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De Gregorio C, Valente D, Ferrario V, Carugati F, Cristiano W, Raimondi T, Torti V, Giacoma C, Gamba M. Who you live with and what you duet for: a review of the function of primate duets in relation to their social organization. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:281-294. [PMID: 38285176 PMCID: PMC10995044 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01689-9] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Duets are one of the most fascinating displays in animal vocal communication, where two animals fine-tune the timing of their emissions to create a coordinated signal. Duetting behavior is widespread in the animal kingdom and is present in insects, birds, and mammals. Duets are essential to regulate activities within and between social units. Few studies assessed the functions of these vocal emissions experimentally, and for many species, there is still no consensus on what duets are used for. Here, we reviewed the literature on the function of duets in non-human primates, investigating a possible link between the social organization of the species and the function of its duetting behavior. In primates and birds, social conditions characterized by higher promiscuity might relate to the emergence of duetting behavior. We considered both quantitative and qualitative studies, which led us to hypothesize that the shift in the social organization from pair living to a mixed social organization might have led to the emergence of mate defense and mate guarding as critical functions of duetting behavior. Territory/resource ownership and defense functions are more critical in obligate pair-living species. Finally, we encourage future experimental research on this topic to allow the formulation of empirically testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara De Gregorio
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - Daria Valente
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Valeria Ferrario
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo Carugati
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Walter Cristiano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Raimondi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Valeria Torti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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Welklin JF, Lantz SM, Khalil S, Moody NM, Karubian J, Webster MS. Photoperiod and rainfall are associated with seasonal shifts in social structure in a songbird. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Seasonally breeding animals often exhibit different social structures during non-breeding and breeding periods that coincide with seasonal environmental variation and resource abundance. However, we know little about the environmental factors associated with when seasonal shifts in social structure occur. This lack of knowledge contrasts with our well-defined knowledge of the environmental cues that trigger a shift to breeding physiology in seasonally breeding species. Here, we identified some of the main environmental factors associated with seasonal shifts in social structure and initiation of breeding in the red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus), an Australian songbird. Social network analyses revealed that social groups, which are highly territorial during the breeding season, interact in social “communities” on larger home ranges during the non-breeding season. Encounter rates among non-breeding groups were related to photoperiod and rainfall, with shifting photoperiod and increased rainfall associated with a shift toward territorial breeding social structure characterized by reductions in home range size and fewer encounters among non-breeding social groups. Similarly, onset of breeding was highly seasonal and was also associated with non-breeding season rainfall, with greater rainfall leading to earlier breeding. These findings reveal that for some species, the environmental factors associated with the timing of shifts in social structure across seasonal boundaries can be similar to those that determine timing of breeding. This study increases our understanding of the environmental factors associated with seasonal variation in social structure and how the timing of these shifts may respond to changing climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph F Welklin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , 215 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853 , USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
| | - Samantha M Lantz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Sarah Khalil
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Nicole M Moody
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University , 80 Waterman St, Providence, RI 02912 , USA
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Michael S Webster
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , 215 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853 , USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
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3
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Ferreira LS, Sábato V, Pinheiro TA, Neto E, Rocha LH, Baumgarten J, Rodrigues FH, Sousa-Lima RS. Long-Distance Counter Calling in Maned Wolves: Friends or Foes? Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091081. [PMID: 35565508 PMCID: PMC9099685 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) are monogamous and display biparental care for their young, although adults rarely spend time in close proximity. To better understand vocal interactions of maned wolves over long-distances, we passively recorded >10 months of audio data in the species’ natural habitat and analyzed manual recordings of captive animals, covering the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. In the natural habitat recordings, we found that maned wolves engage in vocal exchanges (termed interactive sequences) more often during the mating season, suggesting the existence of a partner attraction/reunion/guarding function, and also during the initial parental care period, suggesting communication among caregivers. We analyzed 21 interactive sequences, which were the only instances in which we could distinguish individuals, and found that the individuals interacting differed significantly in their roar-bark parameters, including duration, which also differed between males and females in captivity (male vocalizations were, on average, 0.124 s longer). We also found that interactive sequences in captive animals, involving two or more participants, almost always involved both sexes. These results suggest that acoustic interacting maned wolves are most likely male−female dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luane S. Ferreira
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
| | - Victor Sábato
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
| | - Thiago A. Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
| | - Edvaldo Neto
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
| | - Luciana H. Rocha
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
| | - Júlio Baumgarten
- Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, BA, Brazil
- Correspondence:
| | - Flávio H. Rodrigues
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil;
| | - Renata S. Sousa-Lima
- Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil; (L.S.F.); (V.S.); (T.A.P.); (E.N.); (L.H.R.); (R.S.S.-L.)
