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Mitoyen C, Quigley C, Canoine V, Colombo S, Wölfl S, Fusani L. Alteration of the temporal association between courtship audio and visual components affects female sexual response. Integr Zool 2023; 18:720-735. [PMID: 35848698 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12670] [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: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Some multimodal signals-that is, occurring in more than one sensory modality-appear to carry additional information which is not present when component signals are presented separately. To understand the function of male ring dove's (Streptopelia risoria) multimodal courtship, we used audiovisual playback of male displays to investigate female response to stimuli differing in their audiovisual timing. From natural courtship recordings, we created a shifted stimulus where audio was shifted relative to video by a fixed value and a jittered stimulus, where each call was moved randomly along the visual channel. We presented 3 groups of females with the same stimulus type, that is, control, shifted, and jittered, for 7 days. We recorded their behavior and assessed pre- and post-test blood estradiol concentration. We found that playback exposure increased estradiol levels, confirming that this technique can be efficiently used to study doves' sexual communication. Additionally, chasing behavior (indicating sexual stimulation) increased over experimental days only in the control condition, suggesting a role of multimodal timing on female response. This stresses the importance of signal configuration in multimodal communication, as additional information is likely to be contained in the temporal association between modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Mitoyen
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Cliodhna Quigley
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Virginie Canoine
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Silvia Colombo
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Wölfl
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Trusel M, Roberts TF. Neural circuits: How the songbird brain orchestrates courtship displays. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R351-R353. [PMID: 37160090 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Volitional production of complex behaviors can be motivated by intrinsic rewards and also by extrinsic cues, like social engagement. A new study has revealed the neural circuit permitting social motivation to release multi-component courtship behaviors in a songbird, specifically the zebra finch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Trusel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Todd F Roberts
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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3
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Ben-Tov M, Duarte F, Mooney R. A neural hub for holistic courtship displays. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1640-1653.e5. [PMID: 36944337 PMCID: PMC10249437 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.072] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Courtship displays often involve the concerted production of several distinct courtship behaviors. The neural circuits that enable the concerted production of the component behaviors of a courtship display are not well understood. Here, we identify a midbrain cell group (A11) that enables male zebra finches to produce their learned songs in concert with various other behaviors, including female-directed orientation, pursuit, and calling. Anatomical mapping reveals that A11 is at the center of a complex network including the song premotor nucleus HVC as well as brainstem regions crucial to calling and locomotion. Notably, lesioning A11 terminals in HVC blocked female-directed singing but did not interfere with female-directed calling, orientation, or pursuit. In contrast, lesioning A11 cell bodies strongly reduced and often abolished all female-directed courtship behaviors. However, males with either type of lesion still produced songs when in social isolation. Lastly, imaging calcium-related activity in A11 terminals in HVC showed that during courtship, A11 signals HVC about female-directed calls and during female-directed singing, about the transition from simpler introductory notes to the acoustically more complex syllables that depend intimately on HVC for their production. These results show how a brain region important to reproduction in both birds and mammals enables holistic courtship displays in male zebra finches, which include learning songs, calls, and other non-vocal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mor Ben-Tov
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, 311 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Fabiola Duarte
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, 311 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Richard Mooney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, 311 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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4
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Simon R, Varkevisser J, Mendoza E, Hochradel K, Elsinga R, Wiersma PG, Middelburg E, Zoeter E, Scharff C, Riebel K, Halfwerk W. RoboFinch: A versatile audio‐visual synchronised robotic bird model for laboratory and field research on songbirds. Methods Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.14063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Simon
