1
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Niśkiewicz M, Szymański P, Zampa L, Budka M, Osiejuk TS. Neighbour-stranger discrimination in an African wood dove inhabiting equatorial rainforest. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4252. [PMID: 38378955 PMCID: PMC10879109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53867-7] [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] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We investigated within- and between-individual song variation and song-based neighbour-stranger discrimination in a non-learning bird species, the blue-headed wood-dove (Turtur brehmeri), which inhabits lowland rainforests of West and Central Africa. We found that songs of this species are individually specific and have a high potential for use in individual recognition based on the time-frequency pattern of note distribution within song phrases. To test whether these differences affect behaviour, we conducted playback experiments with 19 territorial males. Each male was tested twice, once with the songs of a familiar neighbour and once with the songs of an unfamiliar stranger. We observed that males responded more aggressively to playback of a stranger's songs: they quickly approached close to the speaker and spent more time near it. However, no significant differences between treatments were observed in the vocal responses. In addition, we explored whether responses differed based on the song frequency of the focal male and/or that of the simulated intruder (i.e., playback), as this song parameter is inversely related to body size and could potentially affect males' decisions to respond to other birds. Song frequency parameters (of either the focal male or the simulated intruder) had no effect on the approaching response during playback. However, we found that the pattern of response after playback was significantly affected by the song frequency of the focal male: males with lower-frequency songs stayed closer to the simulated intruder for a longer period of time without singing, while males with higher-frequency songs returned more quickly to their initial song posts and resumed singing. Together, these results depict a consistently strong response to strangers during and after playback that is dependent on a male's self-assessment rather than assessment of a rival's strength based on his song frequency. This work provides the first experimental evidence that doves (Columbidae) can use songs for neighbour-stranger discrimination and respond according to a "dear enemy" scheme that keeps the cost of territory defence at a reasonable level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Niśkiewicz
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Paweł Szymański
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Lia Zampa
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Budka
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
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2
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Wagner EL, Cappello CD, Boersma PD. Should I stay or should I go: factors influencing mate retention and divorce in a colonial seabird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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3
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Selection levels on vocal individuality: strategic use or byproduct. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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4
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Vocal recognition of distance calls in a group-living basal bird: the greylag goose, Anser anser. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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5
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Cornec C, Hingrat Y, Planas-Bielsa V, Abi Hussein H, Rybak F. Individuality in houbara chick calls and its dynamics throughout ontogeny. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In many taxa, breeding success depends heavily on reliable vocal recognition between parents and offspring. Although the acoustic basis of this recognition has been explored in several species, few studies have examined the evolution of acoustic cues to identity across development. Here, in a captive breeding program, we investigated for the first time the acoustic signals produced by North African houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata undulata chicks. Two call types (contact and distress) were recorded from 15 chicks in 4 age classes. Acoustic analyses showed that the acoustic parameters of the calls varied systematically with age in both contact and distress calls. However, both call types remained highly stereotyped and individualized between chicks at every tested age, indicating that calls encode reliable information about individual identity throughout development, thus potentially enabling the mother to distinguish her own chicks through their development up to fledging. Playback experiments are now needed to verify such parent-chick recognition in houbara bustards and its efficiency across chick ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cornec
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS (UMR 9197), 91400 Saclay, France
- Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation, PO Box 47, 33250 Missour, Morocco
| | - Y Hingrat
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, PO Box 61741, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - V Planas-Bielsa
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Département de Biologie Polaire, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000 Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - H Abi Hussein
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, PO Box 61741, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - F Rybak
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS (UMR 9197), 91400 Saclay, France