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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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Carouso-Peck S, Goldstein MH, Fitch WT. The many functions of vocal learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200235. [PMID: 34482721 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to learn novel vocalizations has evolved convergently in a wide range of species. Courtship songs of male birds or whales are often treated as prototypical examples, implying a sexually selected context for the evolution of this ability. However, functions of learned vocalizations in different species are far more diverse than courtship, spanning a range of socio-positive contexts from individual identification, social cohesion, or advertising pair bonds, as well as agonistic contexts such as territorial defence, deceptive alarm calling or luring prey. Here, we survey the diverse usages and proposed functions of learned novel signals, to build a framework for considering the evolution of vocal learning capacities that extends beyond sexual selection. For each function that can be identified for learned signals, we provide examples of species using unlearned signals to accomplish the same goals. We use such comparisons to generate hypotheses concerning when vocal learning is adaptive, given a particular suite of socio-ecological traits. Finally, we identify areas of uncertainty where improved understanding would allow us to better test these hypotheses. Considering the broad range of potential functions of vocal learning will yield a richer appreciation of its evolution than a narrow focus on a few prototypical species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.
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Moskát C, Hauber ME. Male common cuckoos use a three-note variant of their "cu-coo" call for duetting with conspecific females. Behav Processes 2021; 191:104472. [PMID: 34363910 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Duetting is a coordinated form of acoustic communication with participants uttering calls or songs simultaneously and/or sequentially. Duetting is often observed in pair-bonded species, with mated females and males both contributing to the communal vocal output. We observed duetting between the sexes in the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), an obligate brood parasitic species without known pair formation. Specifically, female cuckoos use their sex-specific bubbling calls for duetting, while male cuckoos use a 3-note variant ("cu-cu-coo") of their typical and well-known 2-note ("cu-coo") territorial advertisement calls. The maximum frequency of the elements in the male's 3-note variants was higher relative to the 2-note calls, while durations of both the elements and the inter-element intervals were shorter. The vast majority (95 %) of the 3-note calling was detected together with the bubbling call, implying an intersexual duetting function, with the female calls preceding these male calls in 67 % of cases. The two call types in duetting followed each other rapidly (mean response time of females was 1.30 ± 0.71 SD s, and 0.76 ± 0.53 SD s in males), and typically overlapped with each other (95 %). Frequently (90 %), the male call was repeated 2-3 times, whereas the female call was repeated less frequently (9%). Our results are consistent with a main function of duetting in intersexual communication and coordination between female and male cuckoos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network, A Joint Research Group of the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/C, H‑1117 Budapest, Hungary and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Márk E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
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7
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Is the MSB hypothesis (music as a coevolved system for social bonding) testable in the Popperian sense? Behav Brain Sci 2021; 44:e70. [PMID: 34588070 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x20001739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
"Music As a Coevolved System for Social Bonding" (MSB) is a brilliant synthesis and appealing hypothesis offering insights into the evolution and social bonding of musicality, but is so broad and sweeping it will be challenging to test, prove or falsify in the Popperian sense (Popper, 1959). After general comments, I focus my critique on underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and offer some suggestions for experimental tests of MSB.