- Department of Ecological Science VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Lab Nuremberg Zoo Nuremberg Germany
| | | | - Ezequiel Mendoza
- Department of Animal Behavior, Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Klaus Hochradel
- Institute of Measurement and Sensor Technology UMIT‐Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology GmbH Hall in Tirol Austria
| | - Rogier Elsinga
- Department of Ecological Science VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Peter G. Wiersma
- Department of Ecological Science VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Esmee Middelburg
- Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Eva Zoeter
- Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Constance Scharff
- Department of Animal Behavior, Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
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5
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Giret N, Rolland M, Del Negro C. Multisensory processes in birds: from single neurons to the influence of social interactions and sensory loss. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104942. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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6
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Coss DA, Ryan MJ, Page RA, Hunter KL, Taylor RC. Can you hear/see me? Multisensory integration of signals does not always facilitate mate choice. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Females of many species choose mates using multiple sensory modalities. Multimodal noise may arise, however, in dense aggregations of animals communicating via multiple sensory modalities. Some evidence suggests multimodal signals may not always improve receiver decision-making performance. When sensory systems process input from multimodal signal sources, multimodal noise may arise and potentially complicate decision-making due to the demands on cognitive integration tasks. We tested female túngara frog, Physalaemus (=Engystomops) pustulosus, responses to male mating signals in noise from multiple sensory modalities (acoustic and visual). Noise treatments were partitioned into three categories: acoustic, visual, and multimodal. We used natural calls from conspecifics and heterospecifics for acoustic noise. Robotic frogs were employed as either visual signal components (synchronous vocal sac inflation with call) or visual noise (asynchronous vocal sac inflation with call). Females expressed a preference for the typically more attractive call in the presence of unimodal noise. However, during multimodal signal and noise treatments (robofrogs employed with background noise), females failed to express a preference for the typically attractive call in the presence of conspecific chorus noise. We found that social context and temporal synchrony of multimodal signaling components are important for multimodal communication. Our results demonstrate that multimodal signals have the potential to increase the complexity of the sensory scene and reduce the efficacy of female decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek A Coss
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University , Salisbury, MD 21801 , USA
| | - Michael J Ryan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712 , USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Apartado 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón , Republic of Panama
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Apartado 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón , Republic of Panama
| | - Kimberly L Hunter
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University , Salisbury, MD 21801 , USA
| | - Ryan C Taylor
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University , Salisbury, MD 21801 , USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Apartado 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón , Republic of Panama
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7
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A juvenile locomotor program promotes vocal learning in zebra finches. Commun Biol 2022; 5:573. [PMID: 35689094 PMCID: PMC9187677 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03533-3] [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: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution and development of complex, learned motor skills are thought to be closely associated with other locomotor movement and cognitive functions. However, it remains largely unknown how different neuromuscular programs may interconnect during the protracted developmental process. Here we use a songbird to examine the behavioral and neural substrates between the development of locomotor movement and vocal-motor learning. Juvenile songbirds escalate their locomotor activity during the sensitive period for vocal learning, followed by a surge of vocal practice. Individual variability of locomotor production is positively correlated with precision of tutor imitation and duration of multi-syllable sequences. Manipulation of juvenile locomotion significantly impacts the precision of vocal imitation and neural plasticity. The locomotor program developed during the sensitive period of vocal learning may enrich the neural substrates that promote the subsequent development of vocal learning. Increased movement is associated with improved vocal activity in young zebra finches, while reducing locomotion leads to poor vocal learning. These results suggest that exercise in juvenile birds may actually promote their ability to learn and produce songs.
