1
|
Driller M, Brown T, Currie SE, Hiller M, Winkler S, Pippel M, Voigt CC, Fickel J, Mazzoni CJ. A haplotype-resolved reference genome of a long-distance migratory bat, Pipistrellus nathusii (Keyserling & Blasius, 1839). DNA Res 2024; 31:dsae018. [PMID: 38847751 PMCID: PMC11215541 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dsae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a complete, chromosome-scale reference genome for the long-distance migratory bat Pipistrellus nathusii. The genome encompasses both haplotypic sets of autosomes and the separation of both sex chromosomes by utilizing highly accurate long-reads and preserving long-range phasing information through the use of three-dimensional chromatin conformation capture sequencing (Hi-C). This genome, accompanied by a comprehensive protein-coding sequence annotation, provides a valuable genomic resource for future investigations into the genomic bases of long-distance migratory flight in bats as well as uncovering the genetic architecture, population structure and evolutionary history of Pipistrellus nathusii. The reference-quality genome presented here gives a fundamental resource to further our understanding of bat genetics and evolution, adding to the growing number of high-quality genetic resources in this field. Here, we demonstrate its use in the phylogenetic reconstruction of the order Chiroptera, and in particular, we present the resources to allow detailed investigations into the genetic drivers and adaptations related to long-distance migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Driller
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Evolutionary Genetics Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Brown
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Evolutionary Genetics Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Shannon E Currie
- Evolutionary Ecology Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Hiller
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Sequencing and Genotyping, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Pippel
- Sequencing and Genotyping, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Evolutionary Ecology Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Evolutionary Genetics Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Camila J Mazzoni
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Evolutionary Genetics Department, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Moran IG, Loo YY, Louca S, Young NBA, Whibley A, Withers SJ, Salloum PM, Hall ML, Stanley MC, Cain KE. Vocal convergence and social proximity shape the calls of the most basal Passeriformes, New Zealand Wrens. Commun Biol 2024; 7:575. [PMID: 38750083 PMCID: PMC11096322 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06253-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research on avian vocal learning, we still lack a general understanding of how and when this ability evolved in birds. As the closest living relatives of the earliest Passeriformes, the New Zealand wrens (Acanthisitti) hold a key phylogenetic position for furthering our understanding of the evolution of vocal learning because they share a common ancestor with two vocal learners: oscines and parrots. However, the vocal learning abilities of New Zealand wrens remain unexplored. Here, we test for the presence of prerequisite behaviors for vocal learning in one of the two extant species of New Zealand wrens, the rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris). We detect the presence of unique individual vocal signatures and show how these signatures are shaped by social proximity, as demonstrated by group vocal signatures and strong acoustic similarities among distantly related individuals in close social proximity. Further, we reveal that rifleman calls share similar phenotypic variance ratios to those previously reported in the learned vocalizations of the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata. Together these findings provide strong evidence that riflemen vocally converge, and though the mechanism still remains to be determined, they may also suggest that this vocal convergence is the result of rudimentary vocal learning abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ines G Moran
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand.
| | - Yen Yi Loo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Stilianos Louca
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, 97403-1210, OR, USA
| | - Nick B A Young
- Centre for eResearch, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Annabel Whibley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Sarah J Withers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Priscila M Salloum
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Michelle L Hall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Bush Heritage Australia, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Margaret C Stanley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Kristal E Cain
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, Aotearoa New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Beetz MJ. A perspective on neuroethology: what the past teaches us about the future of neuroethology. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:325-346. [PMID: 38411712 PMCID: PMC10995053 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-024-01695-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
For 100 years, the Journal of Comparative Physiology-A has significantly supported research in the field of neuroethology. The celebration of the journal's centennial is a great time point to appreciate the recent progress in neuroethology and to discuss possible avenues of the field. Animal behavior is the main source of inspiration for neuroethologists. This is illustrated by the huge diversity of investigated behaviors and species. To explain behavior at a mechanistic level, neuroethologists combine neuroscientific approaches with sophisticated behavioral analysis. The rapid technological progress in neuroscience makes neuroethology a highly dynamic and exciting field of research. To summarize the recent scientific progress in neuroethology, I went through all abstracts of the last six International Congresses for Neuroethology (ICNs 2010-2022) and categorized them based on the sensory modalities, experimental model species, and research topics. This highlights the diversity of neuroethology and gives us a perspective on the field's scientific future. At the end, I highlight three research topics that may, among others, influence the future of neuroethology. I hope that sharing my roots may inspire other scientists to follow neuroethological approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Jerome Beetz
