53% of recorded song bouts. Further research is needed to understand the reasons why song changes over time and to examine the feasibility of using song to delineate and identify populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan Wood
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States of America
| | - Ana Širović
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States of America
- Biology Department, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Collier K, Parsons S, Czenze ZJ. Thermal energetics of male courtship song in a lek-breeding bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03141-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
10
|
Smarsh GC, Long AM, Smotherman M. Singing strategies are linked to perch use on foraging territories in heart‐nosed bats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8519. [PMID: 35169446 PMCID: PMC8837579 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication allows animals to coordinate and optimize resource utilization in space. Cardioderma cor, the heart‐nosed bat, is one of the few species of bats known to sing during nighttime foraging. Previous research found that heart‐nosed bats react aggressively to song playback, supporting the territorial defense hypothesis of singing in this species. We further investigated the territorial defense hypothesis from an ecological standpoint, which predicts that singing should be associated with exclusive areas containing a resource, by tracking 14 individuals nightly during the dry seasons in Tanzania. We quantified the singing behavior of individuals at all perches used throughout the night. Using home range analysis tools, we quantified overall use, night ranges and singing ranges, as well as areas used in early and later time periods at night. Males sang back and forth from small (x¯ = 3.48 ± 2.71 ha), largely exclusive areas that overlapped with overall night ranges used for gleaning prey. Individuals varied in singing effort; however, all sang significantly more as night progressed. Subsequently, areas used earlier at night and overall use areas were both larger than singing areas. Individuals varied in singing strategies. Some males sang for long periods in particular trees and had smaller core areas, while others moved frequently among singing trees. The most prolific singers used more perches overall. Our results support the hypothesis that acoustic communication repertoires evolved in support of stable foraging territory advertisement and defense in some bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace C. Smarsh
- Department of Brain Sciences Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot Israel
- Department of Biology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - Ashley M. Long
- Agricultural Center and School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Fernandez AA, Burchardt LS, Nagy M, Knörnschild M. Babbling in a vocal learning bat resembles human infant babbling. Science 2021; 373:923-926. [PMID: 34413237 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf9279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Babbling is a production milestone in infant speech development. Evidence for babbling in nonhuman mammals is scarce, which has prevented cross-species comparisons. In this study, we investigated the conspicuous babbling behavior of Saccopteryx bilineata, a bat capable of vocal production learning. We analyzed the babbling of 20 bat pups in the field during their 3-month ontogeny and compared its features to those that characterize babbling in human infants. Our findings demonstrate that babbling in bat pups is characterized by the same eight features as babbling in human infants, including the conspicuous features reduplication and rhythmicity. These parallels in vocal ontogeny between two mammalian species offer future possibilities for comparison of cognitive and neuromolecular mechanisms and adaptive functions of babbling in bats and humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahana A Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara S Burchardt
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Balboa Ancon, Republic of Panama
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Odom KJ, Araya-Salas M, Morano JL, Ligon RA, Leighton GM, Taff CC, Dalziell AH, Billings AC, Germain RR, Pardo M, de Andrade LG, Hedwig D, Keen SC, Shiu Y, Charif RA, Webster MS, Rice AN. Comparative bioacoustics: a roadmap for quantifying and comparing animal sounds across diverse taxa. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1135-1159. [PMID: 33652499 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Animals produce a wide array of sounds with highly variable acoustic structures. It is possible to understand the causes and consequences of this variation across taxa with phylogenetic comparative analyses. Acoustic and evolutionary analyses are rapidly increasing in sophistication such that choosing appropriate acoustic and evolutionary approaches is increasingly difficult. However, the correct choice of analysis can have profound effects on output and evolutionary inferences. Here, we identify and address some of the challenges for this growing field by providing a roadmap for quantifying and comparing sound in a phylogenetic context for researchers with a broad range of scientific backgrounds. Sound, as a continuous, multidimensional trait can be particularly challenging to measure because it can be hard to identify variables that can be compared across taxa and it is also no small feat to process and analyse the resulting high-dimensional acoustic data using approaches that are appropriate for subsequent evolutionary analysis. Additionally, terminological inconsistencies and the role of learning in the development of acoustic traits need to be considered. Phylogenetic comparative analyses also have their own sets of caveats to consider. We provide a set of recommendations for delimiting acoustic signals into discrete, comparable acoustic units. We also present a three-stage workflow for extracting relevant acoustic data, including options for multivariate analyses and dimensionality reduction that is compatible with phylogenetic comparative analysis. We then summarize available phylogenetic comparative approaches and how they have been used in comparative bioacoustics, and address the limitations of comparative analyses with behavioural data. Lastly, we recommend how to apply these methods to acoustic data across a range of study systems. In this way, we provide an integrated framework to aid in quantitative analysis of cross-taxa variation in animal sounds for comparative phylogenetic analysis. In addition, we advocate the standardization of acoustic terminology across disciplines and taxa, adoption of automated methods for acoustic feature extraction, and establishment of strong data archival practices for acoustic recordings and data analyses. Combining such practices with our proposed workflow will greatly advance the reproducibility, biological interpretation, and longevity of comparative bioacoustic studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karan J Odom
