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Chiappone M, Rodriguez-Saltos C, Legendre LJ, Li Z, Clarke J. Ostrich (Struthio camelus) syrinx morphology and vocal repertoire across postnatal ontogeny and sex: Implications for understanding vocal evolution in birds. J Anat 2024; 244:541-556. [PMID: 38055909 PMCID: PMC10941561 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13992] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal production in birds has been the target of considerable research that mostly has focused on phylogenetically well-nested songbirds. Anatomical descriptions and recordings of many non-songbirds have often only focused on a single ontogenetic stage or sex. While basic morphology of the vocal organ (syrinx) of ostrich (Palaeognathae, Struthio camelus) has been known since the 1800s, descriptions of its vocal repertoire and syrinx anatomy since then have been incomplete or inconsistent. New toolkits now enable detailed qualitative description of internal anatomy and meristic data and allow it to be compared to vocal production. Here we describe the anatomy of the syrinx in Struthio camelus for three post-hatching ontogenetic stages and both an adult male and female utilizing dissection and contrast enhanced X-ray computed tomography (diceCT). We find changes in ring geometry and spacing through ontogeny as well as lateral labia thickness. We document a small unpaired, midline, cartilaginous structure, a "pessuliform process" at the tracheobronchial juncture present throughout ontogeny and in both males and females. Investigation of the vocal repertoire of ostriches across ontogeny using a new dataset of 77 recordings led to identification of four vocalizations not previously reported in the literature, including the simultaneous production of a hiss and tonal. We find syrinx morphology largely consistent across ontogeny and in male and female adults. Both are capable of producing long duration tonal calls, but these may be more frequent in male birds. Closed-mouth boom calls remain unique to males. A detailed understanding of diversity in parts of early diverging clades is pivotal in attempting to estimate features of the ancestral syrinx in birds and how avian vocalization evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Chiappone
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Saltos
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lucas J Legendre
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Zhiheng Li
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Julia Clarke
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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2
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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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3
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Bustamante N, Garitano-Zavala Á. Natural Patterns in the Dawn and Dusk Choruses of a Neotropical Songbird in Relation to an Urban Sound Environment. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:646. [PMID: 38396616 PMCID: PMC10886165 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is one of the more important phenomena affecting biodiversity in the Anthropocene. Some organisms can cope with urban challenges, and changes in birds' acoustic communication have been widely studied. Although changes in the timing of the daily organization of acoustic communication have been previously reported, there is a significant gap regarding possible variations in song structure between dawn and dusk choruses. Considering that urbanization imposes different soundscapes for dawn and dusk choruses, we postulate two hypotheses: (i) there are variations in song parameters between dawn and dusk choruses, and (ii) such parameters within the city will vary in response to urban noise. We studied urban and extra-urban populations of Chiguanco Thrush in La Paz, Bolivia, measuring in dawn and dusk choruses: song length; song sound pressure level; minimum, maximum, range and dominant frequency; and the number of songs per individual. The results support our two hypotheses: there were more songs, and songs were louder and had larger band widths at dawn than at dusk in urban and extra-urban populations. Urban Chiguanco Thrushes sing less, the frequency of the entire song rises, and the amplitude increases as compared with extra-urban Chiguanco Thrushes. Understanding variations between dawn and dusk choruses could allow for a better interpretation of how some bird species cope with urban challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Bustamante
- Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz P. O. Box 10077, Bolivia
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4
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Adam I, Riebel K, Stål P, Wood N, Previs MJ, Elemans CPH. Daily vocal exercise is necessary for peak performance singing in a songbird. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7787. [PMID: 38086817 PMCID: PMC10716414 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43592-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal signals, including human speech and birdsong, are produced by complicated, precisely coordinated body movements, whose execution is fitness-determining in resource competition and mate choice. While the acquisition and maintenance of motor skills generally requires practice to develop and maintain both motor circuitry and muscle performance, it is unknown whether vocal muscles, like limb muscles, exhibit exercise-induced plasticity. Here, we show that juvenile and adult zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis) require daily vocal exercise to first gain and subsequently maintain peak vocal muscle performance. Experimentally preventing male birds from singing alters both vocal muscle physiology and vocal performance within days. Furthermore, we find females prefer song of vocally exercised males in choice experiments. Vocal output thus contains information on recent exercise status, and acts as an honest indicator of past exercise investment in songbirds, and possibly in all vocalising vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Adam
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology, Animal Sciences & Health, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Per Stål
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umea University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Neil Wood
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, NJ, USA
| | - Michael J Previs
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, NJ, USA
| | - Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
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5
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Han SM, Land BR, Bass AH, Rice AN. Sound production biomechanics in three-spined toadfish and potential functional consequences of swim bladder morphology in the Batrachoididaea). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:3466-3478. [PMID: 38019096 DOI: 10.1121/10.0022386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between sound complexity and the underlying morphology and physiology of the vocal organ anatomy is a fundamental component in the evolution of acoustic communication, particularly for fishes. Among vertebrates, the mammalian larynx and avian syrinx are the best-studied vocal organs, and their ability to produce complex vocalizations has been modeled. The range and complexity of the sounds in mammalian lineages have been attributed, in part, to the bilateral nature of the vocal anatomy. Similarly, we hypothesize that the bipartite swim bladder of some species of toadfish (family Batrachoididae) is responsible for complex nonlinear characters of the multiple call types that they can produce, supported by nerve transection experiments. Here, we develop a low-dimensional coupled-oscillator model of the mechanics underlying sound production by the two halves of the swim bladder of the three-spined toadfish, Batrachomoeus trispinosus. Our model was able to replicate the nonlinear structure of both courtship and agonistic sounds. The results provide essential support for the hypothesis that fishes and tetrapods have converged in an evolutionary innovation for complex acoustic signaling, namely, a relatively simple bipartite mechanism dependent on sonic muscles contracting around a gas filled structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Min Han
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Bruce R Land
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Aaron N Rice
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
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6
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Osiecka AN, Briefer EF, Kidawa D, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K. Social calls of the little auk ( Alle alle) reflect body size and possibly partnership, but not sex. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230845. [PMID: 37736531 PMCID: PMC10509585 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Source-filter theory posits that an individual's size and vocal tract length are reflected in the parameters of their calls. In species that mate assortatively, this could result in vocal similarity. In the context of mate selection, this would mean that animals could listen in to find a partner that sounds-and therefore is-similar to them. We investigated the social calls of the little auk (Alle alle), a highly vocal seabird mating assortatively, using vocalizations produced inside 15 nests by known individuals. Source- and filter-related acoustic parameters were used in linear mixed models testing the possible impact of body size. A principal component analysis followed by a permuted discriminant function analysis tested the effect of sex. Additionally, randomization procedures tested whether partners are more vocally similar than random birds. There was a significant effect of size on the mean fundamental frequency of a simple call, but not on parameters of a multisyllable call with apparent formants. Neither sex nor partnership influenced the calls-there was, however, a tendency to match certain parameters between partners. This indicates that vocal cues are at best weak indicators of size, and other factors likely play a role in mate selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N. Osiecka