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6
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Baciadonna L, Solvi C, La Cava S, Pilenga C, Gamba M, Favaro L. Cross-modal individual recognition in the African penguin and the effect of partnership. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211463. [PMID: 34641734 PMCID: PMC8511779 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An animal's ability to recognize another individual by matching their image to their voice suggests they form internal representations of other individuals. To what extent this ability, termed cross-modal individual recognition, extends to birds other than corvids is unknown. Here, we used an expectancy violation paradigm to determine whether a monogamous territorial seabird (Spheniscus demersus) can cross-modally recognize familiar conspecifics (partners or colony-mates). After pairs of penguins spent time together in an isolated area, one of the penguins was released from the area leaving the focal penguin alone. Subsequently, we played contact calls of the released penguin (congruent condition) or a different penguin (incongruent condition). After being paired with a colony-mate, focal penguins' response latency to the auditory stimulus was faster in the incongruent compared to congruent condition, indicating the mismatch violated their expectations. This behavioural pattern was not observed in focal penguins after being paired with their partner. We discuss these different results in the light of penguins' natural behaviour and the evolution of social communication strategies. Our results suggest that cross-modal individual recognition extends to penguins and reveals, in contrast with previously thought, that social communication between members of this endangered species can also use visual cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Baciadonna
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cwyn Solvi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, POB 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Sara La Cava
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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7
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Sakata JT, Catalano I, Woolley SC. Mechanisms, development, and comparative perspectives on experience-dependent plasticity in social behavior. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2021; 337:35-49. [PMID: 34516724 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Revealing the mechanisms underlying experience-dependent plasticity is a hallmark of behavioral neuroscience. While the study of social behavior has focused primarily on the neuroendocrine and neural control of social behaviors, the plasticity of these innate behaviors has received relatively less attention. Here, we review studies on mating-dependent changes to social behavior and neural circuitry across mammals, birds, and reptiles. We provide an overview of species similarities and differences in the effects of mating experiences on motivational and performative aspects of sexual behaviors, on sensory processing and preferences, and on the experience-dependent consolidation of sexual behavior. We also discuss recent insights into the neural mechanisms of and developmental influences on mating-dependent changes and outline promising approaches to investigate evolutionary parallels and divergences in experience-dependent plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon T Sakata
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabella Catalano
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sarah C Woolley
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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8
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Recognising the key role of individual recognition in social networks. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:1024-1035. [PMID: 34256987 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.009] [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: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Many aspects of sociality rely on individuals recognising one another. Understanding how, when, and if individuals recognise others can yield insights into the foundations of social relationships and behaviours. Through synthesising individual recognition research in different sensory and social domains, and doing so across various related social contexts, we propose that a social network perspective can help to uncover how individual recognition may vary across different settings, species, and populations. Specifically, combining individual recognition with social networks has unrecognised potential for determining the level and relative importance of individual recognition complexity. This will provide insights not only on the ecology and evolution of individual recognition itself, but also on social structure, social transmission, and social interactions such as cooperation.
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9
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Weaver SJ, Callaghan CT, Rowley JJL. Anuran accents: Continental-scale citizen science data reveal spatial and temporal patterns of call variability. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12115-12128. [PMID: 33209274 PMCID: PMC7663080 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals rely on vocal communication for mating advertisement, territorial displays, and warning calls. Advertisement calls are species-specific, serve as a premating isolation mechanism, and reinforce species boundaries. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of interspecific variability of advertisement calls. Quantifying the variability of calls among individuals within a species and across species is critical to understand call evolution and species boundaries, and may build a foundation for further research in animal communication. However, collecting a large volume of advertisement call recordings across a large geographic area has traditionally posed a logistical barrier. We used data from the continental-scale citizen science project FrogID to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of call characteristics in six Australian frog species. We found intraspecific call variability in both call duration and peak frequency across species. Using resampling methods, we show that variability in call duration and peak frequency was related to the number of individuals recorded, the geographic area encompassed by those individuals, and the intra-annual time difference between those recordings. We conclude that in order to accurately understand frog advertisement call variation, or "anuran accents," the number of individuals in a sample must be numerous (N ≥ 20), encompass a large geographic area relative to a species' range, and be collected throughout a species' calling season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah J. Weaver
- Australian Museum Research InstituteAustralian MuseumSydneyNSWAustralia
- Department of BiologyBucknell UniversityLewisburgPAUSA
- Centre for Ecosystem ScienceSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Corey T. Callaghan
- Centre for Ecosystem ScienceSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
- Ecology & Evolution Research CentreSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Jodi J. L. Rowley
- Australian Museum Research InstituteAustralian MuseumSydneyNSWAustralia
- Centre for Ecosystem ScienceSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
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10
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Carlson NV, Kelly EM, Couzin I. Individual vocal recognition across taxa: a review of the literature and a look into the future. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190479. [PMID: 32420840 PMCID: PMC7331019 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual vocal recognition (IVR) has been well studied in mammals and birds. These studies have primarily delved into understanding IVR in specific limited contexts (e.g. parent-offspring and mate recognition) where individuals discriminate one individual from all others. However, little research has examined IVR in more socially demanding circumstances, such as when an individual discriminates all individuals in their social or familial group apart. In this review, we describe what IVR is and suggest splitting studies of IVR into two general types based on what questions they answer (IVR-singular, and IVR-multiple). We explain how we currently test for IVR, and many of the benefits and drawbacks of different methods. We address why IVR is so prevalent in the animal kingdom, and the circumstances in which it is often found. Finally, we explain current weaknesses in IVR research including temporality, specificity, and taxonomic bias, and testing paradigms, and provide some solutions to address these weaknesses. This article is part of the theme issue 'Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora V. Carlson
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - E. McKenna Kelly
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Iain Couzin
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
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11
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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
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12
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Food allocation and feeding behaviours of Magellanic penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, adults and chicks. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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13
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Johnson AE, Masco C, Pruett-Jones S. Song recognition and heterospecific associations between 2 fairy-wren species (Maluridae). Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Allison E Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Christina Masco
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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14
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Sexual and non-sexual social preferences in male and female white-eyed bulbuls. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5847. [PMID: 28724892 PMCID: PMC5517633 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06239-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
While the function of ornaments shaped by sexual selection is to attract mates or drive off rivals, these signals may also evolve through social selection, in which the social context affects the fitness of signallers and receivers. Classical ‘mate choice’ experiments often reveal preferences for ornaments, but few studies have considered whether these are strictly sexual or reflect general social preferences. Indeed, an alternative possibility is that ornaments evolve through ‘non-sexual social selection’ (hereafter ‘social selection’). We examined the role of ornamentation (yellow ventral patch) and familiarity (individuals recognize group mates with which they have had previous interactions) on mate choice (opposite-sex stimuli preference) and social choice (same-sex stimuli preference) in both male and female white-eyed bulbuls (Pycnonotus xanthopygos). In the mate choice test, females preferred unfamiliar males with increased yellow. There were no biologically important differences in male preferences based on familiarity or intensity of patch colour. In the social choice test, females preferred to associate with familiar females. Males preferred to associate with familiar males but also preferred to associate with less ornamented males. Our results suggest that ornamentation and familiarity are important features, playing different roles in males and females, in both social and sexual selection processes.