- Zoology II, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Usui K, Yamamoto T, Khannoon ER, Tokita M. Musculoskeletal morphogenesis supports the convergent evolution of bat laryngeal echolocation. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232196. [PMID: 38290542 PMCID: PMC10827442 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The order Chiroptera (bats) is the second largest group of mammals. One of the essential adaptations that have allowed bats to dominate the night skies is laryngeal echolocation, where bats emit ultrasonic pulses and listen to the returned echo to produce high-resolution 'images' of their surroundings. There are two possible scenarios for the evolutionary origin of laryngeal echolocation in bats: (1) a single origin in a common ancestor followed by the secondary loss in Pteropodidae, or (2) two convergent origins in Rhinolophoidea and Yangochiroptera. Although data from palaeontological, anatomical, developmental and genomic studies of auditory apparatuses exist, they remain inconclusive concerning the evolutionary origin of bat laryngeal echolocation. Here we compared musculoskeletal morphogenesis of the larynx in several chiropteran lineages and found distinct laryngeal modifications in two echolocating lineages, rhinolophoids and yangochiropterans. Our findings support the second scenario that rhinolophoids and yangochiropterans convergently evolved advanced laryngeal echolocation through anatomical modifications of the larynx for ultrasonic sound generation and refinement of the auditory apparatuses for more detailed sound perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Usui
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Tomoki Yamamoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| | - Eraqi R. Khannoon
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, PO Box 30002, Saudi Arabia
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum 63514, Egypt
| | - Masayoshi Tokita
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rouse AA, Patel AD, Wainapel S, Kao MH. Sex differences in vocal learning ability in songbirds are linked with differences in flexible rhythm pattern perception. Anim Behav 2023; 203:193-206. [PMID: 37842009 PMCID: PMC10569135 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Humans readily recognize familiar rhythmic patterns, such as isochrony (equal timing between events) across a wide range of rates. This reflects a facility with perceiving the relative timing of events, not just absolute interval durations. Several lines of evidence suggest this ability is supported by precise temporal predictions arising from forebrain auditory-motor interactions. We have shown previously that male zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, which possess specialized auditory-motor networks and communicate with rhythmically patterned sequences, share our ability to flexibly recognize isochrony across rates. To test the hypothesis that flexible rhythm pattern perception is linked to vocal learning, we ask whether female zebra finches, which do not learn to sing, can also recognize global temporal patterns. We find that females can flexibly recognize isochrony across a wide range of rates but perform slightly worse than males on average. These findings are consistent with recent work showing that while females have reduced forebrain song regions, the overall network connectivity of vocal premotor regions is similar to males and may support predictions of upcoming events. Comparative studies of male and female songbirds thus offer an opportunity to study how individual differences in auditory-motor connectivity influence perception of relative timing, a hallmark of human music perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. Rouse
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, U.S.A
| | - Aniruddh D. Patel
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, U.S.A
- Program in Brain, Mind and Consciousness, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Mimi H. Kao
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, U.S.A
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nevue AA, Mello CV, Portfors CV. Bats possess the anatomical substrate for a laryngeal motor cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.26.546619. [PMID: 37425685 PMCID: PMC10327025 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.26.546619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Cortical neurons that make direct connections to motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord are specialized for fine motor control and learning [1, 2]. Imitative vocal learning, the basis for human speech, requires the precise control of the larynx muscles [3]. While much knowledge on vocal learning systems has been gained from studying songbirds [4], an accessible laboratory model for mammalian vocal learning is highly desirable. Evidence indicative of complex vocal repertoires and dialects suggests that bats are vocal learners [5, 6], however the circuitry that underlies vocal control and learning in bats is largely unknown. A key feature of vocal learning animals is a direct cortical projection to the brainstem motor neurons that innervate the vocal organ [7]. A recent study [8] described a direct connection from the primary motor cortex to medullary nucleus ambiguus in the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Here we show that a distantly related bat, Seba's short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) also possesses a direct projection from the primary motor cortex to nucleus ambiguus. Our results, in combination with Wirthlin et al. [8], suggest that multiple bat lineages possess the anatomical substrate for cortical control of vocal output. We propose that bats would be an informative mammalian model for vocal learning studies to better understand the genetics and circuitry involved in human vocal communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Nevue
- College of Arts and Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, 98686
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239
| | - Claudio V Mello