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elodie F. Briefer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dorota Kidawa
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
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7
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Griffiths CS, Aaronson NL. Analysis of vocal communication in the genus Falco. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1846. [PMID: 36726013 PMCID: PMC9892567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27716-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal learning occurs in three clades of birds: hummingbirds, parrots, and songbirds. Examining vocal communication within the Falconiformes (sister taxon to the parrot/songbird clade) may offer information in understanding the evolution of vocal learning. Falcons are considered non-vocal learners and variation in vocalization may only be the result of variation in anatomical structure, with size as the major factor. We measured syringes in seven Falco species in the collection at the American Museum of Natural History and compiled data on weight, wing length, and tail length. Audio recordings were downloaded from several libraries and the peak frequency and frequency slope per harmonic number, number of notes in each syllable, number of notes per second, duration of each note, and inter-note duration was measured. Mass, wing length, and syringeal measurements were strongly, positively correlated, and maximum frequency is strongly, negatively correlated with the size. Frequency slope also correlates with size, although not as strongly. Both note and inter-note length vary significantly among the seven species, and this variation is not correlated with size. Maximum frequency and frequency slope can be used to identify species, with the possibility that bird sounds could be used to identify species in the field in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole S Griffiths
- LIU Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA. .,Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
| | - Neil L Aaronson
- Physics Program, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, 08205, USA
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8
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Méndez JM, Dukes J, Cooper BG. Preparing to sing: respiratory patterns underlying motor readiness for song. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:1646-1662. [PMID: 36416416 PMCID: PMC9762977 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00551.2021] [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: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence for motor preparation and planning comes from neural activity preceding neural commands to activate the effectors; such preparatory activity is observed in pallial areas controlling learned motor behaviors. Vocal learning in songbirds is an example of a learned, sequential motor behavior that is a respiratory motor act and where there is evidence for neuromuscular planning. Respiration is the foundation of vocalization, elucidating the neural control of song motor planning requires studying respiratory antecedents of song initiation. Despite the importance of respiration in song production, few studies have investigated respiratory antecedents of impending vocalizations. Therefore, we investigated respiratory patterns in male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata domestica) prior to, during, and following song bouts. In both species, compared with quiet respiration, song respiratory patterns were generated with higher amplitude, faster tempo, and ∼70% of the respiratory cycle is in the expiratory phase. In female-directed and isolation song, both species show a change in the respiratory tempo and the proportion of time spent inhaling prior to song. Following song, only zebra finches show systematic changes in respiratory patterns; they spend a greater proportion of the respiratory cycle in the expiratory phase for 1 s after song, which is likely due to hyperventilation during song. Accelerated respiratory rhythms before song may reflect the motor preparation for the upcoming song production; species differences in preparatory motor activity could be related to the degree to which motor planning is required; finally, song termination may be dictated by respiratory demands.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Motor planning for vocal production in birdsong manifests as an adaptation of respiratory characteristics prior to song. The songbird's respiratory system anticipates the upcoming song production by accelerating the respiratory tempo and increasing the proportion of time spent inhaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge M Méndez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota
| | - Jacqueline Dukes
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
| | - Brenton G Cooper
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
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9
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Woods RD, Swaddle JP, Bearhop S, Colhoun K, Gaze WH, Kay SM, McDonald RA. A Sonic Net deters European starlings
Sturnus vulgaris
from maize silage stores. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard D. Woods
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter, Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - John P. Swaddle
- Institute for Integrative Conservation William & Mary Williamsburg VA 23187 USA
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter, Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Kendrew Colhoun
- KRC Ecological Ltd. 33 Hilltown Road, Bryansford Northern Ireland BT33 0PZ UK
| | - William H. Gaze
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health University of Exeter, Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Suzanne M. Kay
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter, Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Robbie A. McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter, Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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10
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Marcolin F, Cardoso GC, Bento D, Reino L, Santana J. Body size and sexual selection shaped the evolution of parrot calls. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:439-450. [PMID: 35147264 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Morphology, habitat and various selective pressures (e.g., social and sexual selection) can influence the evolution of acoustic signals, but the relative importance of their effects is not well understood. The order Psittaciformes (parrots, sensu lato) is a large clade of very vocal and often gregarious species for which large-scale comparative studies of vocalizations are lacking. We measured acoustic traits (duration, sound frequency, frequency bandwidth and sound entropy) of the predominant call type for >200 parrot species to test: (1) for associations with body size; (2) the acoustic adaptation hypothesis (predicting differences between forest and open-habitat species); (3) the social complexity hypothesis (predicting more complex calls in gregarious species); and (4) influences of sexual selection (predicting correlated evolution with colour ornamentation). Larger species had on average longer calls, lower sound frequency and wider frequency bandwidth. These associations with body size are all predicted by physical principles of sound production. We found no evidence for the acoustic adaptation and social complexity hypotheses, but perhaps social complexity is associated with vocal traits not studied here, such as call repertoire sizes. More sexually dichromatic species had on average simpler calls (shorter, with lower entropy and narrower frequency bandwidth) indicating an influence of sexual selection, namely an evolutionary negative correlation between colour ornamentation and elaborate acoustic signals, as predicted by the transference hypothesis. Our study is the first large-scale attempt at understanding acoustic diversity across the Psittaciformes, and indicates that body size and sexual selection influenced the evolution of species differences in vocal signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Marcolin
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, P-1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo C Cardoso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Daniel Bento
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís Reino
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Santana
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
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12
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Duque FG, Carruth LL. Vocal Communication in Hummingbirds. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2022; 97:241-252. [PMID: 35073546 DOI: 10.1159/000522148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hummingbirds exhibit complex vocal repertoires that they use in their social interactions. Furthermore, they are capable of vocal production learning, an ability they share with songbirds, parrots, some non-oscine birds, and some mammals including humans. Despite these characteristics, hummingbirds have not received the same attention as other birds, especially songbirds and parrots, in the study of vocal communication. Recent studies are advancing our knowledge of vocal communication in hummingbirds showing that these birds exhibit complex social learning and extraordinary abilities for vocal production. Moreover, vocal production learning in hummingbirds provides opportunities to study the evolution and diversification of vocal signals because of the presence of dialects in some species. In addition, the presence of high-frequency vocalizations in some hummingbirds underscores the relevance of these birds to study the evolution of communication signals and sensory adaptations. Not only do some species vocalize at unusually high frequencies compared to other birds, but evidence also shows that at least one hummingbird species can hear these sounds, defying what we knew about avian hearing capabilities. Detailed descriptions of the hummingbird syrinx have shown that this organ exhibits homologous structures to those found in the syrinx of oscines, showing that vocal complexity in hummingbirds requires complex syringeal musculature. However, more research is needed to determine whether hummingbirds have unique adaptations that confer exceptional vocal and hearing abilities exceeding those found in other groups of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda G Duque