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Marcelo Araya-Salas
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica, Golfito, 60701, Costa Rica
| | - Janelle L Morano
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Russell A Ligon
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Gavin M Leighton
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Department of Biology, SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo, NY, 14222, U.S.A
| | - Conor C Taff
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Anastasia H Dalziell
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Alexis C Billings
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, U.S.A.,Department of Environmental, Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94709, U.S.A
| | - Ryan R Germain
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Michael Pardo
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Luciana Guimarães de Andrade
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Daniela Hedwig
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Sara C Keen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, U.S.A
| | - Yu Shiu
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Russell A Charif
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Michael S Webster
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Aaron N Rice
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Nagy M, Drexl M, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L, Knörnschild M. Hearing sensitivity and amplitude coding in bats are differentially shaped by echolocation calls and social calls. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202600. [PMID: 33402076 PMCID: PMC7892409 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in auditory perception between species are influenced by phylogenetic origin and the perceptual challenges imposed by the natural environment, such as detecting prey- or predator-generated sounds and communication signals. Bats are well suited for comparative studies on auditory perception since they predominantly rely on echolocation to perceive the world, while their social calls and most environmental sounds have low frequencies. We tested if hearing sensitivity and stimulus level coding in bats differ between high and low-frequency ranges by measuring auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) of 86 bats belonging to 11 species. In most species, auditory sensitivity was equally good at both high- and low-frequency ranges, while amplitude was more finely coded for higher frequency ranges. Additionally, we conducted a phylogenetic comparative analysis by combining our ABR data with published data on 27 species. Species-specific peaks in hearing sensitivity correlated with peak frequencies of echolocation calls and pup isolation calls, suggesting that changes in hearing sensitivity evolved in response to frequency changes of echolocation and social calls. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive comparative assessment of bat hearing capacities to date and highlights the evolutionary pressures acting on their sensory perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Drexl
- German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (IFB), Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sun C, Jiang T, Gu H, Guo X, Zhang C, Gong L, Shi B, Feng J. Geographical variation of social calls and vocal discrimination in male Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
15
|
Rodríguez-Herrera B, Sánchez-Calderón R, Madrigal-Elizondo V, Rodríguez P, Villalobos J, Hernández E, Zamora-Mejías D, Gessinger G, Tschapka M. The masked seducers: Lek courtship behavior in the wrinkle-faced bat Centurio senex (Phyllostomidae). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241063. [PMID: 33175837 PMCID: PMC7657542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Centurio senex is an iconic bat characterized by a facial morphology deviating far from all other New World Leaf Nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae). The species has a bizarrely wrinkled face and lacks the characteristic nose leaf. Throughout its distribution from Mexico to Northern South America the species is most of the time rarely captured and only scarce information on its behavior and natural history is available. Centurio senex is frugivorous and one of the few bats documented to consume also hard seeds. Interestingly, the species shows a distinct sexual dimorphism: Adult males have more pronounced facial wrinkles than females and a fold of skin under the chin that can be raised in style of a face mask. We report the first observations on echolocation and mating behavior of Centurio senex, including synchronized audio and video recordings from an aggregation of males in Costa Rica. Over a period of 6 weeks we located a total of 53 perches, where during the first half of the night males were hanging with raised facial masks at a mean height of 2.35 m. Most of the time, the males moved just their wing tips, and spontaneously vocalized in the ultrasound range. Approaches of other individuals resulted in the perching male beating its wings and emitting a very loud, low frequency whistling call. Following such an encounter we recorded a copulation event. The observed aggregation of adult C. senex males is consistent with lek courtship, a behavior described from only few other bat species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jairo Villalobos