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ekström AG. Motor constellation theory: A model of infants' phonological development. Front Psychol 2022; 13:996894. [PMID: 36405212 PMCID: PMC9669916 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.996894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 04/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Every normally developing human infant solves the difficult problem of mapping their native-language phonology, but the neural mechanisms underpinning this behavior remain poorly understood. Here, motor constellation theory, an integrative neurophonological model, is presented, with the goal of explicating this issue. It is assumed that infants' motor-auditory phonological mapping takes place through infants' orosensory "reaching" for phonological elements observed in the language-specific ambient phonology, via reference to kinesthetic feedback from motor systems (e.g., articulators), and auditory feedback from resulting speech and speech-like sounds. Attempts are regulated by basal ganglion-cerebellar speech neural circuitry, and successful attempts at reproduction are enforced through dopaminergic signaling. Early in life, the pace of anatomical development constrains mapping such that complete language-specific phonological mapping is prohibited by infants' undeveloped supralaryngeal vocal tract and undescended larynx; constraints gradually dissolve with age, enabling adult phonology. Where appropriate, reference is made to findings from animal and clinical models. Some implications for future modeling and simulation efforts, as well as clinical settings, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Axel G. Ekström
- Speech, Music and Hearing, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vernes SC, Devanna P, Hörpel SG, Alvarez van Tussenbroek I, Firzlaff U, Hagoort P, Hiller M, Hoeksema N, Hughes GM, Lavrichenko K, Mengede J, Morales AE, Wiesmann M. The pale spear-nosed bat: A neuromolecular and transgenic model for vocal learning. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1517:125-142. [PMID: 36069117 PMCID: PMC9826251 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Vocal learning, the ability to produce modified vocalizations via learning from acoustic signals, is a key trait in the evolution of speech. While extensively studied in songbirds, mammalian models for vocal learning are rare. Bats present a promising study system given their gregarious natures, small size, and the ability of some species to be maintained in captive colonies. We utilize the pale spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) and report advances in establishing this species as a tractable model for understanding vocal learning. We have taken an interdisciplinary approach, aiming to provide an integrated understanding across genomics (Part I), neurobiology (Part II), and transgenics (Part III). In Part I, we generated new, high-quality genome annotations of coding genes and noncoding microRNAs to facilitate functional and evolutionary studies. In Part II, we traced connections between auditory-related brain regions and reported neuroimaging to explore the structure of the brain and gene expression patterns to highlight brain regions. In Part III, we created the first successful transgenic bats by manipulating the expression of FoxP2, a speech-related gene. These interdisciplinary approaches are facilitating a mechanistic and evolutionary understanding of mammalian vocal learning and can also contribute to other areas of investigation that utilize P. discolor or bats as study species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C. Vernes
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Paolo Devanna
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Stephen Gareth Hörpel
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands,TUM School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Ine Alvarez van Tussenbroek
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- TUM School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Peter Hagoort
- Neurobiology of Language DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Michael Hiller
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Faculty of Biosciences, Senckenberg Research Institute, Goethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Nienke Hoeksema
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands,Neurobiology of Language DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Graham M. Hughes
- School of Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity College DublinBelfieldIreland
| | - Ksenia Lavrichenko
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Janine Mengede
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Ariadna E. Morales
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Faculty of Biosciences, Senckenberg Research Institute, Goethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Maximilian Wiesmann
- Department of Medical ImagingAnatomyRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Center for Medical Neuroscience, Preclinical Imaging Center PRIME, Radboud Alzheimer CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hanrahan N, Dalziell AH, Turbill C, Armstrong KN, Welbergen JA. Ethogram of Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas) Behaviours and Associated Social Vocalisations. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.1.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Hanrahan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Anastasia H. Dalziell
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Christopher Turbill
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Kyle N. Armstrong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Science Rd, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Selection levels on vocal individuality: strategic use or byproduct. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
11
|
Girard-Buttoz C, Bortolato T, Laporte M, Grampp M, Zuberbühler K, Wittig RM, Crockford C. Population-specific call order in chimpanzee greeting vocal sequences. iScience 2022; 25:104851. [PMID: 36034222 PMCID: PMC9399282 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Primates rarely learn new vocalizations, but they can learn to use their vocalizations in different contexts. Such “vocal usage learning,” particularly in vocal sequences, is a hallmark of human language, but remains understudied in non-human primates. We assess usage learning in four wild chimpanzee communities of Taï and Budongo Forests by investigating population differences in call ordering of a greeting vocal sequence. Whilst in all groups, these sequences consisted of pant-hoots (long-distance contact call) and pant-grunts (short-distance submissive call), the order of the two calls differed across populations. Taï chimpanzees consistently commenced greetings with pant-hoots, whereas Budongo chimpanzees started with pant-grunts. We discuss different hypotheses to explain this pattern and conclude that higher intra-group aggression in Budongo may have led to a local pattern of individuals signaling submission first. This highlights how within-species variation in social dynamics may lead to flexibility in call order production, possibly acquired via usage learning. Chimpanzees combine pant-grunt and pant-hoot calls into a greeting hoot sequence Call-order of these greeting and contact calls is population specific Pant-grunt is uttered first in the population with higher in-group aggressions Vocal usage learning may lead to these population differences in sequence structure