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Biology Department, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Laura L Carruth
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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13
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Miller EH, Kostoglou KN, Wilson DR, Weston MA. Anatomy of avian distress calls: structure, variation, and complexity in two species of shorebird (Aves: Charadrii). BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Birds often vocalize when threatened or captured by a predator. We present detailed qualitative analyses of calls from 24 red-capped plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) and 117 masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) chicks (Charadriidae) that we recorded during handling. Calls were structurally complex and differed between species. Calls showed moderate structure at higher levels of organization (e.g., similarity between successive calls; sequential grading). Some call characteristics resembled those in other bird species in similar circumstances (e.g., in nonlinear phenomena). Most calls consisted of several different parts, which combined in different ways across calls. Past studies have overlooked most features of distress calls and calling in charadriids due to small sample sizes and limited spectrographic analyses. Understanding interspecific patterns in call structure, and determination of call functions, will require: detailed knowledge of natural history; detailed behavioural descriptions, acoustic analysis, and analyses of development and growth; and experimental investigations of call functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward H. Miller
- Biology Department, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1C 5S7
| | - Kristal N. Kostoglou
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - David R. Wilson
- Psychology Department, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1C 5S7
| | - Michael A. Weston
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
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14
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James LS, Taylor RC, Hunter KL, Ryan MJ. Evolutionary and Allometric Insights into Anuran Auditory Sensitivity and Morphology. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 97:140-150. [PMID: 34864726 DOI: 10.1159/000521309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As species change through evolutionary time, the neurological and morphological structures that underlie behavioral systems typically remain coordinated. This is especially important for communication systems, in which these structures must remain coordinated both within and between senders and receivers for successful information transfer. The acoustic communication of anurans ("frogs") offers an excellent system to ask when and how such coordination is maintained, and to allow researchers to dissociate allometric effects from independent correlated evolution. Anurans constitute one of the most speciose groups of vocalizing vertebrates, and females typically rely on vocalizations to localize males for reproduction. Here, we compile and compare data on various aspects of auditory morphology, hearing sensitivity, and call-dominant frequency across 81 species of anurans. We find robust, phylogenetically independent scaling effects of body size for all features measured. Furthermore, after accounting for body size, we find preliminary evidence that morphological evolution beyond allometry can correlate with hearing sensitivity and dominant frequency. These data provide foundational results regarding constraints imposed by body size on communication systems and motivate further data collection and analysis using comparative approaches across the numerous anuran species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan S James
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
| | - Ryan C Taylor
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland, USA
| | - Kimberly L Hunter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael J Ryan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA,
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama,
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15
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Adam I, Maxwell A, Rößler H, Hansen EB, Vellema M, Brewer J, Elemans CPH. One-to-one innervation of vocal muscles allows precise control of birdsong. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3115-3124.e5. [PMID: 34089645 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The motor control resolution of any animal behavior is limited to the minimal force step available when activating muscles, which is set by the number and size distribution of motor units (MUs) and muscle-specific force. Birdsong is an excellent model system for understanding acquisition and maintenance of complex fine motor skills, but we know surprisingly little about how the motor pool controlling the syrinx is organized and how MU recruitment drives changes in vocal output. Here we developed an experimental paradigm to measure MU size distribution using spatiotemporal imaging of intracellular calcium concentration in cross-sections of living intact syrinx muscles. We combined these measurements with muscle stress and an in vitro syrinx preparation to determine the control resolution of fundamental frequency (fo), a key vocal parameter, in zebra finches. We show that syringeal muscles have extremely small MUs, with 40%-50% innervating ≤3 and 13%-17% innervating a single muscle fiber. Combined with the lowest specific stress (5 mN/mm2) known to skeletal vertebrate muscle, small force steps by the major fo controlling muscle provide control of 50-mHz to 7.3-Hz steps per MU. We show that the song system has the highest motor control resolution possible in the vertebrate nervous system and suggest this evolved due to strong selection on fine gradation of vocal output. Furthermore, we propose that high-resolution motor control was a key feature contributing to the radiation of songbirds that allowed diversification of song and speciation by vocal space expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Adam
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Alyssa Maxwell
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Helen Rößler
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Emil B Hansen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Michiel Vellema
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jonathan Brewer
- PhyLife, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
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16
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Goller F, Love J, Mindlin G. Different frequency control mechanisms and the exploitation of frequency space in passerines. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6569-6578. [PMID: 34141241 PMCID: PMC8207358 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Birdsong is used in reproductive context and, consequently, has been shaped by strong natural and sexual selection. The acoustic performance includes a multitude of acoustic and temporal characteristics that are thought to honestly reveal the quality of the singing individual.One major song feature is frequency and its modulation. Sound frequency can be actively controlled, but the control mechanisms differ between different groups. Two described mechanisms are pressure-driven frequency changes in suboscines and control by syringeal muscles in oscines.To test to what degree these different control mechanisms enhance or limit the exploitation of frequency space by individual species and families, we compared the use of frequency space by tyrannid suboscines and emberizid/passerellid oscines.We find that despite the different control mechanisms, the songs of species in both groups can contain broad frequency ranges and rapid and sustained frequency modulation (FM). The maximal values for these parameters are slightly higher in oscines.Furthermore, the mean frequency range of song syllables is substantially larger in oscines than suboscines. Species within each family group collectively exploit equally broadly the available frequency space.The narrower individual frequency ranges of suboscines likely indicate morphological specialization for particular frequencies, whereas muscular control of frequency facilitated broader exploitation of frequency space by individual oscine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Goller
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
- Institute for ZoophysiologyUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Jay Love
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
| | - Gabriel Mindlin
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresArgentina
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17
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Syringeal vocal folds do not have a voice in zebra finch vocal development. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6469. [PMID: 33742101 PMCID: PMC7979720 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85929-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal behavior can be dramatically changed by both neural circuit development and postnatal maturation of the body. During song learning in songbirds, both the song system and syringeal muscles are functionally changing, but it is unknown if maturation of sound generators within the syrinx contributes to vocal development. Here we densely sample the respiratory pressure control space of the zebra finch syrinx in vitro. We show that the syrinx produces sound very efficiently and that key acoustic parameters, minimal fundamental frequency, entropy and source level, do not change over development in both sexes. Thus, our data suggest that the observed acoustic changes in vocal development must be attributed to changes in the motor control pathway, from song system circuitry to muscle force, and not by material property changes in the avian analog of the vocal folds. We propose that in songbirds, muscle use and training driven by the sexually dimorphic song system are the crucial drivers that lead to sexual dimorphism of the syringeal skeleton and musculature. The size and properties of the instrument are thus not changing, while its player is.