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8
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9
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Zanoli A, Gamba M, Lemasson A, Norscia I, Palagi E. Inter-sexual multimodal communication during mating in wild geladas: the leading role of females. Curr Zool 2021; 68:570-580. [PMID: 36324533 PMCID: PMC9616067 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab093] [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: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Female primates can emit vocalizations associated with mating that can function as honest signals of fertility. Here, we investigated the role of mating calls and visual signals in female geladas (Theropithecus gelada). Because females have a central role in the gelada society and seem to solicit sexual interactions, we answered whether they emit vocalizations in conjunction with gazing to increase mating success probability. Before and during copulations, females can emit pre-copulation calls and copulation calls. For the first time, we identified a new female vocalization emitted at the final stage of copulations (end-copulation call), possibly marking the occurrence of ejaculation. We found that longer pre-copulation call sequences were followed by both prolonged copulations and the presence of end-copulation calls, thus suggesting that females use pre-copulation calls to ensure successful copula completion. Moreover, we found that different combinations of female vocal types and gazing had different effects on male vocal behavior and motivation to complete the copula. The analysis of the vocal and visual signals revealed a complex inter-sexual multimodal chattering with the leading role of females in the signal exchange. Such chattering, led by females, modulates male sexual arousal, thus increasing the probability of the copula success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zanoli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino 10123, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino 10123, Italy
| | - Alban Lemasson
- University of Rennes, University of Normandie, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine), 263 Av. Général Leclerc, Rennes 35700, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 1 Rue Descartes, Paris 75005, France
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino 10123, Italy
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, Calci (Pisa) 56011, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, Calci (Pisa) 56011, Italy
- Department of Biology, Unit of Ethology, University of Pisa Via Alessandro Volta 6, Pisa 50126, Italy
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10
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Ota N, Gahr M. Context‐sensitive dance–vocal displays affect song patterns and partner responses in a socially monogamous songbird. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nao Ota
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
- JSPS Overseas Research Fellow Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Tokyo Japan
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
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11
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12
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James LS, Halfwerk W, Hunter KL, Page RA, Taylor RC, Wilson PS, Ryan MJ. Covariation among multimodal components in the courtship display of the túngara frog. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269203. [PMID: 34142696 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.241661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Communication systems often include a variety of components, including those that span modalities, which may facilitate detection and decision-making. For example, female túngara frogs and fringe-lipped bats generally rely on acoustic mating signals to find male túngara frogs in a mating or foraging context, respectively. However, two additional cues (vocal sac inflation and water ripples) can enhance detection and choice behavior. To date, we do not know the natural variation and covariation of these three components. To address this, we made detailed recordings of calling males, including call amplitude, vocal sac volume and water ripple height, in 54 frogs (2430 calls). We found that all three measures correlated, with the strongest association between the vocal sac volume and call amplitude. We also found that multimodal models predicted the mass of calling males better than unimodal models. These results demonstrate how multimodal components of a communication system relate to each other and provide an important foundation for future studies on how receivers integrate and compare complex displays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan S James
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Kimberly L Hunter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD 21801, USA
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
| | - Ryan C Taylor
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá.,Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD 21801, USA
| | - Preston S Wilson
- Applied Research Laboratories and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78713, USA
| | - Michael J Ryan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
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13
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Veit L, Tian LY, Monroy Hernandez CJ, Brainard MS. Songbirds can learn flexible contextual control over syllable sequencing. eLife 2021; 10:61610. [PMID: 34060473 PMCID: PMC8169114 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The flexible control of sequential behavior is a fundamental aspect of speech, enabling endless reordering of a limited set of learned vocal elements (syllables or words). Songbirds are phylogenetically distant from humans but share both the capacity for vocal learning and neural circuitry for vocal control that includes direct pallial-brainstem projections. Based on these similarities, we hypothesized that songbirds might likewise be able to learn flexible, moment-by-moment control over vocalizations. Here, we demonstrate that Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata domestica), which sing variable syllable sequences, can learn to rapidly modify the probability