- Estación de Investigación Miguel Alfaro, Hotel Villablanca, San Ramón, Costa Rica
| | - Esteban Hernández
- Estación de Investigación Miguel Alfaro, Hotel Villablanca, San Ramón, Costa Rica
| | - Daniel Zamora-Mejías
- Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico DF, Mexico
| | - Gloria Gessinger
- University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama
| | - Marco Tschapka
- University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Götze S, Denzinger A, Schnitzler HU. High frequency social calls indicate food source defense in foraging Common pipistrelle bats. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5764. [PMID: 32238828 PMCID: PMC7113247 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62743-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Social calls have the function to coordinate the behavior of animals. In the presence of conspecifics foraging Common pipistrelle bats (P. pipistrellus) emitted, in addition to typical echolocation signals, two types of social calls: complex social calls and an as-of-yet undescribed, short, frequency-modulated call type with high terminal frequency, which we term “high frequency social call”. By recording the flight and acoustic behavior of free flying pairs of foraging P. pipistrellus with an array of four microphones we were able to determine their three-dimensional flight paths and attribute emitted calls to particular behavioral situations. Complex social calls were emitted at further inter-individual distances and at large bearing angles to conspecifics, whereas high frequency social calls were produced at significantly shorter distances and at smaller bearing angles. These calls were associated with chasings and the eviction of the intruder. We assume that the emission of both types of social calls by foraging bats reflects a two-stage-process of the occupation and defense of a food patch. Common pipistrelle bats use complex social calls to claim a food patch and switch to agonistic behaviors, including chasings and high frequency social call emissions, when they defend their foraging territory against an intruder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Götze
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Annette Denzinger
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Vernes SC, Wilkinson GS. Behaviour, biology and evolution of vocal learning in bats. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190061. [PMID: 31735153 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The comparative approach can provide insight into the evolution of human speech, language and social communication by studying relevant traits in animal systems. Bats are emerging as a model system with great potential to shed light on these processes given their learned vocalizations, close social interactions, and mammalian brains and physiology. A recent framework outlined the multiple levels of investigation needed to understand vocal learning across a broad range of non-human species, including cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants, birds and bats. Here, we apply this framework to the current state-of-the-art in bat research. This encompasses our understanding of the abilities bats have displayed for vocal learning, what is known about the timing and social structure needed for such learning, and current knowledge about the prevalence of the trait across the order. It also addresses the biology (vocal tract morphology, neurobiology and genetics) and evolution of this trait. We conclude by highlighting some key questions that should be answered to advance our understanding of the biological encoding and evolution of speech and spoken communication. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, PO Box 310, Nijmegen 6500 AH, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
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?’
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Chi T, Liu M, Tan X, Li Y, Xiao Y, Sun K, Jin L, Feng J. Vocal Development of Horsfield's Leaf-Nosed Bat Pups (Hipposideros larvatus). ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2019.21.1.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Chi
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Muxun Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yu Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yanhong Xiao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Knörnschild M, Fernandez AA, Nagy M. Vocal information and the navigation of social decisions in bats: Is social complexity linked to vocal complexity? Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Balboa Ancón Panama
- Animal Behavior Laboratory Free University Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Ahana Aurora Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Animal Behavior Laboratory Free University Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Harten L, Prat Y, Ben Cohen S, Dor R, Yovel Y. Food for Sex in Bats Revealed as Producer Males Reproduce with Scrounging Females. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1895-1900.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
22
|
Chi T, Liu M, Tan X, Sun K, Jin L, Feng J. Syllable merging during ontogeny in Hipposideros larvatus. BIOACOUSTICS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2019.1610906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Chi
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Muxun Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Shields SM, Schutte M, Richter J, Linnenschmidt M, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L. The Vocal Repertoire of Pale Spear-Nosed Bats in a Social Roosting Context. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
24
|
Petersen H, Finger N, Bastian A, Jacobs D. The Behaviour and Vocalisations of Captive Geoffroy's Horseshoe Bats, Rhinolophus clivosus (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae). ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2018.20.2.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hana Petersen