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15
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Abstract
Gaze following is widespread among animals. However, the corresponding ultimate functions may vary substantially. Thus, it is important to study previously understudied (or less studied) species to develop a better understanding of the ecological contexts that foster certain cognitive traits. Penguins (Family Spheniscidae), despite their wide interspecies ecological variation, have previously not been considered for cross-species comparisons. Penguin behaviour and communication have been investigated over the last decades, but less is known on how groups are structured, social hierarchies are established, and coordination for hunting and predator avoidance may occur. In this article, we investigated how African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) respond to gaze cues of conspecifics using a naturalistic setup in a zoo environment. Our results provide evidence that members of the family Spheniscidae follow gaze of conspecifics into distant space. However, further tests are necessary to examine if the observed behaviour serves solely one specific function (e.g. predator detection) or is displayed in a broader context (e.g. eavesdropping on relevant stimuli in the environment). In addition, our findings can serve as a starting point for future cross-species comparisons with other members of the penguin family, to further explore the role of aerial predation and social structure on gaze following in social species. Overall, we also suggest that zoo-housed animals represent an ideal opportunity to extend species range and to test phylogenetic families that have not been in the focus of animal cognitive research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Nawroth
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.,Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Egle Trincas
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Zoom Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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16
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Favaro L, Gamba M, Gili C, Pessani D. Acoustic correlates of body size and individual identity in banded penguins. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170001. [PMID: 28199318 PMCID: PMC5310857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal vocalisations play a role in individual recognition and mate choice. In nesting penguins, acoustic variation in vocalisations originates from distinctiveness in the morphology of the vocal apparatus. Using the source-filter theory approach, we investigated vocal individuality cues and correlates of body size and mass in the ecstatic display songs the Humboldt and Magellanic penguins. We demonstrate that both fundamental frequency (f0) and formants (F1-F4) are essential vocal features to discriminate among individuals. However, we show that only duration and f0 are honest indicators of the body size and mass, respectively. We did not find any effect of body dimension on formants, formant dispersion nor estimated vocal tract length of the emitters. Overall, our findings provide the first evidence that the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract do not correlate with body size in penguins. Our results add important information to a growing body of literature on the role of the different vocal parameters in conveying biologically meaningful information in bird vocalisations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Claudia Gili
- Acquario di Genova, Costa Edutainment SpA, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniela Pessani
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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17
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Favaro L, Gili C, Da Rugna C, Gnone G, Fissore C, Sanchez D, McElligott AG, Gamba M, Pessani D. Vocal individuality and species divergence in the contact calls of banded penguins. Behav Processes 2016; 128:83-8. [PMID: 27102762 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Penguins produce contact calls to maintain social relationships and group cohesion. Such vocalisations have recently been demonstrated to encode individual identity information in the African penguin. Using a source-filter theory approach, we investigated whether acoustic cues of individuality can also be found in other Spheniscus penguins and the acoustic features of contact calls have diverged within this genus. We recorded vocalisations from two ex-situ colonies of Humboldt penguin and Magellanic penguin (sympatric and potentially interbreeding in the wild) and one ex-situ group of African penguins (allopatric although capable of interbreeding with the other two species in captivity). We measured 14 acoustic parameters from each vocalisation. These included temporal (duration), source-related (fundamental frequency, f0), and filter-related (formants) parameters. They were then used to carry out a series of stepwise discriminant function analyses (with cross-validation) and General Linear Model comparisons. We showed that contact calls allow individual discrimination in two additional species of the genus Spheniscus. We also found that calls can be classified according to species in a manner far greater than that attributable by chance, even though there is limited genetic distance among African, Humboldt, and Magellanic penguins. Our results provide further evidence that the source-filter theory is a valuable framework for investigating the biologically meaningful information contained in bird vocalisations. Our findings also provide novel insights into penguin vocal communication and suggest that contact calls of the penguin family are affected by selection for individuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Claudia Gili
- Acquario di Genova, Costa Edutainment SpA, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Guido Gnone
- Acquario di Genova, Costa Edutainment SpA, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Fissore