of specific sequences (e.g. ‘ab-c’ versus ‘ab-d’) in response to arbitrary visual cues. Moreover, once learned, this modulation of sequencing occurs immediately following changes in contextual cues and persists without external reinforcement. Our findings reveal a capacity in songbirds for learned contextual control over syllable sequencing that parallels human cognitive control over syllable sequencing in speech. Human speech and birdsong share numerous parallels. Both humans and birds learn their vocalizations during critical phases early in life, and both learn by imitating adults. Moreover, both humans and songbirds possess specific circuits in the brain that connect the forebrain to midbrain vocal centers. Humans can flexibly control what they say and how by reordering a fixed set of syllables into endless combinations, an ability critical to human speech and language. Birdsongs also vary depending on their context, and melodies to seduce a mate will be different from aggressive songs to warn other males to stay away. However, so far it was unclear whether songbirds are also capable of modifying songs independent of social or other naturally relevant contexts. To test whether birds can control their songs in a purposeful way, Veit et al. trained adult male Bengalese finches to change the sequence of their songs in response to random colored lights that had no natural meaning to the birds. A specific computer program was used to detect different variations on a theme that the bird naturally produced (for example, “ab-c” versus “ab-d”), and rewarded birds for singing one sequence when the light was yellow, and the other when it was green. Gradually, the finches learned to modify their songs and were able to switch between the appropriate sequences as soon as the light cues changed. This ability persisted for days, even without any further training. This suggests that songbirds can learn to flexibly and purposefully modify the way in which they sequence the notes in their songs, in a manner that parallels how humans control syllable sequencing in speech. Moreover, birds can learn to do this ‘on command’ in response to an arbitrarily chosen signal, even if it is not something that would impact their song in nature. Songbirds are an important model to study brain circuits involved in vocal learning. They are one of the few animals that, like humans, learn their vocalizations by imitating conspecifics. The finding that they can also flexibly control vocalizations may help shed light on the interactions between cognitive processing and sophisticated vocal learning abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Veit
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lucas Y Tian
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Christian J Monroy Hernandez
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Michael S Brainard
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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14
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Do female zebra finches prefer males exhibiting greater plasticity in foraging tactic use? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02886-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Ota N. Tap dancers in the wild: field observations of multimodal courtship displays in socially monogamous songbirds. Naturwissenschaften 2020; 107:30. [PMID: 32686019 PMCID: PMC7369261 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-020-01686-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Multimodal signaling systems are shaped not only by a signaler’s physical abilities but also by external factors such as the position of signal receivers and the properties of the medium through which the signals are transmitted. To fully understand the evolution and function of multimodal communication, it is essential to investigate the behavior in the wild. Here, I present evidence that socially monogamous songbirds perform complex courtship displays that can produce multimodal and multicomponent signals in wild conditions. Cordon-bleus (Uraeginthus spp.) are socially monogamous songbirds from East Africa. Both sexes of cordon-bleus perform multimodal courtship displays by holding a piece of nest material, bobbing up and down, and singing. My previous laboratory study using high-speed video cameras revealed that courtship bobbing includes multiple rapid steps similar to human tap-dancing, which presumably contributes to producing non-vocal sounds and/or vibrations in addition to visual signals. As a result of field observation and behavioral analysis, I found that wild cordon-bleus perform tap-dance like displays just as captive cordon-bleus. I also observed that wild cordon-bleus produced non-vocal sounds and shook branches during courtship, which can contribute to multimodal signal production (i.e., visual, acoustic, and vibrational signals). My findings imply that the courtship displays of cordon-bleus are an ideal candidate for investigating the role and function of multimodal communication in animals, and demonstrate the importance of further quantitative studies in both laboratory and field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nao Ota
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany. .,JSPS Overseas Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
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16
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Wolf W, Tomasello M. Visually attending to a video together facilitates great ape social closeness. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190488. [PMID: 31311469 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans create social closeness with one another through a variety of shared social activities in which they align their emotions or mental states towards an external stimulus such as dancing to music together, playing board games together or even engaging in minimal shared experiences such as watching a movie together. Although these specific behaviours would seem to be uniquely human, it is unclear whether the underlying psychology is unique to the species, or if other species might possess some form of this psychological mechanism as well. Here we show that great apes who have visually attended to a video together with a human (study 1) and a conspecific (study 2) subsequently approach that individual faster (study 1) or spend more time in their proximity (study 2) than when they had attended to something different. Our results suggest that one of the most basic mechanisms of human social bonding-feeling closer to those with whom we act or attend together-is present in both humans and great apes, and thus has deeper evolutionary roots than previously suspected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter Wolf