- Animal Evolution and Systematics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Nikita Finger
- Animal Evolution and Systematics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Anna Bastian
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - David Jacobs
- Animal Evolution and Systematics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Greif S, Yovel Y. Using on-board sound recordings to infer behaviour of free-moving wild animals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/Suppl_1/jeb184689. [PMID: 30728226 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.184689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Technological advances in the last 20 years have enabled researchers to develop increasingly sophisticated miniature devices (tags) that record an animal's behaviour not from an observational, external viewpoint, but directly on the animals themselves. So far, behavioural research with these tags has mostly been conducted using movement or acceleration data. But on-board audio recordings have become more and more common following pioneering work in marine mammal research. The first questions that come to mind when recording sound on-board animals concern their vocal behaviour. When are they calling? How do they adjust their behaviour? What acoustic parameters do they change and how? However, other topics like foraging behaviour, social interactions or environmental acoustics can now be addressed as well and offer detailed insight into the animals' daily life. In this Review, we discuss the possibilities, advantages and limitations of on-board acoustic recordings. We focus primarily on bats as their active-sensing, echolocating lifestyle allows many approaches to a multi-faceted acoustic assessment of their behaviour. The general ideas and concepts, however, are applicable to many animals and hopefully will demonstrate the versatility of on-board acoustic recordings and stimulate new research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Greif
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel .,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bats increase vocal amplitude and decrease vocal complexity to mitigate noise interference during social communication. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:199-212. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-01235-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
27
|
Bohn K, Gillam E. In-flight social calls: a primer for biologists and managers studying echolocation. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological advances have permitted collection of immense data sets through automated recordings that are primarily aimed at capturing bat echolocation. Analyses of echolocation calls are used to identify species, relative abundance, and some aspects of behaviour, such as foraging or commuting. Here we propose that social calls recorded in flight are also valuable tools for understanding bat ecology and behaviour. First, we examine how and why the acoustic structure of social calls differ from echolocation. Differences in form make social calls often, but not always, easy to identify. We then use a case study on in-flight song in Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis (I. Geoffroy, 1824)) to show that what may appear as echolocation may instead be predominantly used for social communication. Next, we review three basic functions of in-flight social calls, including examples of each, and develop a framework for testing these alternative functions using automated recordings. In a second case study, we use automated recordings of the endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus (G.M. Allen, 1932)) to illustrate how behavioural information can be gleaned by examining patterns of social call production. Finally, we discuss why and how social calls provide novel information that can be crucial for conservation and management efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Bohn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA
| | - E.H. Gillam
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, 218 Stevens Hall, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L. Volitional control of social vocalisations and vocal usage learning in bats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.180729. [PMID: 29880634 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.180729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Bats are gregarious, highly vocal animals that possess a broad repertoire of social vocalisations. For in-depth studies of their vocal behaviours, including vocal flexibility and vocal learning, it is necessary to gather repeatable evidence from controlled laboratory experiments on isolated individuals. However, such studies are rare for one simple reason: eliciting social calls in isolation and under operant control is challenging and has rarely been achieved. To overcome this limitation, we designed an automated setup that allows conditioning of social vocalisations in a new context and tracks spectro-temporal changes in the recorded calls over time. Using this setup, we were able to reliably evoke social calls from temporarily isolated lesser spear-nosed bats (Phyllostomus discolor). When we adjusted the call criteria that could result in a food reward, bats responded by adjusting temporal and spectral call parameters. This was achieved without the help of an auditory template or social context to direct the bats. Our results demonstrate vocal flexibility and vocal usage learning in bats. Our setup provides a new paradigm that allows the controlled study of the production and learning of social vocalisations in isolated bats, overcoming limitations that have, until now, prevented in-depth studies of these behaviours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Division of Neurobiology, Dept Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Division of Neurobiology, Dept Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Toth CA, Parsons S. The high-output singing displays of a lekking bat encode information on body size and individual identity. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2496-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
30