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18
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Döppler JF, Amador A, Goller F, Mindlin GB. Dynamics behind rough sounds in the song of the Pitangus sulphuratus. Phys Rev E 2020; 102:062415. [PMID: 33466024 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.062415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The complex vocalizations found in different bird species emerge from the interplay between morphological specializations and neuromuscular control mechanisms. In this work we study the dynamical mechanisms used by a nonlearner bird from the Americas, the suboscine Pitangus sulphuratus, in order to achieve a characteristic timbre of some of its vocalizations. By measuring syringeal muscle activity, air sac pressure, and sound as the bird sings, we are able to show that the birds of this species manage to lock the frequency difference between two sound sources. This provides a precise control of sound amplitude modulations, which gives rise to a distinct timbral property.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Döppler
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- IFIBA, CONICET, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Ana Amador
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- IFIBA, CONICET, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, Münster 48143, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Gabriel B Mindlin
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- IFIBA, CONICET, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
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19
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Méndez JM, Goller F. Multifunctional bilateral muscle control of vocal output in the songbird syrinx. J Neurophysiol 2020; 124:1857-1874. [PMID: 33026896 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00332.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Songbirds produce complex vocalizations by coordinating neuromuscular control of syrinx, respiratory system, and upper vocal tract. The functional roles of syringeal muscles have been documented mainly with correlative data, which have suggested that synergistic activation plays a role in the fine control of vocal features. However, the specific involvement of individual muscles in achieving this fine control is still largely unknown. Here we investigate the contributions of the two main airflow controlling muscles, the dorsal and ventral tracheobronchial muscles in the zebra finch, through a new approach. Ablation of the muscle insertion on the cartilage framework reveals detailed insights into their respective roles in the fine control of song features. Unilateral ablation of a tracheobronchial muscle resulted in mostly subtle changes of the air sac pressure pattern and song features. Effects of ablation varied with the acoustic elements, thus indicating a context-dependent specific synergistic activation of muscles. High-frequency notes were most affected by the ablation, highlighting the importance of coordinated bilateral control. More pronounced effects on song features and air sac pressure were observed after bilateral ablation of the dorsal tracheobronchial muscles. The results illustrate that the gating muscles serve multiple functions in control of acoustic features and that each feature arises through context-dependent, synergistic activation patterns of syringeal muscles. Although many changes after the ablation are subtle, they fall within the perceptual range and thus may control behaviorally relevant features of sound. These data therefore provide important specific details about the underlying motor code for song production.NEW & NOTEWORTHY A new experimental approach was used to analyze the involvement of individual muscles in birdsong vocal control. Ablation of tracheobronchial muscles showed how these muscles contribute in manner specific to the acoustic structure of sound segments and how disruption of airflow regulation affects bilateral coordination. The results of this study illustrate that the gating muscles serve multiple functions in control of acoustic features and give further insight into the complex motor control of birdsong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge M Méndez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Mankato, Minnesota
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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20
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Monte A, Cerwenka AF, Ruthensteiner B, Gahr M, Düring DN. The hummingbird syrinx morphome: a detailed three-dimensional description of the black jacobin’s vocal organ. BMC ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-020-00057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The ability to imitate sounds depends on a process called vocal production learning, a rare evolutionary trait. In addition to the few mammalian groups that possess this ability, vocal production learning has evolved independently in three avian clades: songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds. Although the anatomy and mechanisms of sound production in songbirds are well understood, little is known about the hummingbird’s vocal anatomy.
Results
We use high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) and microdissection to reveal the three-dimensional structure of the syrinx, the vocal organ of the black jacobin (Florisuga fusca), a phylogenetically basal hummingbird species. We identify three features of the black jacobin’s syrinx: (i) a shift in the position of the syrinx to the outside of the thoracic cavity and the related loss of the sterno-tracheal muscle, (ii) complex intrinsic musculature, oriented dorso-ventrally, and (iii) ossicles embedded in the medial vibratory membranes.
Conclusions
The extra-thoracic placement of the black jacobin’s syrinx and the dorso-ventrally oriented musculature likely aid to uncoupling syrinx movements from extensive flight-related thorax constraints. The syrinx morphology further allows for vibratory decoupling, precise control of complex acoustic parameters, and a large motor redundancy that may be key biomechanical factors leading to acoustic complexity and thus facilitating the occurrence of vocal production learning.
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21
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Jaffe PI, Brainard MS. Acetylcholine acts on songbird premotor circuitry to invigorate vocal output. eLife 2020; 9:e53288. [PMID: 32425158 PMCID: PMC7237207 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine is well-understood to enhance cortical sensory responses and perceptual sensitivity in aroused or attentive states. Yet little is known about cholinergic influences on motor cortical regions. Here we use the quantifiable nature of birdsong to investigate how acetylcholine modulates the cortical (pallial) premotor nucleus HVC and shapes vocal output. We found that dialyzing the cholinergic agonist carbachol into HVC increased the pitch, amplitude, tempo and stereotypy of song, similar to the natural invigoration of song that occurs when males direct their songs to females. These carbachol-induced effects were associated with increased neural activity in HVC and occurred independently of basal ganglia circuitry. Moreover, we discovered that the normal invigoration of female-directed song was also accompanied by increased HVC activity and was attenuated by blocking muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. These results indicate that, analogous to its influence on sensory systems, acetylcholine can act directly on cortical premotor circuitry to adaptively shape behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul I Jaffe
- Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michael S Brainard
- Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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22
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Uribarri G, Rodríguez-Cajarville MJ, Tubaro PL, Goller F, Mindlin GB. Unusual Avian Vocal Mechanism Facilitates Encoding of Body Size. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 124:098101. [PMID: 32202899 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.124.098101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this work we study the sound production mechanism of the raspy sounding song of the white-tipped plantcutter (Phytotoma rutila), a species with a most unusual vocalization. The biomechanics involved in the production of this song, and scaling arguments, allowed us to predict the precise way in which body size is encoded in its vocalizations. We tested this prediction through acoustic analysis of recorded songs, computational modeling of its unusual vocal strategy, and inspection of museum specimens captured across southeastern and south-central South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Uribarri
- IFIBA, CONICET and Departamento de Física, FCEyN, UBA, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - María José Rodríguez-Cajarville
- División Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Buenos Aires 1405, Argentina
| | - Pablo Luis Tubaro
- División Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Buenos Aires 1405, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- F.G. Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, Münster 48143, Germany
| | - Gabriel B Mindlin
- IFIBA, CONICET and Departamento de Física, FCEyN, UBA, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
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23
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Riede T, Olson CR. The vocal organ of hummingbirds shows convergence with songbirds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2007. [PMID: 32029812 PMCID: PMC7005288 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
How sound is generated in the hummingbird syrinx is largely unknown despite their complex vocal behavior. To fill this gap, syrinx anatomy of four North American hummingbird species were investigated by histological dissection and contrast-enhanced microCT imaging, as well as measurement of vocalizations in a heliox atmosphere. The placement of the hummingbird syrinx is uniquely located in the neck rather than inside the thorax as in other birds, while the internal structure is bipartite with songbird-like anatomical features, including multiple pairs of intrinsic muscles, a robust tympanum and several accessory cartilages. Lateral labia and medial tympaniform membranes consist of an extracellular matrix containing hyaluronic acid, collagen fibers, but few elastic fibers. Their upper vocal tract, including the trachea, is shorter than predicted for their body size. There are between-species differences in syrinx measurements, despite similar overall morphology. In heliox, fundamental frequency is unchanged while upper-harmonic spectral content decrease in amplitude, indicating that syringeal sounds are produced by airflow-induced labia and membrane vibration. Our findings predict that hummingbirds have fine control of labia and membrane position in the syrinx; adaptations that set them apart from closely related swifts, yet shows convergence in their vocal organs with those of oscines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Riede
- Department of Physiology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ, 85308, United States
| | - Christopher R Olson
- Department of Physiology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ, 85308, United States.