Collapse
|
12
|
Collier K, Parsons S. Syntactic properties of male courtship song in the lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.907791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) have sophisticated acoustic abilities adapted to many uses, including both echolocation and social vocalisations. Social vocalisations are used in a wide variety of contexts and vary greatly in acoustic arrangement and complexity. Among the most intricate are the courtship songs that males of certain species use to attract mates and advertise their qualities. To date, however, few studies have examined the phonological construction of bat songs or made a detailed assessment of the syntax used to combine different song elements. Here, we examine the syntactic construction of courtship songs in the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata, a highly vocal, lek-breeding species with exceptionally high song-output rates. We hypothesised that song construction in this species is both hierarchical and non-random, and demonstrates a high degree of individual variation, potentially allowing for individual recognition. We recorded the courtship songs of nine male bats and used manual classification of song components to examine the song structure. Here we examine whether the deployment of different song components is dependent on their position, and also determine the transition probabilities between different components. We find that the frequency of song-element production and the distribution of elements within songs are non-random at both the individual and population level, and that the number of elements used per phrase differs between individuals. Overall, we demonstrate that M. tuberculata songs are hierarchically constructed and employ phonological syntax to build syllables and phrases. We further show that bats employ high structural similarity and conservatism in the construction of syllables, while retaining a capacity for versatility and innovation that allows for considerable individual variation and, likely, individual recognition.
Collapse
|
13
|
Baciadonna L, Solvi C, del Vecchio F, Pilenga C, Baracchi D, Bandoli F, Isaja V, Gamba M, Favaro L. Vocal accommodation in penguins ( Spheniscus demersus) as a result of social environment. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220626. [PMID: 35858067 PMCID: PMC9277230 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to vary the characteristics of one's voice is a critical feature of human communication. Understanding whether and how animals change their calls will provide insights into the evolution of language. We asked to what extent the vocalizations of penguins, a phylogenetically distant species from those capable of explicit vocal learning, are flexible and responsive to their social environment. Using a principal components (PCs) analysis, we reduced 14 vocal parameters of penguin's contact calls to four PCs, each comprising highly correlated parameters and which can be categorized as fundamental frequency, formant frequency, frequency modulation, and amplitude modulation rate and duration. We compared how these differed between individuals with varying degrees of social interactions: same-colony versus different-colony, same colony over 3 years and partners versus non-partners. Our analyses indicate that the more penguins experience each other's calls, the more similar their calls become over time, that vocal convergence requires a long time and relative stability in colony membership, and that partners' unique social bond may affect vocal convergence differently than non-partners. Our results suggest that this implicit form of vocal plasticity is perhaps more widespread across the animal kingdom than previously thought and may be a fundamental capacity of vertebrate vocalization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Baciadonna
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cwyn Solvi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Flavia del Vecchio
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - David Baracchi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy
| | | | | | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Livio Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Singh UA, Iyengar S. The Role of the Endogenous Opioid System in the Vocal Behavior of Songbirds and Its Possible Role in Vocal Learning. Front Physiol 2022; 13:823152. [PMID: 35273519 PMCID: PMC8902293 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.823152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The opioid system in the brain is responsible for processing affective states such as pain, pleasure, and reward. It consists of three main receptors, mu- (μ-ORs), delta- (δ-ORs), and kappa- (κ-ORs), and their ligands – the endogenous opioid peptides. Despite their involvement in the reward pathway, and a signaling mechanism operating in synergy with the dopaminergic system, fewer reports focus on the role of these receptors in higher cognitive processes. Whereas research on opioids is predominated by studies on their addictive properties and role in pain pathways, recent studies suggest that these receptors may be involved in learning. Rodents deficient in δ-ORs were poor at recognizing the location of novel objects in their surroundings. Furthermore, in chicken, learning to avoid beads coated with a bitter chemical from those without the coating was modulated by δ-ORs. Similarly, μ-ORs facilitate long term potentiation in hippocampal CA3 neurons in mammals, thereby having a positive impact on spatial learning. Whereas these studies have explored the role of opioid receptors on learning using reward/punishment-based paradigms, the role of these receptors in natural learning processes, such as vocal learning, are yet unexplored. In this review, we explore studies that have established the expression pattern of these receptors in different brain regions of birds, with an emphasis on songbirds which are model systems for vocal learning. We also review the role of opioid receptors in modulating the cognitive processes associated with vocalizations in birds. Finally, we discuss the role of these receptors in regulating the motivation to vocalize, and a possible role in modulating vocal learning.