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Vernes SC. Vocal learning: a language-relevant trait in need of a broad cross-species approach. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
31
|
Martin LM, García-Rosales F, Beetz MJ, Hechavarría JC. Processing of temporally patterned sounds in the auditory cortex of Seba's short-tailed bat,Carollia perspicillata. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 46:2365-2379. [PMID: 28921742 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This article presents a characterization of cortical responses to artificial and natural temporally patterned sounds in the bat species Carollia perspicillata, a species that produces vocalizations at rates above 50 Hz. Multi-unit activity was recorded in three different experiments. In the first experiment, amplitude-modulated (AM) pure tones were used as stimuli to drive auditory cortex (AC) units. AC units of both ketamine-anesthetized and awake bats could lock their spikes to every cycle of the stimulus modulation envelope, but only if the modulation frequency was below 22 Hz. In the second experiment, two identical communication syllables were presented at variable intervals. Suppressed responses to the lagging syllable were observed, unless the second syllable followed the first one with a delay of at least 80 ms (i.e., 12.5 Hz repetition rate). In the third experiment, natural distress vocalization sequences were used as stimuli to drive AC units. Distress sequences produced by C. perspicillata contain bouts of syllables repeated at intervals of ~60 ms (16 Hz). Within each bout, syllables are repeated at intervals as short as 14 ms (~71 Hz). Cortical units could follow the slow temporal modulation flow produced by the occurrence of multisyllabic bouts, but not the fast acoustic flow created by rapid syllable repetition within the bouts. Taken together, our results indicate that even in fast vocalizing animals, such as bats, cortical neurons can only track the temporal structure of acoustic streams modulated at frequencies lower than 22 Hz.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Martin
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Neurowissenschaft, Goethe-Universität, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Francisco García-Rosales
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Neurowissenschaft, Goethe-Universität, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - M Jerome Beetz
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Neurowissenschaft, Goethe-Universität, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Julio C Hechavarría
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Neurowissenschaft, Goethe-Universität, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Chaverri G, Ancillotto L, Russo D. Social communication in bats. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1938-1954. [PMID: 29766650 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bats represent one of the most diverse mammalian orders, not only in terms of species numbers, but also in their ecology and life histories. Many species are known to use ephemeral and/or unpredictable resources that require substantial investment to find and defend, and also engage in social interactions, thus requiring significant levels of social coordination. To accomplish these tasks, bats must be able to communicate; there is now substantial evidence that demonstrates the complexity of bat communication and the varied ways in which bats solve some of the problems associated with their unique life histories. However, while the study of communication in bats is rapidly growing, it still lags behind other taxa. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of communication in bats, from the reasons why they communicate to the diversity and application of different signal modalities. The most widespread form of communication is the transmission of a signaller's characteristics, such as species identity, sex, individual identity, group membership, social status and body condition, and because many species of bats can rely little on vision due to their nocturnal lifestyles, it is assumed that sound and olfaction are particularly important signalling modes. For example, research suggests that secretions from specialized glands, often in combination with urine and saliva, are responsible for species recognition in several species. These olfactory signals may also convey information about sex and colony membership. Olfaction may be used in combination with sound, particularly in species that emit constant frequency (CF) echolocation calls, to recognize conspecifics from heterospecifics, yet their simple structure and high frequency do not allow much information of individual identity to be conveyed over long distances. By contrast, social calls may encode a larger number of cues of individual identity, and their lower frequencies increase their range of detection. Social calls are also known to deter predators, repel competitors from foraging patches, attract group mates to roost sites, coordinate foraging activities, and are used during courtship. In addition to sound, visual displays such as wing flapping or hovering may be used during courtship, and swarming around roost sites may serve as a visual cue of roost location. However, visual communication in bats still remains a poorly studied signal modality. Finally, the most common form of tactile communication known in bats is social grooming, which may be used to signal reproductive condition, but also to facilitate and strengthen cooperative interactions. Overall, this review demonstrates the rapid advances made in the study of bat social communication during recent years, and also identifies topics that require further study, particularly those that may allow us to understand adaptation to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gloriana Chaverri
- Recinto de Golfito, Universidad de Costa Rica, Golfito, 60701, Costa Rica
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, Portici NA 80055, Italy
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, Portici NA 80055, Italy.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
|
34
|