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24
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Kriesell HJ, Le Bohec C, Cerwenka AF, Hertel M, Robin JP, Ruthensteiner B, Gahr M, Aubin T, Düring DN. Vocal tract anatomy of king penguins: morphological traits of two-voiced sound production. Front Zool 2020; 17:5. [PMID: 32021638 PMCID: PMC6993382 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-0351-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The astonishing variety of sounds that birds can produce has been the subject of many studies aiming to identify the underlying anatomical and physical mechanisms of sound production. An interesting feature of some bird vocalisations is the simultaneous production of two different frequencies. While most work has been focusing on songbirds, much less is known about dual-sound production in non-passerines, although their sound production organ, the syrinx, would technically allow many of them to produce "two voices". Here, we focus on the king penguin, a colonial seabird whose calls consist of two fundamental frequency bands and their respective harmonics. The calls are produced during courtship and for partner and offspring reunions and encode the birds' identity. We dissected, μCT-scanned and analysed the vocal tracts of six adult king penguins from Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago. RESULTS King penguins possess a bronchial type syrinx that, similarly to the songbird's tracheobronchial syrinx, has two sets of vibratory tissues, and thus two separate sound sources. Left and right medial labium differ consistently in diameter between 0.5 and 3.2%, with no laterality between left and right side. The trachea has a conical shape, increasing in diameter from caudal to cranial by 16%. About 80% of the king penguins' trachea is medially divided by a septum consisting of soft elastic tissue (septum trachealis medialis). CONCLUSIONS The king penguins' vocal tract appears to be mainly adapted to the life in a noisy colony of a species that relies on individual vocal recognition. The extent between the two voices encoding for individuality seems morphologically dictated by the length difference between left and right medial labium. The septum trachealis medialis might support this extent and could therefore be an important anatomical feature that aids in the individual recognition process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Joy Kriesell
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Département de Biologie Polaire, 98000 Monte Carlo, MC Monaco
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- Institut des NeuroSciences Paris-Saclay (Neuro-PSI), UMR 9197 (CNRS, Université Paris XI), Orsay, France
- Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Céline Le Bohec
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Département de Biologie Polaire, 98000 Monte Carlo, MC Monaco
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexander F. Cerwenka
- SNSB-ZSM Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Section Evertebrata varia, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247 Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz Hertel
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bernhard Ruthensteiner
- SNSB-ZSM Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Section Evertebrata varia, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247 Munich, Germany
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Thierry Aubin
- Institut des NeuroSciences Paris-Saclay (Neuro-PSI), UMR 9197 (CNRS, Université Paris XI), Orsay, France
| | - Daniel Normen Düring
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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25
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Nieder A, Mooney R. The neurobiology of innate, volitional and learned vocalizations in mammals and birds. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190054. [PMID: 31735150 PMCID: PMC6895551 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocalization is an ancient vertebrate trait essential to many forms of communication, ranging from courtship calls to free verse. Vocalizations may be entirely innate and evoked by sexual cues or emotional state, as with many types of calls made in primates, rodents and birds; volitional, as with innate calls that, following extensive training, can be evoked by arbitrary sensory cues in non-human primates and corvid songbirds; or learned, acoustically flexible and complex, as with human speech and the courtship songs of oscine songbirds. This review compares and contrasts the neural mechanisms underlying innate, volitional and learned vocalizations, with an emphasis on functional studies in primates, rodents and songbirds. This comparison reveals both highly conserved and convergent mechanisms of vocal production in these different groups, despite their often vast phylogenetic separation. This similarity of central mechanisms for different forms of vocal production presents experimentalists with useful avenues for gaining detailed mechanistic insight into how vocalizations are employed for social and sexual signalling, and how they can be modified through experience to yield new vocal repertoires customized to the individual's social group. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Richard Mooney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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26
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Riede T, Thomson SL, Titze IR, Goller F. The evolution of the syrinx: An acoustic theory. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e2006507. [PMID: 30730882 PMCID: PMC6366696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique avian vocal organ, the syrinx, is located at the caudal end of the trachea. Although a larynx is also present at the opposite end, birds phonate only with the syrinx. Why only birds evolved a novel sound source at this location remains unknown, and hypotheses about its origin are largely untested. Here, we test the hypothesis that the syrinx constitutes a biomechanical advantage for sound production over the larynx with combined theoretical and experimental approaches. We investigated whether the position of a sound source within the respiratory tract affects acoustic features of the vocal output, including fundamental frequency and efficiency of conversion from aerodynamic energy to sound. Theoretical data and measurements in three bird species suggest that sound frequency is influenced by the interaction between sound source and vocal tract. A physical model and a computational simulation also indicate that a sound source in a syringeal position produces sound with greater efficiency. Interestingly, the interactions between sound source and vocal tract differed between species, suggesting that the syringeal sound source is optimized for its position in the respiratory tract. These results provide compelling evidence that strong selective pressures for high vocal efficiency may have been a major driving force in the evolution of the syrinx. The longer trachea of birds compared to other tetrapods made them likely predisposed for the evolution of a syrinx. A long vocal tract downstream from the sound source improves efficiency by facilitating the tuning between fundamental frequency and the first vocal tract resonance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Riede
- Midwestern University, Department of Physiology, Glendale, Arizona, United States of America
- University of Utah, National Center for Voice and Speech, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Scott L. Thomson
- Brigham Young University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Ingo R. Titze
- University of Utah, National Center for Voice and Speech, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Franz Goller
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Institute for Zoophysiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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27
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Rasmussen JH, Herbst CT, Elemans CPH. Quantifying syringeal dynamics in vitro using electroglottography. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.172247. [PMID: 29880637 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.172247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The complex and elaborate vocalizations uttered by many of the 10,000 extant bird species are considered a major driver in their evolutionary success, warranting study of the underlying mechanisms of vocal production. Additionally, birdsong has developed into a highly productive model system for vocal imitation learning and motor control, where, in contrast to humans, we have experimental access to the entire neuromechanical control loop. In human voice production, complex laryngeal geometry, vocal fold tissue properties, airflow and laryngeal musculature all interact to ultimately control vocal fold kinematics. Quantifying vocal fold kinematics is thus critical to understanding neuromechanical control of voiced sound production, but in vivo imaging of vocal fold kinematics in birds is experimentally challenging. Here, we adapted and tested electroglottography (EGG) as a novel tool for examining vocal fold kinematics in the avian vocal organ, the syrinx. We furthermore imaged and quantified syringeal kinematics in the pigeon (Columba livia) syrinx with unprecedented detail. Our results show that EGG signals predict (1) the relative amount of contact between the avian equivalent of vocal folds and (2) essential parameters describing vibratory kinematics, such as fundamental frequency, and timing of syringeal opening and closing events. As such, EGG provides novel opportunities for measuring syringeal vibratory kinematic parameters in vivo Furthermore, the opportunity for imaging syringeal vibratory kinematics from multiple planar views (horizontal and coronal) simultaneously promotes birds as an excellent model system for studying kinematics and control of voiced sound production in general, including in humans and other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeppe H Rasmussen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Christian T Herbst