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Tomasello
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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17
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Gustison ML, Borjon JI, Takahashi DY, Ghazanfar AA. Vocal and locomotor coordination develops in association with the autonomic nervous system. eLife 2019; 8:e41853. [PMID: 31310236 PMCID: PMC6684270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult animals, movement and vocalizations are coordinated, sometimes facilitating, and at other times inhibiting, each other. What is missing is how these different domains of motor control become coordinated over the course of development. We investigated how postural-locomotor behaviors may influence vocal development, and the role played by physiological arousal during their interactions. Using infant marmoset monkeys, we densely sampled vocal, postural and locomotor behaviors and estimated arousal fluctuations from electrocardiographic measures of heart rate. We found that vocalizations matured sooner than postural and locomotor skills, and that vocal-locomotor coordination improved with age and during elevated arousal levels. These results suggest that postural-locomotor maturity is not required for vocal development to occur, and that infants gradually improve coordination between vocalizations and body movement through a process that may be facilitated by arousal level changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Gustison
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jeremy I Borjon
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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18
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Soma M, Iwama M, Nakajima R, Endo R. Early-life lessons of the courtship dance in a dance-duetting songbird, the Java sparrow. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190563. [PMID: 31312504 PMCID: PMC6599803 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Vocal learners, such as songbirds, must practise singing in a developmentally sensitive period to master songs. Yet, knowledge remains limited about the development of visual displays in birds, even when courtship includes well-coordinated vocalizations (songs) and body motions. The Java sparrow (Lonchura oryzivora) is a species of songbird that exhibits a courtship duet dancing exchange between the sexes, with this behaviour driving mating success. In this study, juvenile male Java sparrows were observed in captivity, showing that they repeatedly practise the courtship dance in their early life. We called it 'practice', as juvenile birds frequently dance towards family members or other juveniles well before sexual maturation. Based on our observation that dance motor performance increased with age, we propose that the practice is needed for motor learning. In addition, it could also be important for establishing vocal-motional coordination or socialization. Older juveniles gradually became capable of singing and dancing simultaneously, and participated in duet dancing more often. We also found that repeated encounters with the same individual promote dance movement. Though our results do not show how much social experiences account for the development of dance communication, early-life dance practising might influence future reproductive success, like song practising does.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayo Soma
- Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Midori Iwama
- Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ryoko Nakajima
- Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Rika Endo
- Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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19
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Halfwerk W, Varkevisser J, Simon R, Mendoza E, Scharff C, Riebel K. Toward Testing for Multimodal Perception of Mating Signals. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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The Genetics of Mating Song Evolution Underlying Rapid Speciation: Linking Quantitative Variation to Candidate Genes for Behavioral Isolation. Genetics 2019; 211:1089-1104. [PMID: 30647070 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.301706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in mating behaviors evolve early during speciation, eventually contributing to reproductive barriers between species. Knowledge of the genetic and genomic basis of these behaviors is therefore integral to a causal understanding of speciation. Acoustic behaviors are often part of the mating ritual in animal species. The temporal rhythms of mating songs are notably species-specific in many vertebrates and arthropods and often underlie assortative mating. Despite discoveries of mutations that disrupt the temporal rhythm of these songs, we know surprisingly little about genes affecting naturally occurring variation in the temporal pattern of singing behavior. In the rapidly speciating Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala, the striking species variation in song rhythms constitutes a behavioral barrier to reproduction between species. Here, we mapped the largest-effect locus underlying interspecific variation in song rhythm between two Laupala species to a narrow genomic region, wherein we find no known candidate genes affecting song temporal rhythm in Drosophila Whole-genome sequencing, gene prediction, and functional annotation of this region reveal an exciting and promising candidate gene, the putative cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel-like gene, for natural variation in mating behavior. Identification and molecular characterization of the candidate gene reveals a nonsynonymous mutation in a conserved binding domain, suggesting that ion channels are important targets of selection on rhythmic signaling during establishment of behavioral isolation and rapid speciation.