Balmori A. Advances on the group composition, mating system, roosting and flight behaviour of the European free-tailed bat (Tadarida teniotis). MAMMALIA 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2017-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
We investigated a large colony of European free-tailed bats (Tadarida teniotis) in Spain, using a combination of capture-mark-recapture data and direct observations. Its social and reproductive organisation is complex and the mating system fits a “resource defence polygyny” model. In spring and autumn, aggressive interactions in flight, defence of roosts and mating songs of males to attract females occurred. According to our results, T. teniotis is organised in “harems” consisting of a dominant male and a variable number of females. In addition the sexual cycle displayed a bimodal reproductive pattern (this is unique and remarkable for European bats). The bimodal pattern coincided with peaks in food availability (moths) at high altitudes. Presumably, roost-guarding activities (patrolling, advertising…) make males less prone to move away (e.g. at higher altitudes and longer distances) from roosts, resulting in differences in prey selection and in altitudinal segregation between sexes. This provides a plausible explanation for the differences in diet (predation of more sedentary vs. high-flying migratory moths) between males and females that has been found in published studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Balmori
- Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Castilla y León , C/Rigoberto Cortejoso , 14 47071 Valladolid , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Knörnschild M, Blüml S, Steidl P, Eckenweber M, Nagy M. Bat songs as acoustic beacons - male territorial songs attract dispersing females. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13918. [PMID: 29066803 PMCID: PMC5654967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14434-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Male song in birds and mammals is important for repelling rivals, stimulating mates or attracting them to a specific location. Nevertheless, direct experimental evidence for the mate attraction function of male song is limited to a few studies. Here, we provide strong experimental evidence that male songs attract wild female bats (Saccopteryx bilineata). Playbacks of territorial songs reliably elicited phonotaxis in females but not males. Most females captured during playbacks were subadults searching for new colonies to settle in. In S. bilineata, multiple males sing simultaneously at dawn and dusk, thereby creating a conspicuous chorus which encodes information on colony identity and size. Since territorial songs have a large signalling range, male songs constitute acoustic beacons which enable females to localize new colonies. In our playbacks, females strongly preferred local territorial songs over foreign territorial songs from two different locations, indicating that song familiarity influences phonotaxis. Our study provides the first clear experimental evidence that male song elicits female phonotaxis in a non-human mammal. Bats are an especially promising taxon for studying mammalian song since male song has been described in different species with diverse social organisations and natural histories, thus providing exciting opportunities for phylogenetically controlled comparative studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Knörnschild
- Animal Behavior Lab, Free University Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Barro Colorado Island, Roosevelt Ave., Tupper Building - 401, Balboa, Ancón, Panama City, Panama.
- Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Simone Blüml
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick Steidl
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maria Eckenweber
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Animal Behavior Lab, Free University Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Khan AA, Qureshi IZ. Vocalizations of adult male Asian koels (Eudynamys scolopacea) in the breeding season. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186604. [PMID: 29053720 PMCID: PMC5650150 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining the vocal repertoire provides a basis for understanding the role of acoustic signals in sexual and social interactions of an animal. The Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) is a migratory bird which spends its summer breeding season in the plains of Pakistan. The bird is typically wary and secretive but produces loud and distinct calls, making it easily detected when unseen. Like the other birds in the wild, presumably Asian koels use their calls for social cohesion and coordination of different behaviors. To date, the description of vocal repertoire of the male Asian koel has been lacking. Presently we analyzed and described for the first time the vocalizations of the adult male Asian koel, recorded in two consecutive breeding seasons. Using 10 call parameters, we categorized the vocalization type into six different categories on the basis of spectrogram and statistical analyses, namely the; “type 1 cooee call”, “type 2 cooee call”, “type 1 coegh call”, “type 2 coegh call”, “wurroo call” and “coe call”. These names were assigned not on the basis of functional analysis and were therefore onomatopoeic. Stepwise cross validated discriminant function analysis classified the vocalization correctly (100%) into the predicted vocal categories that we initially classified on the basis of spectrographic examination. Our findings enrich the biological knowledge about vocalizations of the adult male Asian koel and provide a foundation for future acoustic monitoring of the species, as well as for comparative studies with vocalizations of other bird species of the cuckoo family. Further studies on the vocalizations of the Asian koel are required to unravel their functions in sexual selection and individual recognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Aziz Khan
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Irfan Zia Qureshi
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Smarsh GC, Smotherman M. Behavioral response to conspecific songs on foraging territories of the heart-nosed bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|