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Osiecka AN, Fearey J, Ravignani A, Burchardt LS. Isochrony in barks of Cape fur seal ( Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) pups and adults. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11085. [PMID: 38463637 PMCID: PMC10920323 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal vocal communication often relies on call sequences. The temporal patterns of such sequences can be adjusted to other callers, follow complex rhythmic structures or exhibit a metronome-like pattern (i.e., isochronous). How regular are the temporal patterns in animal signals, and what influences their precision? If present, are rhythms already there early in ontogeny? Here, we describe an exploratory study of Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) barks-a vocalisation type produced across many pinniped species in rhythmic, percussive bouts. This study is the first quantitative description of barking in Cape fur seal pups. We analysed the rhythmic structures of spontaneous barking bouts of pups and adult females from the breeding colony in Cape Cross, Namibia. Barks of adult females exhibited isochrony, that is they were produced at fairly regular points in time. Instead, intervals between pup barks were more variable, that is skipping a bark in the isochronous series occasionally. In both age classes, beat precision, that is how well the barks followed a perfect template, was worse when barking at higher rates. Differences could be explained by physiological factors, such as respiration or arousal. Whether, and how, isochrony develops in this species remains an open question. This study provides evidence towards a rhythmic production of barks in Cape fur seal pups and lays the groundwork for future studies to investigate the development of rhythm using multidimensional metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N. Osiecka
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of GdańskGdańskPoland
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jack Fearey
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPCCape TownSouth Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and ConservationUniversity of Cape TownCape TownWestern CapeSouth Africa
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical MedicineAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Department of Human NeurosciencesSapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Lara S. Burchardt
- Comparative Bioacoustics GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Leibniz‐Zentrum Allgemeine SprachwissenschaftBerlinGermany
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2
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Zamorano-Abramson J, Michon M, Hernández-Lloreda MV, Aboitiz F. Multimodal imitative learning and synchrony in cetaceans: A model for speech and singing evolution. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1061381. [PMID: 37138983 PMCID: PMC10150787 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1061381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Multimodal imitation of actions, gestures and vocal production is a hallmark of the evolution of human communication, as both, vocal learning and visual-gestural imitation, were crucial factors that facilitated the evolution of speech and singing. Comparative evidence has revealed that humans are an odd case in this respect, as the case for multimodal imitation is barely documented in non-human animals. While there is evidence of vocal learning in birds and in mammals like bats, elephants and marine mammals, evidence in both domains, vocal and gestural, exists for two Psittacine birds (budgerigars and grey parrots) and cetaceans only. Moreover, it draws attention to the apparent absence of vocal imitation (with just a few cases reported for vocal fold control in an orangutan and a gorilla and a prolonged development of vocal plasticity in marmosets) and even for imitation of intransitive actions (not object related) in monkeys and apes in the wild. Even after training, the evidence for productive or "true imitation" (copy of a novel behavior, i.e., not pre-existent in the observer's behavioral repertoire) in both domains is scarce. Here we review the evidence of multimodal imitation in cetaceans, one of the few living mammalian species that have been reported to display multimodal imitative learning besides humans, and their role in sociality, communication and group cultures. We propose that cetacean multimodal imitation was acquired in parallel with the evolution and development of behavioral synchrony and multimodal organization of sensorimotor information, supporting volitional motor control of their vocal system and audio-echoic-visual voices, body posture and movement integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Zamorano-Abramson
- Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: José Zamorano-Abramson,
| | - Maëva Michon
- Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia Humana y Neuropsicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory for Cognitive and Evolutionary Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Center for Neuroscience, Pontificia Universidad Católica de, Santiago, Chile
- Maëva Michon,
| | - Ma Victoria Hernández-Lloreda
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Aboitiz
- Laboratory for Cognitive and Evolutionary Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Center for Neuroscience, Pontificia Universidad Católica de, Santiago, Chile
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3
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Bergmann A, Gloza-Rausch F, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Knörnschild M. Similarities in social calls during autumn swarming may facilitate interspecific communication between Myotis bat species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.950951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats employ a variety of social calls for communication purposes. However, for most species, social calls are far less studied than echolocation calls and their specific function often remains unclear. We investigated the function of in-flight social calls during autumn swarming in front of a large hibernaculum in Northern Germany, whose main inhabitants are two species of Myotis bats, Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri) and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis daubentonii). We recorded social calls in nights of high swarming activity and grouped the calls based on their spectro-temporal structure into ten types and verified our visual classification by a discriminant function analysis. Whenever possible, we subsequently assigned social calls to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri by analyzing the echolocation calls surrounding them. As many bats echolocate at the same time during swarming, we did not analyze single echolocation calls but the “soundscape” surrounding each social call instead, encompassing not only spectral parameters but also the timbre (vocal “color”) of echolocation calls. Both species employ comparatively similar social call types in a swarming context, even though there are subtle differences in call parameters between species. To additionally gain information about the general function of social calls produced in a swarming context, we performed playback experiments with free-flying bats in the vicinity of the roost, using three different call types from both species, respectively. In three out of six treatments, bat activity (approximated as echolocation call rate) increased during and after stimulus presentation, indicating that bats inspected or approached the playback site. Using a camera trap, we were sometimes able to identify the species of approaching bats. Based on the photos taken during playbacks, we assume one call type to support interspecific communication while another call type works for intraspecific group cohesion.