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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28
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Döppler JF, Bush A, Goller F, Mindlin GB. From electromyographic activity to frequency modulation in zebra finch song. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:209-217. [PMID: 29170980 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1231-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Behavior emerges from the interaction between the nervous system and peripheral devices. In the case of birdsong production, a delicate and fast control of several muscles is required to control the configuration of the syrinx (the avian vocal organ) and the respiratory system. In particular, the syringealis ventralis muscle is involved in the control of the tension of the vibrating labia and thus affects the frequency modulation of the sound. Nevertheless, the translation of the instructions (which are electrical in nature) into acoustical features is complex and involves nonlinear, dynamical processes. In this work, we present a model of the dynamics of the syringealis ventralis muscle and the labia, which allows calculating the frequency of the generated sound, using as input the electrical activity recorded in the muscle. In addition, the model provides a framework to interpret inter-syllabic activity and hints at the importance of the biomechanical dynamics in determining behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Döppler
- Department of Physics, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, and IFIBA, CONICET, Pabellón 1, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Alan Bush
- Department of Physics, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, and IFIBA, CONICET, Pabellón 1, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Gabriel B Mindlin
- Department of Physics, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, and IFIBA, CONICET, Pabellón 1, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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29
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Young BK, Mindlin GB, Arneodo E, Goller F. Adult zebra finches rehearse highly variable song patterns during sleep. PeerJ 2017; 5:e4052. [PMID: 29158983 PMCID: PMC5694654 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain activity during sleep is fairly ubiquitous and the best studied possible function is a role in memory consolidation, including motor memory. One suggested mechanism of how neural activity effects these benefits is through reactivation of neurons in patterns resembling those of the preceding experience. The specific patterns of motor activation replayed during sleep are largely unknown for any system. Brain areas devoted to song production in the songbird brain exhibit spontaneous song-like activity during sleep, but single cell neural recordings did not permit detection of the specific song patterns. We have now discovered that this sleep activation can be detected in the muscles of the vocal organ, thus providing a unique window into song-related brain activity at night. We show that male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) frequently exhibit spontaneous song-like activity during the night, but that the fictive song patterns are highly variable and uncoordinated compared to the highly stereotyped day-time song production. This substantial variability is not consistent with the idea that night-time activity replays day-time experiences for consolidation. Although the function of this frequent activation is unknown, it may represent a mechanism for exploring motor space or serve to generate internal error signals that help maintain the high stereotypy of day-time song. In any case, the described activity supports the emerging insight that brain activity during sleep may serve a variety of functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent K Young
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Gabriel B Mindlin
- Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Arneodo
- Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
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30
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Düring DN, Knörlein BJ, Elemans CPH. In situ vocal fold properties and pitch prediction by dynamic actuation of the songbird syrinx. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11296. [PMID: 28900151 PMCID: PMC5595934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11258-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The biomechanics of sound production forms an integral part of the neuromechanical control loop of avian vocal motor control. However, we critically lack quantification of basic biomechanical parameters describing the vocal organ, the syrinx, such as material properties of syringeal elements, forces and torques exerted on, and motion of the syringeal skeleton during song. Here, we present a novel marker-based 3D stereoscopic imaging technique to reconstruct 3D motion of servo-controlled actuation of syringeal muscle insertions sites in vitro and focus on two muscles controlling sound pitch. We furthermore combine kinematic analysis with force measurements to quantify elastic properties of sound producing medial labia (ML). The elastic modulus of the zebra finch ML is 18 kPa at 5% strain, which is comparable to elastic moduli of mammalian vocal folds. Additionally ML lengthening due to musculus syringealis ventralis (VS) shortening is intrinsically constraint at maximally 12% strain. Using these values we predict sound pitch to range from 350–800 Hz by VS modulation, corresponding well to previous observations. The presented methodology allows for quantification of syringeal skeleton motion and forces, acoustic effects of muscle recruitment, and calibration of computational birdsong models, enabling experimental access to the entire neuromechanical control loop of vocal motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel N Düring
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Institute of Neuroinformatics, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin J Knörlein
- Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
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31
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Garcia SM, Kopuchian C, Mindlin GB, Fuxjager MJ, Tubaro PL, Goller F. Evolution of Vocal Diversity through Morphological Adaptation without Vocal Learning or Complex Neural Control. Curr Biol 2017; 27:2677-2683.e3. [PMID: 28867206 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of complex behavior is driven by the interplay of morphological specializations and neuromuscular control mechanisms [1-3], and it is often difficult to tease apart their respective contributions. Avian vocal learning and associated neural adaptations are thought to have played a major role in bird diversification [4-8], whereas functional significance of substantial morphological diversity of the vocal organ remains largely unexplored. Within the most species-rich order, Passeriformes, "tracheophones" are a suboscine group that, unlike their oscine sister taxon, does not exhibit vocal learning [9] and is thought to phonate with tracheal membranes [10, 11] instead of the two independent sources found in other passerines [12-14]. Here we show tracheophones possess three sound sources, two oscine-like labial pairs and the unique tracheal membranes, which collectively represent the largest described number of sound sources for a vocal organ. Birds with experimentally disabled tracheal membranes were still able to phonate. Instead of the main sound source, the tracheal membranes constitute a morphological specialization, which, through interaction with bronchial labia, contributes to different acoustic features such as spectral complexity, amplitude modulation, and enhanced sound amplitude. In contrast, these same features arise in oscines from neuromuscular control of two labial sources [15-17]. These findings are supported by a modeling approach and provide a clear example for how a morphological adaptation of the tracheophone vocal organ can generate specific, complex sound features. Morphological specialization therefore constitutes an alternative path in the evolution of acoustic diversity to that of oscine vocal learning and complex neural control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Garcia