Collapse
|
15
|
Collier K, Parsons S, Czenze ZJ. Thermal energetics of male courtship song in a lek-breeding bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03141-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
16
|
Belyk M, Eichert N, McGettigan C. A dual larynx motor networks hypothesis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200392. [PMID: 34719252 PMCID: PMC8558777 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are vocal modulators par excellence. This ability is supported in part by the dual representation of the laryngeal muscles in the motor cortex. Movement, however, is not the product of motor cortex alone but of a broader motor network. This network consists of brain regions that contain somatotopic maps that parallel the organization in motor cortex. We therefore present a novel hypothesis that the dual laryngeal representation is repeated throughout the broader motor network. In support of the hypothesis, we review existing literature that demonstrates the existence of network-wide somatotopy and present initial evidence for the hypothesis' plausibility. Understanding how this uniquely human phenotype in motor cortex interacts with broader brain networks is an important step toward understanding how humans evolved the ability to speak. We further suggest that this system may provide a means to study how individual components of the nervous system evolved within the context of neuronal networks. This article is part of the theme issue 'Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michel Belyk
- Department of Speech Hearing and Phonetic Sciences, University College London, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
- Department of Psychology, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, L39 4QP, UK
| | - Nicole Eichert
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Carolyn McGettigan
- Department of Speech Hearing and Phonetic Sciences, University College London, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abstract
The study of vocal production learning in birds is heavily biased towards oscine songbirds, making the songbird model the reference for comparative studies. However, as vocal learning was probably ancestral in songbirds, interspecific variations might all be variations on a single theme and need not be representative of the nature and characteristics of vocal learning in other bird groups. To assess the possible mechanisms of vocal learning and its evolution therefore requires knowledge about independently evolved incidences of vocal learning. This review examines the presence and nature of vocal production learning in non-songbirds. Using a broad definition of vocal learning and a comparative phylogenetic framework, I evaluate the evidence for vocal learning and its characteristics in non-oscine birds, including well-known vocal learners such as parrots and hummingbirds but also (putative) cases from other taxa. Despite the sometimes limited evidence, it is clear that vocal learning occurs in a range of different, non-related, taxa and can be caused by a variety of mechanisms. It is more widespread than often realized, calling for more systematic studies. Examining this variation may provide a window onto the evolution of vocal learning and increase the value of comparative research for understanding vocal learning in humans. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vocal learning in animals and humans’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carel Ten Cate
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Linnenschmidt M, Mardus E, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L, Schutte M. The vocal development of the pale spear-nosed bat is dependent on auditory feedback. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200253. [PMID: 34482731 PMCID: PMC8419572 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Human vocal development and speech learning require acoustic feedback, and humans who are born deaf do not acquire a normal adult speech capacity. Most other mammals display a largely innate vocal repertoire. Like humans, bats are thought to be one of the few taxa capable of vocal learning as they can acquire new vocalizations by modifying vocalizations according to auditory experiences. We investigated the effect of acoustic deafening on the vocal development of the pale spear-nosed bat. Three juvenile pale spear-nosed bats were deafened, and their vocal development was studied in comparison with an age-matched, hearing control group. The results show that during development the deafened bats increased their vocal activity, and their vocalizations were substantially altered, being much shorter, higher in pitch, and more aperiodic than the vocalizations of the control animals. The pale spear-nosed bat relies on auditory feedback for vocal development and, in the absence of auditory input, species-atypical vocalizations are acquired. This work serves as a basis for further research using the pale spear-nosed bat as a mammalian model for vocal learning, and contributes to comparative studies on hearing impairment across species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Meike Linnenschmidt
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Eva Mardus
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,School of Biology, St Andrews University, St Andrews, UK
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michael Schutte
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ten Cate C, Fullagar PJ. Vocal imitations and production learning by Australian musk ducks ( Biziura lobata). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200243. [PMID: 34482734 PMCID: PMC8419576 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquiring vocalizations by learning them from other individuals is only known from a limited number of animal groups. For birds, oscine and some suboscine songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds demonstrate this ability. Here, we provide evidence for vocal learning in a member of a basal clade of the avian phylogeny: the Australian musk duck (Biziura lobata). A hand-reared individual imitated a slamming door and a human voice, and a female-reared individual imitated Pacific black duck quacks. These sounds have been described before, but were never analysed in any detail and went so far unnoticed by researchers of vocal learning. The imitations were produced during the males' advertising display. The hand-reared male used at least three different vocalizations in the display context, with each one produced in the same stereotyped and repetitive structure as the normal display sounds. Sounds of different origins could be combined in one vocalization and at least some of the imitations were memorized at an early age, well before they were produced later in life. Together with earlier observations of vocal differences between populations and deviant vocalizations in captive-reared individuals, these observations demonstrate the presence of advanced vocal learning at a level comparable to that of songbirds and parrots. We discuss the rearing conditions that may have given rise to the imitations and suggest that the structure of the duck vocalizations indicates a quite sophisticated and flexible control over the vocal production mechanism. The observations support the hypothesis that vocal learning in birds evolved in several groups independently rather than evolving once with several losses. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vocal learning in animals and humans’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carel Ten Cate
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lattenkamp EZ, Hörpel SG, Mengede J, Firzlaff U. A researcher's guide to the comparative assessment of vocal production learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200237. [PMID: 34482725 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal production learning (VPL) is the capacity to learn to produce new vocalizations, which is a rare ability in the animal kingdom and thus far has only been identified in a handful of mammalian taxa and three groups of birds. Over the last few decades, approaches to the demonstration of VPL have varied among taxa, sound production systems and functions. These discrepancies strongly impede direct comparisons between studies. In the light of the growing number of experimental studies reporting VPL, the need for comparability is becoming more and more pressing. The comparative evaluation of VPL across studies would be facilitated by unified and generalized reporting standards, which would allow a better positioning of species on any proposed VPL continuum. In this paper, we specifically highlight five factors influencing the comparability of VPL assessments: (i) comparison to an acoustic baseline, (ii) comprehensive reporting of acoustic parameters, (iii) extended reporting of training conditions and durations, (iv) investigating VPL function via behavioural, perception-based experiments and (v) validation of findings on a neuronal level. These guidelines emphasize the importance of comparability between studies in order to unify the field of vocal learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biology II, LMU Munich, Germany.,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen G Hörpel
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Sciences, Chair of Zoology, TU Munich, Germany
| | - Janine Mengede
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Department of Animal Sciences, Chair of Zoology, TU Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Rose EM, Prior NH, Ball GF. The singing question: re-conceptualizing birdsong. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:326-342. [PMID: 34609054 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Birdsong has been the subject of broad research from a variety of sub-disciplines and has taught us much about the evolution, function, and mechanisms driving animal communication and cognition. Typically, birdsong refers to the specialized vocalizations produced by oscines. Historically, much of the research on birdsong was conducted in north temperate regions (specifically in Europe and North America) leading to multiple biases. Due to these historic biases these vocalizations are generally considered to be highly sexually dimorphic, heavily shaped by sexual selection and essential for courtship and territoriality. Song is also typically defined as a learned trait shaped by cultural evolution. Together, this framework focuses research specifically on males, particularly during the north temperate breeding season - reflecting and thereby reinforcing this framework. The physiological underpinnings of song often emphasize the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (associated with breeding changes) and the song control system (underlying vocal learning). Over the years there has been great debate over which features of song are essential to the definition of birdsong, which features apply broadly to contexts outside males in the north temperate region, and over the importance of having a definition at all. Importantly, the definitions we use can both guide and limit the progress of research. Here, we describe the history of these definitions, and how these definitions have directed and restricted research to focus on male song in sexually selected contexts. Additionally, we highlight the gaps in our scientific knowledge, especially with respect to the function and physiological mechanisms underlying song in females and in winter, as well as in non-seasonally breeding species. Furthermore, we highlight the problems with using complexity and learning as dichotomous variables to categorize songs and calls. Across species, no one characteristic of song - sexual dimorphism, seasonality, complexity, sexual selection, learning - consistently delineates song from other songbird vocal communication. We provide recommendations for next steps to build an inclusive information framework that will allow researchers to explore nuances in animal communication and promote comparative research. Specifically, we recommend that researchers should operationalize the axis of variation most relevant to their study/species by identifying their specific question and the variable(s) of focus (e.g. seasonality). Researchers should also identify the axis (axes) of variation (e.g. degree of control by testosterone) most relevant to their study and use language consistent with the question and axis (axes) of variation (e.g. control by testosterone in the seasonal vocal production of birds).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangeline M Rose
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, 0219 Cole Student Activities Building, 4090 Union Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A