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4
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Bergmann A, Burchardt LS, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Gloza‐Rausch F, Knörnschild M. The soundscape of swarming: Proof of concept for a noninvasive acoustic species identification of swarming Myotis bats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9439. [PMID: 36398197 PMCID: PMC9663320 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9439] [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: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats emit echolocation calls to orientate in their predominantly dark environment. Recording of species-specific calls can facilitate species identification, especially when mist netting is not feasible. However, some taxa, such as Myotis bats can be hard to distinguish acoustically. In crowded situations where calls of many individuals overlap, the subtle differences between species are additionally attenuated. Here, we sought to noninvasively study the phenology of Myotis bats during autumn swarming at a prominent hibernaculum. To do so, we recorded sequences of overlapping echolocation calls (N = 564) during nights of high swarming activity and extracted spectral parameters (peak frequency, start frequency, spectral centroid) and linear frequency cepstral coefficients (LFCCs), which additionally encompass the timbre (vocal "color") of calls. We used this parameter combination in a stepwise discriminant function analysis (DFA) to classify the call sequences to species level. A set of previously identified call sequences of single flying Myotis daubentonii and Myotis nattereri, the most common species at our study site, functioned as a training set for the DFA. 90.2% of the call sequences could be assigned to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri, indicating the predominantly swarming species at the time of recording. We verified our results by correctly classifying the second set of previously identified call sequences with an accuracy of 100%. In addition, our acoustic species classification corresponds well to the existing knowledge on swarming phenology at the hibernaculum. Moreover, we successfully classified call sequences from a different hibernaculum to species level and verified our classification results by capturing swarming bats while we recorded them. Our findings provide a proof of concept for a new noninvasive acoustic monitoring technique that analyses "swarming soundscapes" by combining classical acoustic parameters and LFCCs, instead of analyzing single calls. Our approach for species identification is especially beneficial in situations with multiple calling individuals, such as autumn swarming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Bergmann
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Lara S. Burchardt
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Bernadette Wimmer
- Naturschutz, Landwirtschaft, Gartenbau, Schifffahrt und WasserwirtschaftLandratsamt Garmisch‐PatenkirchenGarmisch‐PatenkirchenGermany
| | | | - Florian Gloza‐Rausch
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Noctalis Fledermaus‐Zentrum GmbHBad SegebergGermany
- Deutsche Fledermauswarte e.VBerlinGermany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Deutsche Fledermauswarte e.VBerlinGermany
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5
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Burchardt LS, Briefer EF, Knörnschild M. Novel ideas to further expand the applicability of rhythm analysis. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18229-18237. [PMID: 35003669 PMCID: PMC8717299 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The temporal structure of animals' acoustic signals can inform about context, urgency, species, individual identity, or geographical origin. We present three independent ideas to further expand the applicability of rhythm analysis for isochronous, that is, metronome-like, rhythms. A description of a rhythm or beat needs to include a description of its goodness of fit, meaning how well the rhythm describes a sequence. Existing goodness-of-fit values are not comparable between methods and datasets. Furthermore, they are strongly correlated with certain parameters of the described sequence, for example, the number of elements in the sequence. We introduce a new universal goodness-of-fit value, ugof, comparable across methods and datasets, which illustrates how well a certain beat frequency in Hz describes the temporal structure of a sequence of elements. We then describe two additional approaches to adapt already existing methods to analyze the rhythm of acoustic sequences of animals. The new additions, a slightly modified way to use the already established Fourier analysis and concrete examples on how to use the visualization with recurrence plots, enable the analysis of more variable data, while giving more details than previously proposed measures. New methods are tested on 6 datasets including the very complex flight songs of male skylarks. The ugof is the first goodness-of-fit value capable of giving the information per element, instead of only per sequence. Advantages and possible interpretations of the new approaches are discussed. The new methods enable the analysis of more variable and complex communication signals. They give indications on which levels and structures to analyze and enable to track changes and differences in individuals or populations, for instance, during ontogeny or across regions. Especially, the ugof is not restricted to the analysis of acoustic signals but could for example also be applied on heartbeat measurements. Taken together, the ugof and proposed method additions greatly broaden the scope of rhythm analysis methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara S. Burchardt
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Institute of Animal BehaviorFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Elodie F. Briefer
- Behavioural Ecology GroupSection for Ecology & EvolutionDepartment of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen ØDenmark
- Université Paris‐SaclayUniversité Paris‐SudCNRSUMR 9197Institut des Neurosciences Paris‐SaclayOrsayFrance
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceBerlinGermany
- Institute of Animal BehaviorFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboa AnconPanama
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6
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Jones TK, Allen KM, Moss CF. Communication with self, friends and foes in active-sensing animals. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:273391. [PMID: 34752625 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Animals that rely on electrolocation and echolocation for navigation and prey detection benefit from sensory systems that can operate in the dark, allowing them to exploit sensory niches with few competitors. Active sensing has been characterized as a highly specialized form of communication, whereby an echolocating or electrolocating animal serves as both the sender and receiver of sensory information. This characterization inspires a framework to explore the functions of sensory channels that communicate information with the self and with others. Overlapping communication functions create challenges for signal privacy and fidelity by leaving active-sensing animals vulnerable to eavesdropping, jamming and masking. Here, we present an overview of active-sensing systems used by weakly electric fish, bats and odontocetes, and consider their susceptibility to heterospecific and conspecific jamming signals and eavesdropping. Susceptibility to interference from signals produced by both conspecifics and prey animals reduces the fidelity of electrolocation and echolocation for prey capture and foraging. Likewise, active-sensing signals may be eavesdropped, increasing the risk of alerting prey to the threat of predation or the risk of predation to the sender, or drawing competition to productive foraging sites. The evolutionary success of electrolocating and echolocating animals suggests that they effectively counter the costs of active sensing through rich and diverse adaptive behaviors that allow them to mitigate the effects of competition for signal space and the exploitation of their signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Te K Jones
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kathryne M Allen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Cynthia F Moss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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7
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Greville LJ, Tam AG, Faure PA. Evaluating odour and urinary sex preferences in the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory cues provide detailed information to mammals regarding conspecifics. Bats may identify species, colony membership, and individuals using olfaction. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)) live in mixed-sex colonies and must differentiate between sexes to locate mates. We hypothesized that odour cues convey information about sex. In experiment 1, adult E. fuscus were recorded exploring a Y-maze that contained general body odours sampled from male or female conspecifics. One group of subjects was habituated to the Y-maze prior to experimental trials, whereas a second group was not. Bat exploration and the proportion of time spent near each scent were used as preference indicators for the body odour of a particular sex. Experiment 2 followed similar procedures except the odour cue tested was urine from either male or female conspecifics and without Y-maze habituation. Results found no evidence that E. fuscus prefer the body odours of a given sex, but females did prefer the odour of male urine. Non-habituated animals in experiment 1 were more likely to explore the Y-maze and approach a stimulus scent compared with habituated bats. These findings have important implications for courtship and mating behaviour in bats, as well for designing future behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J.S. Greville
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Audrey G. Tam
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Paul A. Faure
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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8
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He K, Liu Q, Xu DM, Qi FY, Bai J, He SW, Chen P, Zhou X, Cai WZ, Chen ZZ, Liu Z, Jiang XL, Shi P. Echolocation in soft-furred tree mice. Science 2021; 372:372/6548/eaay1513. [PMID: 34140356 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Echolocation is the use of reflected sound to sense features of the environment. Here, we show that soft-furred tree mice (Typhlomys) echolocate based on multiple independent lines of evidence. Behavioral experiments show that these mice can locate and avoid obstacles in darkness using hearing and ultrasonic pulses. The proximal portion of their stylohyal bone fuses with the tympanic bone, a form previously only seen in laryngeally echolocating bats. Further, we found convergence of hearing-related genes across the genome and of the echolocation-related gene prestin between soft-furred tree mice and echolocating mammals. Together, our findings suggest that soft-furred tree mice are capable of echolocation, and thus are a new lineage of echolocating mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Dong-Ming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Fei-Yan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jing Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Shui-Wang He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Peng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Wan-Zhi Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Zhong-Zheng Chen
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
| | - Xue-Long Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China. .,School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
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9
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González-Palomares E, López-Jury L, Wetekam J, Kiai A, García-Rosales F, Hechavarria JC. Male Carollia perspicillata bats call more than females in a distressful context. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202336. [PMID: 34040789 PMCID: PMC8113905 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Distress calls are a vocalization type widespread across the animal kingdom, emitted when the animals are under duress, e.g. when captured by a predator. Here, we report on an observation we came across serendipitously while recording distress calls from the bat species Carollia perspicillata, i.e. the existence of sex difference in the distress calling behaviour of this species. We show that in C. perspicillata bats, males are more likely to produce distress vocalizations than females when hand-held. Male bats call more, their calls are louder, harsher (faster amplitude modulated) and cover lower carrier frequencies than female vocalizations. We discuss our results within a framework of potential hormonal, neurobiological and behavioural differences that could explain our findings, and open multiple paths to continue the study of sex-related differences in vocal behaviour in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luciana López-Jury
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Johannes Wetekam
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ava Kiai
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Francisco García-Rosales
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julio C. Hechavarria
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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In situ novel environment assay reveals acoustic exploration as a repeatable behavioral response in migratory bats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8174. [PMID: 33854128 PMCID: PMC8046999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87588-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrating information on species-specific sensory perception with spatial activity provides a high-resolution understanding of how animals explore environments, yet frequently used exploration assays commonly ignore sensory acquisition as a measure for exploration. Echolocation is an active sensing system used by hundreds of mammal species, primarily bats. As echolocation call activity can be reliably quantified, bats present an excellent model system to investigate intraspecific variation in environmental cue sampling. Here, we developed an in situ roost-like novel environment assay for tree-roosting bats. We repeatedly tested 52 individuals of the migratory bat species, Pipistrellus nathusii, across 24 h, to examine the role of echolocation when crawling through a maze-type arena and test for consistent intraspecific variation in sensory-based exploration. We reveal a strong correlation between echolocation call activity and spatial activity. Moreover, we show that during the exploration of the maze, individuals consistently differed in spatial activity as well as echolocation call activity, given their spatial activity, a behavioral response we term 'acoustic exploration'. Acoustic exploration was correlated with other exploratory behaviors, but not with emergence latency. We here present a relevant new measure for exploration behavior and provide evidence for consistent (short-term) intra-specific variation in the level at which wild bats collect information from a novel environment.