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Alan G McElligott
- Queen Mary University of London, Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London, UK
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Pessani
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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18
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Kleinhappel TK, Burman OHP, John EA, Wilkinson A, Pike TW. A mechanism mediating inter-individual associations in mixed-species groups. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2099-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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19
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Stephan C, Zuberbühler K. Social familiarity affects Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana diana) alarm call responses in habitat-specific ways. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:150639. [PMID: 26998336 PMCID: PMC4785987 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.150639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Male Diana monkeys produce loud and acoustically distinct alarm calls to leopards and eagles that propagate over long distances, much beyond the immediate group. Calling is often contagious, with neighbouring males responding to each other's calls, indicating that harem males communicate both to local group members and distant competitors. Here, we tested whether male Diana monkeys responding to each other's alarm calls discriminated familiar from unfamiliar callers in two populations in Taï Forest (Ivory Coast) and on Tiwai Island (Sierra Leone). At both sites, we found specific acoustic markers in male alarm call responses that discriminated familiar from unfamiliar callers, but response patterns were site-specific. On Tiwai Island, males responded to familiar males' eagle alarms with 'standard' eagle alarm calls, whereas unfamiliar males triggered acoustically atypical eagle alarms. The opposite was found in Taï Forest where males responded to unfamiliar males' eagle alarm calls with 'standard' eagle alarms, and with atypical eagle alarms to familiar males' calls. Moreover, only Taï, but not Tiwai, males also marked familiarity with the caller in their leopard-induced alarms. We concluded that male Diana monkeys encode not only predator type but also signaller familiarity in their alarm calls, although in population-specific ways. We explain these inter-site differences in vocal behaviour in terms of differences in predation pressure and population density. We discuss the adaptive function and implications of this behaviour for the origins of acoustic flexibility in primate communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Stephan
- Institute of Biology, Department of Comparative Cognition, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Institute of Biology, Department of Comparative Cognition, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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Favaro L, Gamba M, Alfieri C, Pessani D, McElligott AG. Vocal individuality cues in the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus): a source-filter theory approach. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17255. [PMID: 26602001 PMCID: PMC4658557 DOI: 10.1038/srep17255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The African penguin is a nesting seabird endemic to southern Africa. In penguins of the genus Spheniscus vocalisations are important for social recognition. However, it is not clear which acoustic features of calls can encode individual identity information. We recorded contact calls and ecstatic display songs of 12 adult birds from a captive colony. For each vocalisation, we measured 31 spectral and temporal acoustic parameters related to both source and filter components of calls. For each parameter, we calculated the Potential of Individual Coding (PIC). The acoustic parameters showing PIC ≥ 1.1 were used to perform a stepwise cross-validated discriminant function analysis (DFA). The DFA correctly classified 66.1% of the contact calls and 62.5% of display songs to the correct individual. The DFA also resulted in the further selection of 10 acoustic features for contact calls and 9 for display songs that were important for vocal individuality. Our results suggest that studying the anatomical constraints that influence nesting penguin vocalisations from a source-filter perspective, can lead to a much better understanding of the acoustic cues of individuality contained in their calls. This approach could be further extended to study and understand vocal communication in other bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Alfieri
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Pessani
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Alan G. McElligott
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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Budka M, Osiejuk TS. Individually specific call feature is not used to neighbour-stranger discrimination: the corncrake case. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104031. [PMID: 25090457 PMCID: PMC4121243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In various contexts, animals rely on acoustic signals to differentiate between conspecifics. Currently, studies examining vocal signatures use two main approaches. In the first approach, researchers search for acoustic characteristics that have the potential to be individual specific. This approach yields information on variation in signal parameters both within and between individuals and generates practical tools that can be used in population monitoring. In the second approach, playback experiments with natural calls are conducted to discern whether animals are capable of discriminating among the vocal signatures of different individuals. However, both approaches do not reveal the exact signal characteristics that are being used in the discrimination process. In