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
| | - Cecilia Kopuchian
- CECOAL (Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral) CONICET, Corrientes, Argentina; División Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" MACN-CONICET, Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriel B Mindlin
- Depto. Física, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C. Universitaria, Pab I, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Pablo L Tubaro
- División Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" MACN-CONICET, Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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32
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Schmidt MF, Goller F. Breathtaking Songs: Coordinating the Neural Circuits for Breathing and Singing. Physiology (Bethesda) 2017; 31:442-451. [PMID: 27708050 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00004.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The vocal behavior of birds is remarkable for its diversity, and songs can feature elaborate characteristics such as long duration, rapid temporal pattern, and broad frequency range. The respiratory system plays a central role in generating the complex song patterns that must be integrated with its life-sustaining functions. Here, we explore how precise coordination between the neural circuits for breathing and singing is fundamental to production of these remarkable behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc F Schmidt
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
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33
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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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34
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Mencio C, Kuberan B, Goller F. Contributions of rapid neuromuscular transmission to the fine control of acoustic parameters of birdsong. J Neurophysiol 2016; 117:637-645. [PMID: 27852738 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00843.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural control of complex vocal behaviors, such as birdsong and speech, requires integration of biomechanical nonlinearities through muscular output. Although control of airflow and tension of vibrating tissues are known functions of vocal muscles, it remains unclear how specific muscle characteristics contribute to specific acoustic parameters. To address this gap, we removed heparan sulfate chains using heparitinases to perturb neuromuscular transmission subtly in the syrinx of adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Infusion of heparitinases into ventral syringeal muscles altered their excitation threshold and reduced neuromuscular transmission changing their ability to modulate airflow. The changes in muscle activation dynamics caused a reduction in frequency modulation rates and elimination of many high-frequency syllables but did not alter the fundamental frequency of syllables. Sound amplitude was reduced and sound onset pressure was increased, suggesting a role of muscles in the induction of self-sustained oscillations under low-airflow conditions, thus enhancing vocal efficiency. These changes were reversed to preinfusion levels by 7 days after infusion. These results illustrate complex interactions between the control of airflow and tension and further define the importance of syringeal muscle in the control of a variety of acoustic song characteristics. In summary, the findings reported here show that altering neuromuscular transmission can lead to reversible changes to the acoustic structure of song. Understanding the full extent of muscle involvement in song production is critical in decoding the motor program for the production of complex vocal behavior, including our search for parallels between birdsong and human speech motor control. NEW & NOTEWORTHY It is largely unknown how fine motor control of acoustic parameters is achieved in vocal organs. Subtle manipulation of syringeal muscle function was used to test how active motor control influences acoustic parameters. Slowed activation kinetics of muscles reduced frequency modulation and, unexpectedly, caused a distinct decrease in sound amplitude and increase in phonation onset pressure. These results show that active control enhances the efficiency of energy conversion in the syrinx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Mencio
- Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Balagurunathan Kuberan
- Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; and
| | - Franz Goller
- Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; .,Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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35
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Fossil evidence of the avian vocal organ from the Mesozoic. Nature 2016; 538:502-505. [PMID: 27732575 DOI: 10.1038/nature19852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
From complex songs to simple honks, birds produce sounds using a unique vocal organ called the syrinx. Located close to the heart at the tracheobronchial junction, vocal folds or membranes attached to modified mineralized rings vibrate to produce sound. Syringeal components were not thought to commonly enter the fossil record, and the few reported fossilized parts of the syrinx are geologically young (from the Pleistocene and Holocene (approximately 2.5 million years ago to the present)). The only known older syrinx is an Eocene specimen that was not described or illustrated. Data on the relationship between soft tissue structures and syringeal three-dimensional geometry are also exceptionally limited. Here we describe the first remains, to our knowledge, of a fossil syrinx from the Mesozoic Era, which are preserved in three dimensions in a specimen from the Late Cretaceous (approximately 66 to 69 million years ago) of Antarctica. With both cranial and postcranial remains, the new Vegavis iaai specimen is the most complete to be recovered from a part of the radiation of living birds (Aves). Enhanced-contrast X-ray computed tomography (CT) of syrinx structure in twelve extant non-passerine birds, as well as CT imaging of the Vegavis and Eocene syrinxes, informs both the reconstruction of ancestral states in birds and properties of the vocal organ in the extinct species. Fused rings in Vegavis form a well-mineralized pessulus, a derived neognath bird feature, proposed to anchor enlarged vocal folds or labia. Left-right bronchial asymmetry, as seen in Vegavis, is only known in extant birds with two sets of vocal fold sound sources. The new data show the fossilization potential of the avian vocal organ and beg the question why these remains have not been found in other dinosaurs. The lack of other Mesozoic tracheobronchial remains, and the poorly mineralized condition in archosaurian taxa without a syrinx, may indicate that a complex syrinx was a late arising feature in the evolution of birds, well after the origin of flight and respiratory innovations.
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36
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Abstract
The relationship between muscle activity and behavioral output determines how the brain controls and modifies complex skills. In vocal control, ensembles of muscles are used to precisely tune single acoustic parameters such as fundamental frequency and sound amplitude. If individual vocal muscles were dedicated to the control of single parameters, then the brain could control each parameter independently by modulating the appropriate muscle or muscles. Alternatively, if each muscle influenced multiple parameters, a more complex control strategy would be required to selectively modulate a single parameter. Additionally, it is unknown whether the function of single muscles is fixed or varies across different vocal gestures. A fixed relationship would allow the brain to use the same changes in muscle activation to, for example, increase the fundamental frequency of different vocal gestures, whereas a context-dependent scheme would require the brain to calculate different motor modifications in each case. We tested the hypothesis that single muscles control multiple acoustic parameters and that the function of single muscles varies across gestures using three complementary approaches. First, we recorded electromyographic data from vocal muscles in singing Bengalese finches. Second, we electrically perturbed the activity of single muscles during song. Third, we developed an ex vivo technique to analyze the biomechanical and acoustic consequences of single-muscle perturbations. We found that single muscles drive changes in multiple parameters and that the function of single muscles differs across vocal gestures, suggesting that the brain uses a complex, gesture-dependent control scheme to regulate vocal output.