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11
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Calkins L, Lingevitch J, Coffin J, McGuire L, Geder J, Kelly M, Zavlanos MM, Sofge D, Lofaro D. Distance Estimation Using Self-Induced Noise of an Aerial Vehicle. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3060664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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12
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Raman S, Hughes AC. Echobank for the Bats of Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.2.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sreehari Raman
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan Province, 666303, PR China
| | - Alice C. Hughes
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan Province, 666303, PR China
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13
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Great Himalayan Leaf-Nosed Bats Produce Different Territorial Calls to Respond to Sympatric Species and Non-Living Objects. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112040. [PMID: 33158294 PMCID: PMC7694401 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Many animals produce keep-out signals to keep intruders from entering their territories. Studies have shown that bats produce territorial calls to defend the conspecifics intrusion. However, it remains unknown whether bats can adjust their territorial calls in response to different types of intruders, such as heterospecifics or non-living objects. We simulated the process of territory defense in male great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats toward two sympatric species and four non-living objects to investigate their acoustic responses. Bats displayed different acoustic responses for different types of intruders, suggesting that territorial calls of male great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats may convey emotional state information when the bats respond to invasion by sympatric species or non-living objects. Our results are valuable for understanding animal cognition and interactions among bat species from an acoustic perspective. Abstract Territorial signals are important for reducing the cost of territory defense. Normally, male animals will produce keep-out signals to repel intruders from entering their territory. However, there is currently no evidence that bats can adjust their territorial calls to respond differently to sympatric species or non-living objects. In this study, we simulated the process of territory defense in male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros armiger) toward two sympatric species (Hipposideros pratti and Rhinolophus sinicus) and four different non-living objects (a fur specimen of H. armiger, a bat model, a speaker, and a speaker with playback of H. armiger echolocation calls) to investigate their acoustic responses. There were significant differences in the territorial call complexity, syllable rate, and syllable ratio produced by H. armiger under the different experimental conditions. Our results confirmed that bats can adjust their territorial calls to respond to different sympatric species and non-living objects. The results will further our understanding of animal cognition and interactions among bat species from an acoustic perspective.
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Ikeda Y, Jiang T, Oh H, Csorba G, Motokawa M. Geographic variations of skull morphology in the Rhinolophus ferrumequinum species complex (Mammalia: Chiroptera). ZOOL ANZ 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Garcia M, Ravignani A. Acoustic allometry and vocal learning in mammals. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200081. [PMID: 32634374 PMCID: PMC7423041 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic allometry is the study of how animal vocalizations reflect their body size. A key aim of this research is to identify outliers to acoustic allometry principles and pinpoint the evolutionary origins of such outliers. A parallel strand of research investigates species capable of vocal learning, the experience-driven ability to produce novel vocal signals through imitation or modification of existing vocalizations. Modification of vocalizations is a common feature found when studying both acoustic allometry and vocal learning. Yet, these two fields have only been investigated separately to date. Here, we review and connect acoustic allometry and vocal learning across mammalian clades, combining perspectives from bioacoustics, anatomy and evolutionary biology. Based on this, we hypothesize that, as a precursor to vocal learning, some species might have evolved the capacity for volitional vocal modulation via sexual selection for 'dishonest' signalling. We provide preliminary support for our hypothesis by showing significant associations between allometric deviation and vocal learning in a dataset of 164 mammals. Our work offers a testable framework for future empirical research linking allometric principles with the evolution of vocal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Garcia
- Animal Behaviour, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8051 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Research Department, Sealcentre Pieterburen, Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
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Vernes SC, Wilkinson GS. Behaviour, biology and evolution of vocal learning in bats. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190061. [PMID: 31735153 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The comparative approach can provide insight into the evolution of human speech, language and social communication by studying relevant traits in animal systems. Bats are emerging as a model system with great potential to shed light on these processes given their learned vocalizations, close social interactions, and mammalian brains and physiology. A recent framework outlined the multiple levels of investigation needed to understand vocal learning across a broad range of non-human species, including cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants, birds and bats. Here, we apply this framework to the current state-of-the-art in bat research. This encompasses our understanding of the abilities bats have displayed for vocal learning, what is known about the timing and social structure needed for such learning, and current knowledge about the prevalence of the trait across the order. It also addresses the biology (vocal tract morphology, neurobiology and genetics) and evolution of this trait. We conclude by highlighting some key questions that should be answered to advance our understanding of the biological encoding and evolution of speech and spoken communication. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, PO Box 310, Nijmegen 6500 AH, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Schmidbauer P, Denzinger A. Social calls of Myotis nattereri during swarming: Call structure mirrors the different behavioral context. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221792. [PMID: 31490957 PMCID: PMC6730923 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Swarming is a characteristic behavior of bats that occurs in different social contexts. We studied the swarming behavior of Myotis nattereri at a maternity colony and at an autumn swarming site in South-West Germany by using synchronized sound and video recordings. Swarming was always associated with social vocalizations consisting of four frequently occurring call types. Call type A was a short call with a broadband steep-shallow-steep downward frequency modulation. Call type B consisted of two elements beginning with a broadband upward hooked element followed by a steep frequency modulated element. Call type C showed a characteristic rapid downward-upward-downward frequency modulation. Call type D was a long sinusoidal trill-like call with high variability in signal structure. All call types were recorded at the maternity colony, as well as at the autumn swarming site, but the incidence of each call type differed distinctly between the study sites. At the maternity roost, type A calls were most commonly produced. We found evidence for an individual signature in this call type and suggest that this social call has the function of a contact call in Natterer’s bats. At the autumn swarming site, type D calls were the most common social calls; in contrast, this call type was recorded only twice at the maternity roost. The occurrence of trills mainly at the autumn swarming site and their high variability suggests that trills function as male advertisement calls in M. nattereri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schmidbauer
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Annette Denzinger
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Dávalos LM, Lancaster WC, Núñez-Novas MS, León YM, Lei B, Flanders J, Russell AL. A coalescent-based estimator of genetic drift, and acoustic divergence in the Pteronotus parnellii species complex. Heredity (Edinb) 2019; 122:417-427. [PMID: 30120366 PMCID: PMC6460761 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0129-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Determining the processes responsible for phenotypic variation is one of the central tasks of evolutionary biology. While the importance of acoustic traits for foraging and communication in echolocating mammals suggests adaptation, the seldom-tested null hypothesis to explain trait divergence is genetic drift. Here we derive FST values from multi-locus coalescent isolation-with-migration models, and couple them with estimates of quantitative trait divergence, or PST, to test drift as the evolutionary process responsible for phenotypic divergence in island populations of the Pteronotus parnellii species complex. Compared to traditional comparisons of PST to FST, the migration-based estimates of FST are unidirectional instead of bidirectional, simultaneously integrate variation among loci and individuals, and posterior densities of PST and FST can be compared directly. We found the evolution of higher call frequencies is inconsistent with genetic drift for the Hispaniolan population, despite many generations of isolation from its Puerto Rican counterpart. While the Hispaniolan population displays dimorphism in call frequencies, the higher frequency of the females is incompatible with sexual selection. Instead, cultural drift toward higher frequencies among Hispaniolan females might explain the divergence. By integrating Bayesian coalescent and trait analyses, this study demonstrates a powerful approach to testing genetic drift as the default evolutionary mechanism of trait differentiation between populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Winston C Lancaster
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA, 95819, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Miguel S Núñez-Novas
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Profesor Eugenio De Jesús Marcano. César Nicolás Penson Street esq. Máximo Gómez, Plaza de la Cultura, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Yolanda M León
- Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo y Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Bonnie Lei
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Microsoft, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA
| | - Jon Flanders
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- Bat Conservation International, 500 North Capital of Texas Highway, Austin, TX, 78746, USA
| | - Amy L Russell
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, 49401, USA.