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21
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Feenders G, Klump GM. Violation of the Unity Assumption Disrupts Temporal Ventriloquism Effect in Starlings. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1386. [PMID: 30154744 PMCID: PMC6102397 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When stimuli from different sensory modalities are received, they may be combined by the brain to form a multisensory percept. One key mechanism for multisensory binding is the unity assumption under which multisensory stimuli that share certain physical properties like temporal and/or spatial correspondence are grouped together as deriving from one object. In humans, evidence for a role of the unity assumption has been found in spatial tasks and also in temporal tasks using stimuli that share physical properties (speech-related stimuli, musical and synesthetically congruent stimuli). In our study, we investigate the role of the unity assumption in an animal model in a temporal order judgment task. When subjects are asked to indicate which of two spatially separated visual stimuli appeared first in time, performance improves when the visual stimuli are paired (in time) with spatially non-informative acoustic cues, a phenomenon known as the temporal ventriloquism effect. Here, we show that European starlings perform better when one singleton acoustic cue is paired with the first visual stimulus as compared to pairing with the second visual stimulus. This shows, in combination with our previous study, that a non-informative singleton acoustic cue, when temporally paired with the first visual stimulus, triggers alerting while, when temporally pairing with the second visual stimulus, it prevents a temporal ventriloquism effect because the unity assumption is violated. Thus, the unity assumption influences sensory perception not only in humans but also in an animal model. The importance of the unity assumption in this task supports the idea that the temporal ventriloquism effect, similar to the spatial ventriloquism effect, is based on multisensory binding and integration but not on alerting effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Feenders
- Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Animal Physiology and Behaviour Group, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Georg M Klump
- Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Animal Physiology and Behaviour Group, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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22
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Animal choreography of song and dance: a case study in the Montezuma oropendola, Psarocolius montezuma. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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23
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Soma M, Garamszegi LZ. Evolution of patterned plumage as a sexual signal in estrildid finches. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, c/Americo Vespucio, Seville, Spain
- MTA-ELTE, Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, Hungary
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24
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Laurijssen D, Verreycken E, Geipel I, Daems W, Peremans H, Steckel J. Low-cost synchronization of high-speed audio and video recordings in bio-acoustic experiments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.173724. [PMID: 29361603 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.173724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a method for synchronizing high-speed audio and video recordings of bio-acoustic experiments. By embedding a random signal into the recorded video and audio data, robust synchronization of a diverse set of sensor streams can be performed without the need to keep detailed records. The synchronization can be performed using recording devices without dedicated synchronization inputs. We demonstrate the efficacy of the approach in two sets of experiments: behavioral experiments on different species of echolocating bats and the recordings of field crickets. We present the general operating principle of the synchronization method, discuss its synchronization strength and provide insights into how to construct such a device using off-the-shelf components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Laurijssen
- CoSys Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erik Verreycken
- CoSys Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Inga Geipel
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, 14193 Berlin, Germany
| | - Walter Daems
- CoSys Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herbert Peremans
- APL, FTEW-ENM department, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan Steckel
- CoSys Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium .,Flanders Make Strategic Research Centre, 3920 Lommel, Belgium
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25
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Merrill L, Naylor MF, Dalimonte M, McLaughlin S, Stewart TE, Grindstaff JL. Early-life immune activation increases song complexity and alters phenotypic associations between sexual ornaments. Funct Ecol 2017; 31:2263-2273. [PMID: 29398763 PMCID: PMC5792086 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Early-life adversity can have long-lasting effects on physiological, behavioural, cognitive, and somatic processes. Consequently, these effects may alter an organism's life-history strategy and reproductive tactics.In response to early-life immune activation, we quantified levels of the acute phase protein haptoglobin (Hp) during development in male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Then, we examined the long-term impacts of early-life immune activation on an important static sexual signal, song complexity, as well as effects of early-life immune activation on the relationship between song complexity and a dynamic sexual signal, beak colouration. Finally, we performed mate-choice trials to determine if male early-life experience impacted female preference.Challenge with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) resulted in increased song complexity compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment or the control. Hp levels were inversely correlated with song complexity. Moreover, KLH-treatment resulted in negative associations between the two sexual signals (beak colouration and song complexity). Females demonstrated some preference for KLH-treated males over controls and for control males over LPS-treated males in mate choice trials.Developmental immune activation has variable effects on the expression of secondary sexual traits in adulthood, including enhancing the expression of some traits. Because developmental levels of Hp and adult song complexity were correlated, future studies should explore a potential role for exposure to inflammation during development on song learning.Early-life adversity may differentially impact static versus dynamic signals. The use of phenotypic correlations can be a powerful tool for examining the impact of early-life experience on the associations among different traits, including sexual signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren Merrill