this study, we tested whether an individual-specific call characteristic – namely the length of the intervals between successive maximal amplitude peaks within syllables (PPD) – is crucial in neighbour-stranger discrimination by males of the nocturnal and highly secretive bird species, the corncrake (Crex crex). We conducted paired playback experiments in which corncrakes (n = 47) were exposed to artificial calls with PPD characteristics of neighbour and stranger birds. These artificial calls differed only in PPD structure. The calls were broadcast from a speaker, and we recorded the birds' behavioural responses. Although corncrakes have previously been experimentally shown to discriminate between neighbours and strangers, we found no difference in the responses to the artificial calls representing neighbours versus strangers. This finding demonstrates that even if vocal signatures are individual specific within a species, it does not automatically mean that said signatures are being crucial in discrimination among individuals. At the same time, the birds' aggressive responses to the artificial calls indicated that the information transmitted by PPDs is important in species-specific call recognition and may be used by males and/or females to evaluate sender quality, similarly like sound frequency in some insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Budka
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomasz S. Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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22
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Boyle KS, Tricas TC. Discrimination of mates and intruders: visual and olfactory cues for a monogamous territorial coral reef butterflyfish. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Szipl G, Boeckle M, Werner SAB, Kotrschal K. Mate recognition and expression of affective state in croop calls of Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita). PLoS One 2014; 9:e88265. [PMID: 24505455 PMCID: PMC3914947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Northern Bald Ibis are socially monogamous and year-round colonial birds with a moderate repertoire of calls. Their 'croop', for example, is used during greeting of mates, but also during agonistic encounters, and provides an ideal case to study whether calls are revealing with respect to motivational states. We recorded croop calls in a semi-tame and free-roaming flock of Northern Bald Ibis in Austria, and analysed the vocal structure to identify parameters (e.g. call duration, fundamental frequency) potentially differing between social contexts, sexes and individuals. Additionally, we conducted playback experiments to test whether mated pairs would discriminate each other by their greeting croops. Acoustic features showed highly variable temporal and structural parameters. Almost all calls could be classified correctly and assigned to the different social contexts and sexes. Classification results of greeting croops were less clear for individuality. However, incubating individuals looked up more often and longer in response to playbacks of the greeting calls of their mate than to other colony members, indicating mate recognition. We show that acoustic parameters of agonistic and greeting croops contain features that may indicate the expression of affective states, and that greeting croops encode individual differences that are sufficient for individual recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgine Szipl
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau, Austria
- * E-mail:
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau, Austria
| | - Sinja A. B. Werner
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau, Austria
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau, Austria
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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24
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Teichroeb LJ, Riede T, Kotrba R, Lingle S. Fundamental frequency is key to response of female deer to juvenile distress calls. Behav Processes 2013; 92:15-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Revised: 09/09/2012] [Accepted: 09/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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25
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Wascher CAF, Szipl G, Boeckle M, Wilkinson A. You sound familiar: carrion crows can differentiate between the calls of known and unknown heterospecifics. Anim Cogn 2012; 15:1015-9. [PMID: 22538713 PMCID: PMC4417708 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-012-0508-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2011] [Revised: 04/16/2012] [Accepted: 04/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In group-living animals, it is adaptive to recognize conspecifics on the basis of familiarity or group membership as it allows association with preferred social partners and avoidance of competitors. However, animals do not only associate with conspecifics but also with heterospecifics, for example in mixed-species flocks. Consequently, between-species recognition, based either on familiarity or even individual recognition, is likely to be beneficial. The extent to which animals can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar heterospecifics is currently unclear. In the present study, we investigated the ability of eight carrion crows to differentiate between the voices and calls of familiar and unfamiliar humans and jackdaws. The crows responded significantly more often to unfamiliar than familiar human playbacks and, conversely, responded more to familiar than unfamiliar jackdaw calls. Our results provide the first evidence that birds can discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar heterospecific individuals using auditory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A F Wascher
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle (KLF), Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, 4645, Grünau, Austria.