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Voigt CC, Frick WF, Holderied MW, Holland R, Kerth G, Mello MAR, Plowright RK, Swartz S, Yovel Y. PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS OF BAT MOVEMENTS: FROM AERODYNAMICS TO ECOLOGY. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2019; 92:267-287. [PMID: 29861509 DOI: 10.1086/693847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Movement ecology as an integrative discipline has advanced associated fields because it presents not only a conceptual framework for understanding movement principles but also helps formulate predictions about the consequences of movements for animals and their environments. Here, we synthesize recent studies on principles and patterns of bat movements in context of the movement ecology paradigm. The motion capacity of bats is defined by their highly articulated, flexible wings. Power production during flight follows a U-shaped curve in relation to speed in bats yet, in contrast to birds, bats use mostly exogenous nutrients for sustained flight. The navigation capacity of most bats is dominated by the echolocation system, yet other sensory modalities, including an iron-based magnetic sense, may contribute to navigation depending on a bat's familiarity with the terrain. Patterns derived from these capacities relate to antagonistic and mutualistic interactions with food items. The navigation capacity of bats may influence their sociality, in particular, the extent of group foraging based on eavesdropping on conspecifics' echolocation calls. We infer that understanding the movement ecology of bats within the framework of the movement ecology paradigm provides new insights into ecological processes mediated by bats, from ecosystem services to diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research 10315 Berlin, Germany, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Bat Conservation International Austin, Texas 78716 USA, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, California 95064 USA
| | - Marc W Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University Bristol BS8 1TQ United Kingdom
| | - Richard Holland
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW United Kingdom
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, University of Greifswald D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco A R Mello
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Minas Gerais 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University Bozeman, Montana 59717 USA
| | - Sharon Swartz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School of Engineering, Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, and the "Sagol" School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University Tel-Aviv, Israel
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Bats increase vocal amplitude and decrease vocal complexity to mitigate noise interference during social communication. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:199-212. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-01235-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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22
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Burchardt LS, Norton P, Behr O, Scharff C, Knörnschild M. General isochronous rhythm in echolocation calls and social vocalizations of the bat Saccopteryx bilineata. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181076. [PMID: 30800360 PMCID: PMC6366212 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Rhythm is an essential component of human speech and music but very little is known about its evolutionary origin and its distribution in animal vocalizations. We found a regular rhythm in three multisyllabic vocalization types (echolocation call sequences, male territorial songs and pup isolation calls) of the neotropical bat Saccopteryx bilineata. The intervals between element onsets were used to fit the rhythm for each individual. For echolocation call sequences, we expected rhythm frequencies around 6-24 Hz, corresponding to the wingbeat in S. bilineata which is strongly coupled to echolocation calls during flight. Surprisingly, we found rhythm frequencies between 6 and 24 Hz not only for echolocation sequences but also for social vocalizations, e.g. male territorial songs and pup isolation calls, which were emitted while bats were stationary. Fourier analysis of element onsets confirmed an isochronous rhythm across individuals and vocalization types. We speculate that attentional tuning to the rhythms of echolocation calls on the receivers' side might make the production of equally steady rhythmic social vocalizations beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara S. Burchardt
- Institute of Animal Behavior, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Author for correspondence: Lara S. Burchardt e-mail:
| | - Philipp Norton
- Institute of Animal Behavior, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Behr
- University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Paul-Gordan-Str. 3/5, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Constance Scharff
- Institute of Animal Behavior, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Institute of Animal Behavior, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Barro Colorado Island, Roosevelt Avenue, Tupper Building – 401, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
- Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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23
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Bohn K, Gillam E. In-flight social calls: a primer for biologists and managers studying echolocation. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological advances have permitted collection of immense data sets through automated recordings that are primarily aimed at capturing bat echolocation. Analyses of echolocation calls are used to identify species, relative abundance, and some aspects of behaviour, such as foraging or commuting. Here we propose that social calls recorded in flight are also valuable tools for understanding bat ecology and behaviour. First, we examine how and why the acoustic structure of social calls differ from echolocation. Differences in form make social calls often, but not always, easy to identify. We then use a case study on in-flight song in Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis (I. Geoffroy, 1824)) to show that what may appear as echolocation may instead be predominantly used for social communication. Next, we review three basic functions of in-flight social calls, including examples of each, and develop a framework for testing these alternative functions using automated recordings. In a second case study, we use automated recordings of the endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus (G.M. Allen, 1932)) to illustrate how behavioural information can be gleaned by examining patterns of social call production. Finally, we discuss why and how social calls provide novel information that can be crucial for conservation and management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Bohn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA
| | - E.H. Gillam
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, 218 Stevens Hall, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
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Raw RNV, Bastian A, Jacobs DS. It's not all about the Soprano: Rhinolophid bats use multiple acoustic components in echolocation pulses to discriminate between conspecifics and heterospecifics. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199703. [PMID: 30020963 PMCID: PMC6051568 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication plays a pivotal role in conspecific recognition in numerous animal taxa. Vocalizations must therefore have discrete acoustic signatures to facilitate intra-specific communication and to avoid misidentification. Here we investigate the potential role of echolocation in communication in horseshoe bats. Although it has been demonstrated that echolocation can be used to discriminate among con- and hetero-specifics, the specific acoustic cues used in discrimination are still relatively unknown. Furthermore, the Acoustic Communication Hypothesis proposes that in multispecies assemblages, in which echolocation frequencies are likely to overlap, bats partition acoustic space along several dimensions so that each species occupies a discrete communication domain. Thus, multiple echolocation variables may be used in discrimination. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of various echolocation variables to function as discriminatory cues in echolocation-based species discrimination. Using habituation-dishabituation playback experiments, we firstly tested the ability of Rhinolophus clivosus to discriminate between echolocation pulses of heterospecifics with either discrete or overlapping frequencies. Secondly, to determine whether R. clivosus could use echolocation variables other than frequency, we investigated its ability to discriminate among echolocation pulses differing in only one manipulated parameter. These test variables were identified by their contribution to the dissimilarity among pulses. Our results suggest that R. clivosus could discriminate readily between species using echolocation pulses with discrete frequencies. When frequencies overlapped, the ability of bats to discriminate was dependant on additional acoustic variables that defined the acoustic space occupied by the test signal. These additional acoustic variables included, but may not be restricted to, sweep rate of the FM and duty cycle. Thus, when echolocation pulses share a similar acoustic domain, bats use several cues to reliably discriminate among heterospecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N. V. Raw
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna Bastian
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - David S. Jacobs