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Madeleine F. Naylor
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Merria Dalimonte
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Sean McLaughlin
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Tara E. Stewart
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
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26
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Hyland Bruno J, Tchernichovski O. Regularities in zebra finch song beyond the repeated motif. Behav Processes 2017; 163:53-59. [PMID: 29122641 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The proliferation of birdsong research into the neural mechanisms of vocal learning is indebted to the remarkable stereotypy of the zebra finch's song motif. Motifs are composed of several syllables, which birds learn to produce in a fixed order. But at a higher level of organization-the bout-zebra finch song is no longer stereotyped. Song bouts include several repetitions of the motif, which are often linked by a variable number of short "connector" vocalizations. In this conceptual methods paper, we show that combinatorial analysis alone yields an incomplete description of this bout-level structure. In contrast, studying birdsong as a time-varying analog signal can reveal patterns of flexibility in the rhythmic organization of song bouts. Visualizing large song-samples in sorted raster plots shows that motifs are strung together via two distinct categories of connections: tight or loose. Loose connections allow considerable timing variation across renditions. Even among co-tutored birds that acquired similar motifs, we observe strong individual variability in rhythms and temporal plasticity of song bouts. These findings suggest that vocal flexibility could potentially allow individuals to express a variety of behavioral states through their songs, even in species that sing only a single stereotyped motif.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hyland Bruno
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, HN 621, New York, NY 10065, USA; Psychology PhD Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ofer Tchernichovski
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, HN 621, New York, NY 10065, USA; Psychology PhD Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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27
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Paterson AK, Bottjer SW. Cortical inter-hemispheric circuits for multimodal vocal learning in songbirds. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:3312-3340. [PMID: 28681379 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Vocal learning in songbirds and humans is strongly influenced by social interactions based on sensory inputs from several modalities. Songbird vocal learning is mediated by cortico-basal ganglia circuits that include the SHELL region of lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN), but little is known concerning neural pathways that could integrate multimodal sensory information with SHELL circuitry. In addition, cortical pathways that mediate the precise coordination between hemispheres required for song production have been little studied. In order to identify candidate mechanisms for multimodal sensory integration and bilateral coordination for vocal learning in zebra finches, we investigated the anatomical organization of two regions that receive input from SHELL: the dorsal caudolateral nidopallium (dNCLSHELL ) and a region within the ventral arcopallium (Av). Anterograde and retrograde tracing experiments revealed a topographically organized inter-hemispheric circuit: SHELL and dNCLSHELL , as well as adjacent nidopallial areas, send axonal projections to ipsilateral Av; Av in turn projects to contralateral SHELL, dNCLSHELL , and regions of nidopallium adjacent to each. Av on each side also projects directly to contralateral Av. dNCLSHELL and Av each integrate inputs from ipsilateral SHELL with inputs from sensory regions in surrounding nidopallium, suggesting that they function to integrate multimodal sensory information with song-related responses within LMAN-SHELL during vocal learning. Av projections share this integrated information from the ipsilateral hemisphere with contralateral sensory and song-learning regions. Our results suggest that the inter-hemispheric pathway through Av may function to integrate multimodal sensory feedback with vocal-learning circuitry and coordinate bilateral vocal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Paterson
- Program in Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sarah W Bottjer
- Section of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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28
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Gomes ACR, Funghi C, Soma M, Sorenson MD, Cardoso GC. Multimodal signalling in estrildid finches: song, dance and colour are associated with different ecological and life‐history traits. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1336-1346. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. C. R. Gomes
- CIBIO – Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Campus Agrário de Vairão Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
| | - C. Funghi
- CIBIO – Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Campus Agrário de Vairão Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
| | - M. Soma
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science Hokkaido University Sapporo Hokkaido Japan
| | | | - G. C. Cardoso
- CIBIO – Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Campus Agrário de Vairão Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Biology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Ø Denmark
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29
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Abstract
Mutual interactions between sexes have multiple signalling functions. Duet singing in songbirds is related to mutual mate guarding, joint resource defence, and signalling commitment. Coordinated visual displays of mating pairs are thought to perform similar functions, but are less well understood. The current study evaluated mutual interactions in an Estrildid species to explore the relative importance of duet dancing and male singing in mating success of pairs in a first encounter. When Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) court prospective mates, only males sing. However, both males and females perform courtship dances, often in a duet-like manner. These dances are typically terminated by female copulation solicitation displays (CSDs). In the current study, we observed higher mating success when courtship dances were mutually exchanged, and when males sang. However, the sex initiating the courtship did not affect mating success. Most females produced CSDs after duet dancing but before hearing the entire song, indicating that duet dancing played a crucial role in mating. This finding highlights an unexplored aspect of duetting behaviour in the process of mutual mate choice. These results conflict with the majority of past songbird research, which has interpreted songs as primary behavioural sexual signals.