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26
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Sogabe A. Partner recognition in a perennially monogamous pipefish, Corythoichthys haematopterus. J ETHOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-010-0236-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Seddon N, Tobias JA. Character displacement from the receiver's perspective: species and mate recognition despite convergent signals in suboscine birds. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 277:2475-83. [PMID: 20375056 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many social animals use long-distance signals to attract mates and defend territories. They face the twin challenges of discriminating between species to identify conspecific mates, and between individuals to recognize collaborators and competitors. It is therefore often assumed that long-distance signals are under strong selection for species-specificity and individual distinctiveness, and that this will drive character displacement when closely related species meet, particularly in noisy environments. However, the occurrence of signal stereotypy and convergence in rainforest species seems to contradict these ideas, and raises the question of whether receivers in these systems can recognize species or individuals by long-distance signals alone. Here, we test for acoustically mediated recognition in two sympatric antbird species that are known to have convergent songs. We show that male songs are stereotyped yet individually distinctive, and we use playback experiments to demonstrate that females can discriminate not only between conspecific and heterospecific males, but between mates and strangers. These findings provide clear evidence that stereotypy and convergence in male signals can be accommodated by fine tuning of perceptual abilities in female receivers, suggesting that the evolutionary forces driving divergent character displacement in animal signals are weaker than is typically assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Seddon
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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28
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Do penguins dare to walk at night? Visual cues influence king penguin colony arrivals and departures. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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29
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Matsumoto K, Sogabe A, Yanagisawa Y. Male Ornamentation in a Sex-Role Reversed PipefishCorythoichthys haematopterus. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2009.01730.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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31
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Beyond ‘nasty neighbours’ and ‘dear enemies’? Individual recognition by scent marks in a lizard (Podarcis hispanica). Anim Behav 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Hagman M, Shine R. Australian tadpoles do not avoid chemical cues from invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus). WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2008. [DOI: 10.1071/wr07113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
If invasive species are phylogenetically distinct from native taxa, divergence in intraspecific communication systems may allow control via methods that invoke behavioural responses by the invasives but not by local species. Previous work has exploited sexual signals in this respect (e.g. species-specific mate-attraction pheromones) but there is equal potential to exploit non-sexual signals, such as chemically mediated behavioural responses of anuran larvae. Cane toads (Bufo marinus), originally from Central and South America, are creating major ecological problems during their invasion through Australia. In an earlier study, we showed that cane toad tadpoles are strongly repulsed by chemical cues from crushed conspecifics, suggesting that these animals possess significant chemical communication systems. To be useful in control of toads, such a response would need to be restricted to cane toads rather than all anurans. In laboratory trials, we detected only minor behavioural responses of six native Australian anuran species to chemical cues from cane toads. Native tadpoles (both hylids and myobatrachids) either ignored the stimulus, or tended to approach it rather than to avoid it. These results are encouraging for the potential use of toad-specific chemicals to manipulate the behaviour of tadpoles in the field, with few collateral effects on native Australian anurans.
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Hagman M, Shine R. Tadpoles of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) do not respond behaviourally to chemical cues from tadpoles of four species of Australian frogs. AUST J ZOOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1071/zo08005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In previous work, we have shown that tadpoles of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) strongly avoid scent cues from crushed conspecific tadpoles. Thus, identifying the identity of the chemical involved may provide novel approaches to toad control, by manipulating the behaviour of toad tadpoles. A first step in the search for that chemical is to see whether toad tadpoles are similarly repelled by chemical cues from crushed tadpoles of other species. Our experimental trials with four native Australian frogs (three hylids, one myobatrachid) show that toads do not respond to chemical cues from these taxa. Hence, the specific chemicals that induce avoidance cannot be generic ones (e.g. body fluids, tissue fragments) but instead, must reflect some underlying chemical divergence in body composition between the tadpoles of cane toads versus the other anurans that we have tested.
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34
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Tibbetts EA, Dale J. Individual recognition: it is good to be different. Trends Ecol Evol 2007; 22:529-37. [PMID: 17904686 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2007.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 424] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2007] [Revised: 05/11/2007] [Accepted: 09/12/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Individual recognition (IR) behavior has been widely studied, uncovering spectacular recognition abilities across a range of taxa and modalities. Most studies of IR focus on the recognizer (receiver). These studies typically explore whether a species is capable of IR, the cues that are used for recognition and the specializations that receivers use to facilitate recognition. However, relatively little research has explored the other half of the communication equation: the individual being recognized (signaler). Provided there is a benefit to being accurately identified, signalers are expected to actively broadcast their identity with distinctive cues. Considering the prevalence of IR, there are probably widespread benefits associated with distinctiveness. As a result, selection for traits that reveal individual identity might represent an important and underappreciated selective force contributing to the evolution and maintenance of genetic polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Tibbetts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 830 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048, USA.
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35
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Lingle S, Rendall D, Pellis SM. Altruism and recognition in the antipredator defence of deer: 1. Species and individual variation in fawn distress calls. Anim Behav 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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