| | - Nora H Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, 0219 Cole Student Activities Building, 4090 Union Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, 0219 Cole Student Activities Building, 4090 Union Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Vocal learning and flexible rhythm pattern perception are linked: Evidence from songbirds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2026130118. [PMID: 34272278 PMCID: PMC8307534 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026130118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We can recognize the cadence of a friend’s voice or the rhythm of a familiar song across a wide range of tempi. This shows that our perception of temporal patterns relies strongly on the relative timing of events rather than on specific absolute durations. This tendency is foundational to speech and music perception, but to what extent is it shared by other species? We hypothesize that animals that learn their vocalizations are more likely to share this tendency. Here, we show that a vocal learning songbird robustly recognizes a basic rhythmic pattern independent of rate. Our findings pave the way for neurobiological studies to identify how the brain represents and perceives the temporal structure of auditory sequences. Rhythm perception is fundamental to speech and music. Humans readily recognize a rhythmic pattern, such as that of a familiar song, independently of the tempo at which it occurs. This shows that our perception of auditory rhythms is flexible, relying on global relational patterns more than on the absolute durations of specific time intervals. Given that auditory rhythm perception in humans engages a complex auditory–motor cortical network even in the absence of movement and that the evolution of vocal learning is accompanied by strengthening of forebrain auditory–motor pathways, we hypothesize that vocal learning species share our perceptual facility for relational rhythm processing. We test this by asking whether the best-studied animal model for vocal learning, the zebra finch, can recognize a fundamental rhythmic pattern—equal timing between event onsets (isochrony)—based on temporal relations between intervals rather than on absolute durations. Prior work suggests that vocal nonlearners (pigeons and rats) are quite limited in this regard and are biased to attend to absolute durations when listening to rhythmic sequences. In contrast, using naturalistic sounds at multiple stimulus rates, we show that male zebra finches robustly recognize isochrony independent of absolute time intervals, even at rates distant from those used in training. Our findings highlight the importance of comparative studies of rhythmic processing and suggest that vocal learning species are promising animal models for key aspects of human rhythm perception. Such models are needed to understand the neural mechanisms behind the positive effect of rhythm on certain speech and movement disorders.
Collapse
|
23
|
Hörpel SG, Baier AL, Peremans H, Reijniers J, Wiegrebe L, Firzlaff U. Communication breakdown: Limits of spectro-temporal resolution for the perception of bat communication calls. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13708. [PMID: 34211004 PMCID: PMC8249457 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92842-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During vocal communication, the spectro-temporal structure of vocalizations conveys important contextual information. Bats excel in the use of sounds for echolocation by meticulous encoding of signals in the temporal domain. We therefore hypothesized that for social communication as well, bats would excel at detecting minute distortions in the spectro-temporal structure of calls. To test this hypothesis, we systematically introduced spectro-temporal distortion to communication calls of Phyllostomus discolor bats. We broke down each call into windows of the same length and randomized the phase spectrum inside each window. The overall degree of spectro-temporal distortion in communication calls increased with window length. Modelling the bat auditory periphery revealed that cochlear mechanisms allow discrimination of fast spectro-temporal envelopes. We evaluated model predictions with experimental psychophysical and neurophysiological data. We first assessed bats' performance in discriminating original versions of calls from increasingly distorted versions of the same calls. We further examined cortical responses to determine additional specializations for call discrimination at the cortical level. Psychophysical and cortical responses concurred with model predictions, revealing discrimination thresholds in the range of 8-15 ms randomization-window length. Our data suggest that specialized cortical areas are not necessary to impart psychophysical resilience to temporal distortion in communication calls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Gareth Hörpel
- Chair of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 4, 85354, Freising, Germany.
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - A Leonie Baier
- Chair of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 4, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Großhaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Herbert Peremans
- Department of Engineering Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jonas Reijniers
- Department of Engineering Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Großhaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Chair of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 4, 85354, Freising, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Beeck VC, Heilmann G, Kerscher M, Stoeger AS. A novel theory of Asian elephant high-frequency squeak production. BMC Biol 2021; 19:121. [PMID: 34134675 PMCID: PMC8210382 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01026-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anatomical and cognitive adaptations to overcome morpho-mechanical limitations of laryngeal sound production, where body size and the related vocal apparatus dimensions determine the fundamental frequency, increase vocal diversity across taxa. Elephants flexibly use laryngeal and trunk-based vocalizations to form a repertoire ranging from infrasonic rumbles to higher-pitched trumpets. Moreover, they are among the few evolutionarily distantly related animals (humans, pinnipeds, cetaceans, birds) capable of imitating species-atypical sounds. Yet, their vocal plasticity has so far not been related to functions within their natural communicative system, in part because not all call types have been