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37
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Embodied Motor Control of Avian Vocal Production. VERTEBRATE SOUND PRODUCTION AND ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27721-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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38
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Suthers RA, Rothgerber JR, Jensen KK. Lingual articulation in songbirds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 219:491-500. [PMID: 26685174 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.126532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lingual articulation in humans is one of the primary means of vocal tract resonance filtering that produces the characteristic vowel formants of speech. In songbirds, the function of the tongue in song has not been thoroughly examined, although recent research has identified the oropharyngeal-esophageal cavity as a resonance filter that is actively tuned to the frequency of the song. In northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), the volume of this cavity is inversely proportional to the frequency of the song above 2 kHz. However, cardinal song extends below this range, leaving the question of whether and how the vocal tract is tracking these low frequencies. We investigated the possible role of the tongue in vocal tract filtering using X-ray cineradiography of northern cardinals. Below 2 kHz, there was prominent tongue elevation in which the tip of the tongue was raised until it seemed to touch the palate. These results suggest that tongue elevation lowers the resonance frequency below 2 kHz by reducing the area of the passage from the oral cavity into the beak. This is consistent with a computational model of the songbird vocal tract in which resonance frequencies are actively adjusted by both changing the volume of the oropharyngeal-esophageal cavity and constricting the opening into the beak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick A Suthers
- Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jordan Hall, Indiana University, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - John R Rothgerber
- Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jordan Hall, Indiana University, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kenneth Kragh Jensen
- Starkey Hearing Technologies, 6600 Washington Avenue S., Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA
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39
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Universal mechanisms of sound production and control in birds and mammals. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8978. [PMID: 26612008 PMCID: PMC4674827 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
As animals vocalize, their vocal organ transforms motor commands into vocalizations for social communication. In birds, the physical mechanisms by which vocalizations are produced and controlled remain unresolved because of the extreme difficulty in obtaining in vivo measurements. Here, we introduce an ex vivo preparation of the avian vocal organ that allows simultaneous high-speed imaging, muscle stimulation and kinematic and acoustic analyses to reveal the mechanisms of vocal production in birds across a wide range of taxa. Remarkably, we show that all species tested employ the myoelastic-aerodynamic (MEAD) mechanism, the same mechanism used to produce human speech. Furthermore, we show substantial redundancy in the control of key vocal parameters ex vivo, suggesting that in vivo vocalizations may also not be specified by unique motor commands. We propose that such motor redundancy can aid vocal learning and is common to MEAD sound production across birds and mammals, including humans.
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40
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Elemans CPH. The singer and the song: the neuromechanics of avian sound production. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 28:172-8. [PMID: 25171107 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Song is crucial to songbirds for establishing territories and signaling genetic quality and an important driver in speciation. Songbirds also have become a widely used experimental model system to study the neural basis of vocal learning, a form of imitation learning with strong parallels to human speech learning. While there is a strong focus on central processing of song production, we still have limited insights into the functional output of the motor neural circuits. This review focuses on recent developments in motor control, biomechanics and feedback mechanisms of sound production in songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK-5230, Denmark.
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41
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Stowell D, Plumbley MD. Large-scale analysis of frequency modulation in birdsong data bases. Methods Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Stowell
- Centre for Digital Music; Queen Mary University of London; Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK
| | - Mark D. Plumbley
- Centre for Digital Music; Queen Mary University of London; Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK
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42
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Fuxjager MJ, Heston JB, Schlinger BA. Peripheral androgen action helps modulate vocal production in a suboscine passerine. THE AUK 2014; 131:327-334. [PMID: 25780269 PMCID: PMC4359617 DOI: 10.1642/auk-13-252.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Androgenic activation of intracellular androgen receptors (AR) influences avian vocal production, though this has largely been investigated at the level of the brain. We investigated the influence of predominantly peripheral AR on vocal output in wild Golden-collared Manakins (Manacus vitellinus). In this suboscine species, males court females by performing acrobatic displays and by producing relatively simple chee-poo vocalizations. To assess whether peripheral AR influences the acoustic structure of these vocal signals, we treated reproductively active adult males with the peripherally selective antiandrogen bicalutamide and then measured phonation performance. Inhibiting AR outside of the central nervous system increased the duration of the chee note and decreased the fundamental frequency of the poo note. This treatment caused no discernable change to chee-poo frequency modulation or entropy. Our results show that activation of peripheral AR mediates note-specific changes to temporal and pitch characteristics of the Golden-collared Manakin's main sexual call. Thus, our study provides one of the first demonstrations that androgenic action originating outside of the brain and likely on musculoskeletal targets can modulate avian vocal production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Fuxjager
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jonathan B. Heston
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Barney A. Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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43
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Osiejuk TS. Differences in Frequency of Shared Song Types Enables Neighbour-Stranger Discrimination in a Songbird Species with Small Song Repertoire. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz S. Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; Institute of Environmental Sciences; Faculty of Biology; Adam Mickiewicz University; Poznań Poland
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44
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Alonso R, Goller F, Mindlin GB. Motor control of sound frequency in birdsong involves the interaction between air sac pressure and labial tension. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2014; 89:032706. [PMID: 24730873 PMCID: PMC4083689 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.89.032706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Frequency modulation is a salient acoustic feature of birdsong. Its control is usually attributed to the activity of syringeal muscles, which affect the tension of the labia responsible for sound production. We use experimental and theoretical tools to test the hypothesis that for birds producing tonal sounds such as domestic canaries (Serinus canaria), frequency modulation is determined by both the syringeal tension and the air sac pressure. For different models, we describe the structure of the isofrequency curves, which are sets of parameters leading to sounds presenting the same fundamental frequencies. We show how their shapes determine the relative roles of syringeal tension and air sac pressure in frequency modulation. Finally, we report experiments that allow us to unveil the features of the isofrequency curves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Alonso
- Department of Physics, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab I, cp 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Gabriel B. Mindlin
- Department of Physics, FCEyN, University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab I, cp 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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45
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Riede T, Goller F. Morphological basis for the evolution of acoustic diversity in oscine songbirds. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20132306. [PMID: 24500163 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic properties of vocalizations arise through the interplay of neural control with the morphology and biomechanics of the sound generating organ, but in songbirds it is assumed that the main driver of acoustic diversity is variation in telencephalic motor control. Here we show, however, that variation in the composition of the vibrating tissues, the labia, underlies diversity in one acoustic parameter, fundamental frequency (F0) range. Lateral asymmetry and arrangement of fibrous proteins in the labia into distinct layers is correlated with expanded F0 range of species. The composition of the vibrating tissues thus represents an important morphological foundation for the generation of a broad F0 range, indicating that morphological specialization lays the foundation for the evolution of complex acoustic repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Riede
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, , Salt Lake City, Utah 257 S 1400 E, USA
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