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30
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Prather JF, Okanoya K, Bolhuis JJ. Brains for birds and babies: Neural parallels between birdsong and speech acquisition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 81:225-237. [PMID: 28087242 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Revised: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Language as a computational cognitive mechanism appears to be unique to the human species. However, there are remarkable behavioral similarities between song learning in songbirds and speech acquisition in human infants that are absent in non-human primates. Here we review important neural parallels between birdsong and speech. In both cases there are separate but continually interacting neural networks that underlie vocal production, sensorimotor learning, and auditory perception and memory. As in the case of human speech, neural activity related to birdsong learning is lateralized, and mirror neurons linking perception and performance may contribute to sensorimotor learning. In songbirds that are learning their songs, there is continual interaction between secondary auditory regions and sensorimotor regions, similar to the interaction between Wernicke's and Broca's areas in human infants acquiring speech and language. Taken together, song learning in birds and speech acquisition in humans may provide useful insights into the evolution and mechanisms of auditory-vocal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan F Prather
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Wyoming, USA.
| | - Kazuo Okanoya
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Johan J Bolhuis
- Cognitive Neurobiology and Helmholtz Institute, Departments of Psychology and Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Zoology and St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, UK
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31
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Hormonal Responses to a Potential Mate in Male Birds. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1001:137-149. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-3975-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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32
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Norton P, Scharff C. "Bird Song Metronomics": Isochronous Organization of Zebra Finch Song Rhythm. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:309. [PMID: 27458334 PMCID: PMC4934119 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human capacity for speech and vocal music depends on vocal imitation. Songbirds, in contrast to non-human primates, share this vocal production learning with humans. The process through which birds and humans learn many of their vocalizations as well as the underlying neural system exhibit a number of striking parallels and have been widely researched. In contrast, rhythm, a key feature of language, and music, has received surprisingly little attention in songbirds. Investigating temporal periodicity in bird song has the potential to inform the relationship between neural mechanisms and behavioral output and can also provide insight into the biology and evolution of musicality. Here we present a method to analyze birdsong for an underlying rhythmic regularity. Using the intervals from one note onset to the next as input, we found for each bird an isochronous sequence of time stamps, a “signal-derived pulse,” or pulseS, of which a subset aligned with all note onsets of the bird's song. Fourier analysis corroborated these results. To determine whether this finding was just a byproduct of the duration of notes and intervals typical for zebra finches but not dependent on the individual duration of elements and the sequence in which they are sung, we compared natural songs to models of artificial songs. Note onsets of natural song deviated from the pulseS significantly less than those of artificial songs with randomized note and gap durations. Thus, male zebra finch song has the regularity required for a listener to extract a perceived pulse (pulseP), as yet untested. Strikingly, in our study, pulsesS that best fit note onsets often also coincided with the transitions between sub-note elements within complex notes, corresponding to neuromuscular gestures. Gesture durations often equaled one or more pulseS periods. This suggests that gesture duration constitutes the basic element of the temporal hierarchy of zebra finch song rhythm, an interesting parallel to the hierarchically structured components of regular rhythms in human music.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Norton
- AG Verhaltensbiologie, Freie Universität Berlin Berlin, Germany
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