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Zhang C, Jiang T, Lu G, Lin A, Sun K, Liu S, Feng J. Geographical variation in the echolocation calls of bent-winged bats, Miniopterus fuliginosus. ZOOLOGY 2018; 131:36-44. [PMID: 29803625 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary biologists had a long-standing interest in the evolutionary forces underlying geographical variation in the acoustic signals of animals. However, the evolutionary forces driving acoustic variation are still unclear. In this study, we quantified the geographical variation in the peak frequencies of echolocation calls in eight Miniopterus fuliginosus bat colonies, and assessed the forces that drive acoustic divergence. Our results demonstrated that seven of the colonies had very similar peak frequencies, while only one colony was significantly higher than the others. This similarity in echolocation call frequency among the seven colonies was likely due to frequent dispersal and migration, leading to male-mediated infiltration of nuclear genes. This infiltration enhances gene flow and weakens ecological selection, and also increases interactions in the presence of conspecifics. Significant correlations were not observed between acoustic distances and morphological distances, climatic differences, geographic distances or mtDNA genetic distances. However, variation in acoustic distances was significantly positive correlated with nDNA genetic distance, even after controlling for geographic distance. Interestingly, the relationship between call divergence and genetic distance was no longer significant after excluding the colony with the highest call frequency, which may be due to the minimal genetic distance among the other seven colonies. The highest frequencies of echolocation calls observed in the one colony may be shaped by selection pressure due to loud background noise in the area. Taken together, these results suggest that geographic divergence of echolocation calls may not be subject to genetic drift, but rather, that the strong selective pressure induced by background noise may lead to acoustic and genetic differentiation between JXT and the other colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmian Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China.
| | - Guanjun Lu
- College of Urban and Environment Science, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, PR China
| | - Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China
| | - Sen Liu
- Institute of Resources & Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, PR China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China.
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Chaverri G, Ancillotto L, Russo D. Social communication in bats. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1938-1954. [PMID: 29766650 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bats represent one of the most diverse mammalian orders, not only in terms of species numbers, but also in their ecology and life histories. Many species are known to use ephemeral and/or unpredictable resources that require substantial investment to find and defend, and also engage in social interactions, thus requiring significant levels of social coordination. To accomplish these tasks, bats must be able to communicate; there is now substantial evidence that demonstrates the complexity of bat communication and the varied ways in which bats solve some of the problems associated with their unique life histories. However, while the study of communication in bats is rapidly growing, it still lags behind other taxa. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of communication in bats, from the reasons why they communicate to the diversity and application of different signal modalities. The most widespread form of communication is the transmission of a signaller's characteristics, such as species identity, sex, individual identity, group membership, social status and body condition, and because many species of bats can rely little on vision due to their nocturnal lifestyles, it is assumed that sound and olfaction are particularly important signalling modes. For example, research suggests that secretions from specialized glands, often in combination with urine and saliva, are responsible for species recognition in several species. These olfactory signals may also convey information about sex and colony membership. Olfaction may be used in combination with sound, particularly in species that emit constant frequency (CF) echolocation calls, to recognize conspecifics from heterospecifics, yet their simple structure and high frequency do not allow much information of individual identity to be conveyed over long distances. By contrast, social calls may encode a larger number of cues of individual identity, and their lower frequencies increase their range of detection. Social calls are also known to deter predators, repel competitors from foraging patches, attract group mates to roost sites, coordinate foraging activities, and are used during courtship. In addition to sound, visual displays such as wing flapping or hovering may be used during courtship, and swarming around roost sites may serve as a visual cue of roost location. However, visual communication in bats still remains a poorly studied signal modality. Finally, the most common form of tactile communication known in bats is social grooming, which may be used to signal reproductive condition, but also to facilitate and strengthen cooperative interactions. Overall, this review demonstrates the rapid advances made in the study of bat social communication during recent years, and also identifies topics that require further study, particularly those that may allow us to understand adaptation to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloriana Chaverri
- Recinto de Golfito, Universidad de Costa Rica, Golfito, 60701, Costa Rica
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, Portici NA 80055, Italy
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, Portici NA 80055, Italy.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
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Dias-Silva L, Duarte GT, Alves R, Pereira MJR, Paglia A. Feeding and social activity of insectivorous bats in a complex landscape: The importance of gallery forests and karst areas. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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28
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Ultrasonic Social Communication in Bats: Signal Complexity and Its Neural Management. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-809600-0.00046-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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29
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Jacobs DS, Catto S, Mutumi GL, Finger N, Webala PW. Testing the Sensory Drive Hypothesis: Geographic variation in echolocation frequencies of Geoffroy's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophidae: Rhinolophus clivosus). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187769. [PMID: 29186147 PMCID: PMC5706677 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographic variation in sensory traits is usually influenced by adaptive processes because these traits are involved in crucial life-history aspects including orientation, communication, lineage recognition and mate choice. Studying this variation can therefore provide insights into lineage diversification. According to the Sensory Drive Hypothesis, lineage diversification may be driven by adaptation of sensory systems to local environments. It predicts that acoustic signals vary in association with local climatic conditions so that atmospheric attenuation is minimized and transmission of the signals maximized. To test this prediction, we investigated the influence of climatic factors (specifically relative humidity and temperature) on geographic variation in the resting frequencies of the echolocation pulses of Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus. If the evolution of phenotypic variation in this lineage tracks climate variation, human induced climate change may lead to decreases in detection volumes and a reduction in foraging efficiency. A complex non-linear interaction between relative humidity and temperature affects atmospheric attenuation of sound and principal components composed of these correlated variables were, therefore, used in a linear mixed effects model to assess their contribution to observed variation in resting frequencies. A principal component composed predominantly of mean annual temperature (factor loading of -0.8455) significantly explained a proportion of the variation in resting frequency across sites (P < 0.05). Specifically, at higher relative humidity (around 60%) prevalent across the distribution of R. clivosus, increasing temperature had a strong negative effect on resting frequency. Climatic factors thus strongly influence acoustic signal divergence in this lineage, supporting the prediction of the Sensory Drive Hypothesis. The predicted future increase in temperature due to climate change is likely to decrease the detection volume in echolocating bats and adversely impact their foraging efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Jacobs
- University of Cape Town, Department of Biological Sciences, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sarah Catto
- University of Cape Town, Department of Biological Sciences, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gregory L. Mutumi
- University of Cape Town, Department of Biological Sciences, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nikita Finger
- University of Cape Town, Department of Biological Sciences, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Maasai Mara University, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Narok, Kenya