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Beck KB, Valcu M, Kempenaers B. Analysis of within-individual variation in extrapair paternity in blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) shows low repeatability and little effect of changes in neighborhood. Behav Ecol 2020; 31:1303-1315. [PMID: 33281500 PMCID: PMC7689542 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies investigated variation in the frequency of extrapair paternity (EPP) among individuals. However, our understanding of within-individual variation in EPP remains limited. Here, we comprehensively investigate variation in EPP at the within-individual level in a population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Our study is based on parentage data comprising >10 000 genotyped offspring across 11 breeding seasons. First, we examined the repeatability of the occurrence of EPP, the number of extrapair offspring, the number of extrapair partners, and the occurrence of paternity loss using data from males and females that bred in multiple years. Second, we tested whether within-individual changes in EPP between breeding seasons relate to between-year changes in the local social environment. Repeatabilities were generally low but significant for the occurrence and number of extrapair young in females and for whether a male sired extrapair young or not. We found no evidence that the presence of the former social partner or changes in the proportion of familiar individuals or in phenotypic traits of the neighbors influenced changes in levels of EPP in females. However, in adult males, a decrease in the average body size of male neighbors was associated with higher extrapair siring success. If confirmed, this result suggests that the competitive ability of a male relative to its neighbors influences his extrapair mating success. We suggest that alternative hypotheses, including the idea that within-individual changes in EPP are due to "chance events" rather than changes in an individual's social breeding environment, deserve more consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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Wascher CAF, Kulahci IG, Langley EJG, Shaw RC. How does cognition shape social relationships? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0293. [PMID: 30104437 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The requirements of living in social groups, and forming and maintaining social relationships are hypothesized to be one of the major drivers behind the evolution of cognitive abilities. Most empirical studies investigating the relationships between sociality and cognition compare cognitive performance between species living in systems that differ in social complexity. In this review, we ask whether and how individuals benefit from cognitive skills in their social interactions. Cognitive abilities, such as perception, attention, learning, memory, and inhibitory control, aid in forming and maintaining social relationships. We investigate whether there is evidence that individual variation in these abilities influences individual variation in social relationships. We then consider the evolutionary consequences of the interaction between sociality and cognitive ability to address whether bi-directional relationships exist between the two, such that cognition can both shape and be shaped by social interactions and the social environment. In doing so, we suggest that social network analysis is emerging as a powerful tool that can be used to test for directional causal relationships between sociality and cognition. Overall, our review highlights the importance of investigating individual variation in cognition to understand how it shapes the patterns of social relationships.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A F Wascher
- Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Ipek G Kulahci
- Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Distillery Fields, North Mall Campus, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Rachael C Shaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
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Hathcock TJ, Benedict L. Conspecific challenges provoke female canyon wrens to sing but not to duet. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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11
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Takeda KF, Hiraiwa-Hasegawa M, Kutsukake N. Uncoordinated dances associated with high reproductive success in a crane. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kohei F Takeda
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kutsukake
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
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12
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Sing and do not stray: male rufous-and-white wrens use duets and physical behaviours to guard their mates. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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13
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Duet displays within a flock function as a joint resource defence signal in the red-crowned crane. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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14
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Ultrasonic vocalization production and playback predicts intrapair and extrapair social behaviour in a monogamous mouse. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Snijders L, Naguib M. Communication in Animal Social Networks. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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16
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Filippi P. Emotional and Interactional Prosody across Animal Communication Systems: A Comparative Approach to the Emergence of Language. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1393. [PMID: 27733835 PMCID: PMC5039945 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Across a wide range of animal taxa, prosodic modulation of the voice can express emotional information and is used to coordinate vocal interactions between multiple individuals. Within a comparative approach to animal communication systems, I hypothesize that the ability for emotional and interactional prosody (EIP) paved the way for the evolution of linguistic prosody - and perhaps also of music, continuing to play a vital role in the acquisition of language. In support of this hypothesis, I review three research fields: (i) empirical studies on the adaptive value of EIP in non-human primates, mammals, songbirds, anurans, and insects; (ii) the beneficial effects of EIP in scaffolding language learning and social development in human infants; (iii) the cognitive relationship between linguistic prosody and the ability for music, which has often been identified as the evolutionary precursor of language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piera Filippi
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrussels, Belgium
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