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Hügel T, van Meir V, Muñoz-Meneses A, Clarin BM, Siemers BM, Goerlitz HR. Does similarity in call structure or foraging ecology explain interspecific information transfer in wild Myotis bats? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:168. [PMID: 29200602 PMCID: PMC5661007 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2398-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Animals can gain important information by attending to the signals and cues of other animals in their environment, with acoustic information playing a major role in many taxa. Echolocation call sequences of bats contain information about the identity and behaviour of the sender which is perceptible to close-by receivers. Increasing evidence supports the communicative function of echolocation within species, yet data about its role for interspecific information transfer is scarce. Here, we asked which information bats extract from heterospecific echolocation calls during foraging. In three linked playback experiments, we tested in the flight room and field if foraging Myotis bats approached the foraging call sequences of conspecifics and four heterospecifics that were similar in acoustic call structure only (acoustic similarity hypothesis), in foraging ecology only (foraging similarity hypothesis), both, or none. Compared to the natural prey capture rate of 1.3 buzzes per minute of bat activity, our playbacks of foraging sequences with 23-40 buzzes/min simulated foraging patches with significantly higher profitability. In the flight room, M. capaccinii only approached call sequences of conspecifics and of the heterospecific M. daubentonii with similar acoustics and foraging ecology. In the field, M. capaccinii and M. daubentonii only showed a weak positive response to those two species. Our results confirm information transfer across species boundaries and highlight the importance of context on the studied behaviour, but cannot resolve whether information transfer in trawling Myotis is based on acoustic similarity only or on a combination of similarity in acoustics and foraging ecology. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Animals transfer information, both voluntarily and inadvertently, and within and across species boundaries. In echolocating bats, acoustic call structure and foraging ecology are linked, making echolocation calls a rich source of information about species identity, ecology and activity of the sender, which receivers might exploit to find profitable foraging grounds. We tested in three lab and field experiments if information transfer occurs between bat species and if bats obtain information about ecology from echolocation calls. Myotis capaccinii/daubentonii bats approached call playbacks, but only those from con- and heterospecifics with similar call structure and foraging ecology, confirming interspecific information transfer. Reactions differed between lab and field, emphasising situation-dependent differences in animal behaviour, the importance of field research, and the need for further studies on the underlying mechanism of information transfer and the relative contributions of acoustic and ecological similarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Hügel
- Sensory Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Acoustic and Functional Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, Seewiesen, 82319 Germany
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Vincent van Meir
- Sensory Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Acoustic and Functional Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, Seewiesen, 82319 Germany
| | - Amanda Muñoz-Meneses
- Acoustic and Functional Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, Seewiesen, 82319 Germany
- Graduate School for Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - B.-Markus Clarin
- Sensory Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Björn M. Siemers
- Sensory Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Holger R. Goerlitz
- Sensory Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Acoustic and Functional Ecology Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, Seewiesen, 82319 Germany
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Worm M, Kirschbaum F, von der Emde G. Social interactions between live and artificial weakly electric fish: Electrocommunication and locomotor behavior of Mormyrus rume proboscirostris towards a mobile dummy fish. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184622. [PMID: 28902915 PMCID: PMC5597219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mormyrid weakly electric fish produce short, pulse-type electric organ discharges for actively probing their environment and to communicate with conspecifics. Animals emit sequences of pulse-trains that vary in overall frequency and temporal patterning and can lead to time-locked interactions with the discharge activity of other individuals. Both active electrolocation and electrocommunication are additionally accompanied by stereotypical locomotor patterns. However, the concrete roles of electrical and locomotor patterns during social interactions in mormyrids are not well understood. Here we used a mobile fish dummy that was emitting different types of electrical playback sequences to study following behavior and interaction patterns (electrical and locomotor) between individuals of weakly electric fish. We confronted single individuals of Mormyrus rume proboscirostris with a mobile dummy fish designed to attract fish from a shelter and recruit them into an open area by emitting electrical playbacks of natural discharge sequences. We found that fish were reliably recruited by the mobile dummy if it emitted electrical signals and followed it largely independently of the presented playback patterns. While following the dummy, fish interacted with it spatially by displaying stereotypical motor patterns, as well as electrically, e.g. through discharge regularizations and by synchronizing their own discharge activity to the playback. However, the overall emission frequencies of the dummy were not adopted by the following fish. Instead, social signals based on different temporal patterns were emitted depending on the type of playback. In particular, double pulses were displayed in response to electrical signaling of the dummy and their expression was positively correlated with an animals' rank in the dominance hierarchy. Based on additional analysis of swimming trajectories and stereotypical locomotor behavior patterns, we conclude that the reception and emission of electrical communication signals play a crucial role in mediating social interactions in mormyrid weakly electric fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Worm
- Department of Neuroethology/Sensory Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Frank Kirschbaum
- Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerhard von der Emde
- Department of Neuroethology/Sensory Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Smarsh GC, Smotherman M. Behavioral response to conspecific songs on foraging territories of the heart-nosed bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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33
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Torti V, Bonadonna G, De Gregorio C, Valente D, Randrianarison RM, Friard O, Pozzi L, Gamba M, Giacoma C. An intra-population analysis of the indris' song dissimilarity in the light of genetic distance. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10140. [PMID: 28860569 PMCID: PMC5579264 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10656-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing interest in the evolution of human language has led several fields of research to focus on primate vocal communication. The 'singing primates', which produce elaborated and complex sequences of vocalizations, are of particular interest for this topic. Indris (Indri indri) are the only singing lemurs and emit songs whose most distinctive portions are "descending phrases" consisting of 2-5 units. We examined how the structure of the indris' phrases varied with genetic relatedness among individuals. We tested whether the acoustic structure could provide conspecifics with information about individual identity and group membership. When analyzing phrase dissimilarity and genetic distance of both sexes, we found significant results for males but not for females. We found that similarity of male song-phrases correlates with kin in both time and frequency parameters, while, for females, this information is encoded only in the frequency of a single type. Song phrases have consistent individual-specific features, but we did not find any potential for advertising group membership. We emphasize the fact that genetic and social factors may play a role in the acoustic plasticity of female indris. Altogether, these findings open a new perspective for future research on the possibility of vocal production learning in these primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Torti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanna Bonadonna
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Chiara De Gregorio
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Daria Valente
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Rose Marie Randrianarison
- Département de Paléontologie et d'Anthropologie Biologique, Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Groupe d'étude et de recherche sur les primates de Madagascar (GERP), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Olivier Friard
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Luca Pozzi
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, United States of America
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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Walter MH, Schnitzler HU. Spectral call features provide information about the aggression level of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) during agonistic interactions. BIOACOUSTICS 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2017.1359798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Walter
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Maluleke T, Jacobs DS, Winker H. Environmental correlates of geographic divergence in a phenotypic trait: A case study using bat echolocation. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:7347-7361. [PMID: 28944021 PMCID: PMC5606872 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergence in phenotypic traits may arise from the interaction of different evolutionary forces, including different kinds of selection (e.g., ecological), genetic drift, and phenotypic plasticity. Sensory systems play an important role in survival and reproduction, and divergent selection on such systems may result in lineage diversification. Such diversification could be largely influenced by selection in different environments as a result of isolation by environment (IbE). We investigated this process using geographic variation in the resting echolocation frequency of the horseshoe bat species, Rhinolophus damarensis, as a test case. Bats were sampled along a latitudinal gradient ranging from 16°S to 32°S in the arid western half of southern Africa. We measured body size and peak resting frequencies (RF) from handheld individual bats. Three hypotheses for the divergence in RF were tested: (1) James' Rule, (2) IbE, and (3) genetic drift through isolation by distance (IbD) to isolate the effects of body size, local climatic conditions, and geographic distance, respectively, on the resting frequency of R. damarensis. Our results did not support genetic drift because there was no correlation between RF variation and geographic distance. Our results also did not support James' Rule because there was no significant relationship between (1) geographic distances and RF, (2) body size and RF, or (3) body size and climatic variables. Instead, we found support for IbE in the form of a correlation between RF and both region and annual mean temperature, suggesting that RF variation may be the result of environmental discontinuities. The environmental discontinuities coincided with previously reported genetic divergence. Climatic gradients in conjunction with environmental discontinuities could lead to local adaptation in sensory signals and directed dispersal such that gene flow is restricted, allowing lineages to diverge. However, our study cannot exclude the role of processes like phenotypic plasticity in phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinyiko Maluleke
- Department of Biological Sciences Animal Evolution and Systematics Group (AES) University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - David S Jacobs
- Department of Biological Sciences Animal Evolution and Systematics Group (AES) University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Henning Winker
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology Environmental and Conservation (SEEC) South African National Biodiversity Institute Cape Town South Africa
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36
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Xie L, Sun K, Jiang T, Liu S, Lu G, Jin L, Feng J. The effects of cultural drift on geographic variation in echolocation calls of the Chinese rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus
). Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lifen Xie
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization; Northeast Normal University; Changchun China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization; Northeast Normal University; Changchun China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization; Northeast Normal University; Changchun China
| | - Sen Liu
- Institute of Resources and Environment; Henan Polytechnic University; Henan China
| | - Guanjun Lu
- College of Urban and Environment Sciences; Changchun Normal University; Changchun China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization; Northeast Normal University; Changchun China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization; Northeast Normal University; Changchun China
- Jilin Agricultural University; Changchun China
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37
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Jiang T, Huang X, Wu H, Feng J. Size and quality information in acoustic signals of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in distress situations. Physiol Behav 2017; 173:252-257. [PMID: 28238774 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many animals produce alarm or distress calls when they encounter predators. Previous studies have shown that the distress calls of some birds can also signal the quality of the bird as prey to predators. In this case, both predator and prey may benefit from sharing information about prey's ability to escape. However, little is known about whether echolocation pulses and distress calls in bats convey size and quality information in distress situations. This study investigates the relationship between echolocation, distress calls, and the health of the callers to determine whether these signals are reliable indicators of sender's attributes and quality. The spectro-temporal structure of echolocation pulses and distress calls from captured greater horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, were found to be correlated to their body size, body condition, and T-cell-mediated immunocompetence. The peak frequency of echolocation pulses was found to be positively correlated with the bats' forearm length. However, regression analysis has shown that no significant relationship exists between distress calls and overall body size, or between distress calls and overall health. These results suggest that the peak frequency of echolocation pulses may be a reliable index signal to attract conspecifics, but distress calls of bats may not convey information about their size or overall quality as conspecifics or prey. These results indicate that distress calls in bats may only convey their emotional state, to attract conspecifics and facilitate estimation of predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue St 2555, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xiaobin Huang
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue St 2555, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue St 2555, Changchun 130024, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng ST 2888, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue St 2555, Changchun 130024, China.
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Abstract
Understanding the biological foundations of language is vital to gaining insight into how the capacity for language may have evolved in humans. Animal models can be exploited to learn about the biological underpinnings of shared human traits, and although no other animals display speech or language, a range of behaviors found throughout the animal kingdom are relevant to speech and spoken language. To date, such investigations have been dominated by studies of our closest primate relatives searching for shared traits, or more distantly related species that are sophisticated vocal communicators, like songbirds. Herein I make the case for turning our attention to the Chiropterans, to shed new light on the biological encoding and evolution of human language-relevant traits. Bats employ complex vocalizations to facilitate navigation as well as social interactions, and are exquisitely tuned to acoustic information. Furthermore, bats display behaviors such as vocal learning and vocal turn-taking that are directly pertinent for human spoken language. Emerging technologies are now allowing the study of bat vocal communication, from the behavioral to the neurobiological and molecular level. Although it is clear that no single animal model can reflect the complexity of human language, by comparing such findings across diverse species we can identify the shared biological mechanisms likely to have influenced the evolution of human language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Vernes
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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40
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Lin A, Jiang T, Feng J, Kanwal JS. Acoustically diverse vocalization repertoire in the Himalayan leaf-nosed bat, a widely distributed Hipposideros species. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:3765. [PMID: 27908088 DOI: 10.1121/1.4966286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Insectivorous bats vocalize to both communicate with conspecifics and to echolocate. The communicative vocalizations or "calls" of bats either consist of or are constructed from discrete acoustic units, termed "syllables." This study examined syllable diversity in the Himalayan leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros armiger, a species that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. This social species' vocalizations were hypothesized to consist of a wide variety of syllables facilitating its social interactions. To test this hypothesis, multiple acoustic parameters were measured from recorded vocalizations to map the acoustic boundaries of syllables. Spectrographic signatures were used to classify all recorded sounds into 35 distinct syllable types-18 as simple syllables and 17 as composites. K-means clustering independently provided an optimal fit of simple syllables into 18 clusters with a good correspondence to 15 spectrographically assigned syllable types. Discriminant analysis further confirmed the spectrographic classification of constant frequency syllables (0% misclassification) and revealed a low (<15%) misclassification of spectrograms for all examples of frequency modulation syllables. Multidimensional scaling of mean values of multiple parameters provided a spectrographically constrained relational mapping of syllable types within two dimensions. These data suggest that H. armiger has a complex, well organized syllabic repertoire despite simple syllables being rarely emitted in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Jagmeet S Kanwal
- Department of Neurology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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41
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Behavioural response of the greater horseshoe bat to geographical variation in echolocation calls. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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42
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The origins and diversity of bat songs. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2016; 202:535-54. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-016-1105-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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44
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Doss DPS, Nagarajan-Radha V, Kandula S. Daily and Seasonal Variation in Non-Acoustic Communicative Behaviors of Male Greater Short-Nosed Fruit Bats (Cynopterus sphinx). ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2016.18.1.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Eckenweber M, Knörnschild M. Responsiveness to conspecific distress calls is influenced by day-roost proximity in bats (Saccopteryx bilineata). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160151. [PMID: 27293797 PMCID: PMC4892459 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Distress calls signal extreme physical distress, e.g. being caught by a predator. In many bat species, distress calls attract conspecifics. Because bats often occupy perennial day-roosts, they might adapt their responsiveness according to the social relevance in which distress calls are broadcast. Specifically, we hypothesized that conspecific distress calls broadcast within or in proximity to the day-roost would elicit a stronger responsiveness than distress calls broadcast at a foraging site. We analysed the distress calls and conducted playback experiments with the greater sac-winged bat, Saccopteryx bilineata, which occupies perennial day-roosts with a stable social group composition. S. bilineata reacted significantly differently depending on the playback's location. Bats were attracted to distress call playbacks within the day-roost and in proximity to it, but showed no obvious response to distress call playbacks at a foraging site. Hence, the bats adapted their responsiveness towards distress calls depending on the social relevance in which distress calls were broadcast. Distress calls within or in proximity to the day-roost are probably perceived as a greater threat and thus have a higher behavioural relevance than distress calls at foraging sites, either because bats want to assess the predation risk or because they engage in mobbing behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eckenweber
- Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Animal Behaviour Lab, Institute for Biology, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
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46
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Jiang T, Wu H, Feng J. Patterns and causes of geographic variation in bat echolocation pulses. Integr Zool 2016; 10:241-56. [PMID: 25664901 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary biologists have a long-standing interest in how acoustic signals in animals vary geographically, because divergent ecology and sensory perception play an important role in speciation. Geographic comparisons are valuable in determining the factors that influence divergence of acoustic signals. Bats are social mammals and they depend mainly on echolocation pulses to locate prey, to navigate and to communicate. Mounting evidence shows that geographic variation of bat echolocation pulses is common, with a mean 5-10 kHz differences in peak frequency, and a high level of individual variation may be nested in this geographical variation. However, understanding the geographic variation of echolocation pulses in bats is very difficult, because of differences in sample and statistical analysis techniques as well as the variety of factors shaping the vocal geographic evolution. Geographic differences in echolocation pulses of bats generally lack latitudinal, longitudinal and elevational patterns, and little is known about vocal dialects. Evidence is accumulating to support the fact that geographic variation in echolocation pulses of bats may be caused by genetic drift, cultural drift, ecological selection, sexual selection and social selection. Future studies could relate geographic differences in echolocation pulses to social adaptation, vocal learning strategies and patterns of dispersal. In addition, new statistical techniques and acoustic playback experiments may help to illustrate the causes and consequences of the geographic evolution of echolocation pulse in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration of National Environmental Protection, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration of National Environmental Protection, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Mutumi GL, Jacobs DS, Winker H. Sensory Drive Mediated by Climatic Gradients Partially Explains Divergence in Acoustic Signals in Two Horseshoe Bat Species, Rhinolophus swinnyi and Rhinolophus simulator. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148053. [PMID: 26815436 PMCID: PMC4729529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographic variation can be an indicator of still poorly understood evolutionary processes such as adaptation and drift. Sensory systems used in communication play a key role in mate choice and species recognition. Habitat-mediated (i.e. adaptive) differences in communication signals may therefore lead to diversification. We investigated geographic variation in echolocation calls of African horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus simulator and R. swinnyi in the context of two adaptive hypotheses: 1) James’ Rule and 2) the Sensory Drive Hypothesis. According to James’ Rule body-size should vary in response to relative humidity and temperature so that divergence in call frequency may therefore be the result of climate-mediated variation in body size because of the correlation between body size and call frequency. The Sensory Drive Hypothesis proposes that call frequency is a response to climate-induced differences in atmospheric attenuation and predicts that increases in atmospheric attenuation selects for calls of lower frequency. We measured the morphology and resting call frequency (RF) of 111 R. simulator and 126 R. swinnyi individuals across their distributional range to test the above hypotheses. Contrary to the prediction of James’ Rule, divergence in body size could not explain the variation in RF. Instead, acoustic divergence in RF was best predicted by latitude, geography and climate-induced differences in atmospheric attenuation, as predicted by the Sensory Drive Hypothesis. Although variation in RF was strongly influenced by temperature and humidity, other climatic variables (associated with latitude and altitude) as well as drift (as suggested by a positive correlation between call variation and geographic distance, especially in R. simulator) may also play an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory L. Mutumi
- Animal Evolution and Systematics Group (AES), Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- * E-mail: (GLM); (DSJ)
| | - David S. Jacobs
- Animal Evolution and Systematics Group (AES), Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- * E-mail: (GLM); (DSJ)
| | - Henning Winker
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (SEEC), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Cape Town, South Africa
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Grilliot ME, Burnett SC, Mendonça MT. Choice Experiments Demonstrate that Male Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus) Prefer Echolocation Calls of High Copulatory Females. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2015. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2015.17.2.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Smarsh GC, Smotherman M. Intra- and Interspecific Variability of Echolocation Pulse Acoustics in the African Megadermatid Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2015. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2015.17.2.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Rodenas-Cuadrado P, Chen XS, Wiegrebe L, Firzlaff U, Vernes SC. A novel approach identifies the first transcriptome networks in bats: a new genetic model for vocal communication. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:836. [PMID: 26490347 PMCID: PMC4618519 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2068-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bats are able to employ an astonishingly complex vocal repertoire for navigating their environment and conveying social information. A handful of species also show evidence for vocal learning, an extremely rare ability shared only with humans and few other animals. However, despite their potential for the study of vocal communication, bats remain severely understudied at a molecular level. To address this fundamental gap we performed the first transcriptome profiling and genetic interrogation of molecular networks in the brain of a highly vocal bat species, Phyllostomus discolor. RESULTS Gene network analysis typically needs large sample sizes for correct clustering, this can be prohibitive where samples are limited, such as in this study. To overcome this, we developed a novel bioinformatics methodology for identifying robust co-expression gene networks using few samples (N=6). Using this approach, we identified tissue-specific functional gene networks from the bat PAG, a brain region fundamental for mammalian vocalisation. The most highly connected network identified represented a cluster of genes involved in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Glutamatergic receptors play a significant role in vocalisation from the PAG, suggesting that this gene network may be mechanistically important for vocal-motor control in mammals. CONCLUSION We have developed an innovative approach to cluster co-expressing gene networks and show that it is highly effective in detecting robust functional gene networks with limited sample sizes. Moreover, this work represents the first gene network analysis performed in a bat brain and establishes bats as a novel, tractable model system for understanding the genetics of vocal mammalian communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Rodenas-Cuadrado
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands.
| | - Xiaowei Sylvia Chen
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands.
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Großhaderner Straße 2, Planegg-Martinsried, Munich, D-82152, Germany.
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, TU München, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 4, Freising-Weihenstephan, Munich, 85350, Germany.
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands. .,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands.
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