systematically studied. Here, we reveal how Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) produce species-specific squeaks (F0 300-2300 Hz) by using acoustic camera recordings to visualize sound emission and examining this alongside acoustic, behavioral, and morphological data across seven captive groups. RESULTS We found that squeaks were emitted through the closed mouth in synchrony with cheek depression and retraction of the labial angles. The simultaneous emission of squeaks with nasal snorts (biphonation) in one individual confirmed that squeak production was independent of nasal passage involvement and this implicated oral sound production. The squeaks' spectral structure is incongruent with laryngeal sound production and aerodynamic whistles, pointing to tissue vibration as the sound source. Anatomical considerations suggest that the longitudinal closed lips function as the vibrators. Acoustic and temporal parameters exhibit high intra- and inter-individual variability that enables individual but no call-subtype classification. Only 19 of 56 study subjects were recorded to squeak, mostly during alarming contexts and social arousal but some also on command. CONCLUSION Our results strongly suggest that Asian elephants force air from the small oral cavity through the tensed lips, inducing self-sustained lip vibration. Besides human brass players, lip buzzing is not described elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Given the complexity of the proposed mechanism, the surprising absence of squeaking in most of the unrelated subjects and the indication for volitional control, we hypothesize that squeak production involves social learning. Our study offers new insights into how vocal and cognitive flexibility enables mammals to overcome size-related limitations of laryngeal sound production. This flexibility enables Asian elephants to exploit a frequency range spanning seven octaves within their communicative system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika C Beeck
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, Mammal Communication Lab, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | | | | | - Angela S Stoeger
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, Mammal Communication Lab, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Radtke-Schuller S, Fenzl T, Peremans H, Schuller G, Firzlaff U. Cyto- and myeloarchitectural brain atlas of the pale spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) in CT Aided Stereotaxic Coordinates. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2509-2520. [PMID: 32936343 PMCID: PMC7544721 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The pale spear-nosed bat Phyllostomus discolor, a microchiropteran bat, is well established as an animal model for research on the auditory system, echolocation and social communication of species-specific vocalizations. We have created a brain atlas of Phyllostomus discolor that provides high-quality histological material for identification of brain structures in reliable stereotaxic coordinates to strengthen neurobiological studies of this key species. The new atlas combines high-resolution images of frontal sections alternately stained for cell bodies (Nissl) and myelinated fibers (Gallyas) at 49 rostrocaudal levels, at intervals of 350 µm. To facilitate comparisons with other species, brain structures were named according to the widely accepted Paxinos nomenclature and previous neuroanatomical studies of other bat species. Outlines of auditory cortical fields, as defined in earlier studies, were mapped onto atlas sections and onto the brain surface, together with the architectonic subdivisions of the neocortex. X-ray computerized tomography (CT) of the bat's head was used to establish the relationship between coordinates of brain structures and the skull. We used profile lines and the occipital crest as skull landmarks to line up skull and brain in standard atlas coordinates. An easily reproducible protocol allows sectioning of experimental brains in the standard frontal plane of the atlas. An electronic version of the atlas plates and supplementary material is available from https://doi.org/10.12751/g-node.8bbcxy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Radtke-Schuller
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Thomas Fenzl
- Klinikum für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin am Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Herbert Peremans
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gerd Schuller
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Jebb D, Huang Z, Pippel M, Hughes GM, Lavrichenko K, Devanna P, Winkler S, Jermiin LS, Skirmuntt EC, Katzourakis A, Burkitt-Gray L, Ray DA, Sullivan KAM, Roscito JG, Kirilenko BM, Dávalos LM, Corthals AP, Power ML, Jones G, Ransome RD, Dechmann DKN, Locatelli AG, Puechmaille SJ, Fedrigo O, Jarvis ED, Hiller M, Vernes SC, Myers EW, Teeling EC. Six reference-quality genomes reveal evolution of bat adaptations. Nature 2020; 583:578-584. [PMID: 32699395 PMCID: PMC8075899 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2486-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bats possess extraordinary adaptations, including flight, echolocation, extreme longevity and unique immunity. High-quality genomes are crucial for understanding the molecular basis and evolution of these traits. Here we incorporated long-read sequencing and state-of-the-art scaffolding protocols1 to generate, to our knowledge, the first reference-quality genomes of six bat species (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Phyllostomus discolor, Myotis myotis, Pipistrellus kuhlii and Molossus molossus). We integrated gene projections from our 'Tool to infer Orthologs from Genome Alignments' (TOGA) software with de novo and homology gene predictions as well as short- and long-read transcriptomics to generate highly complete gene annotations. To resolve the phylogenetic position of bats within Laurasiatheria, we applied several phylogenetic methods to comprehensive sets of orthologous protein-coding and noncoding regions of the genome, and identified a basal origin for bats within Scrotifera. Our genome-wide screens revealed positive selection on hearing-related genes in the ancestral branch of bats, which is indicative of laryngeal echolocation being an ancestral trait in this clade. We found selection and loss of immunity-related genes (including pro-inflammatory NF-κB regulators) and expansions of anti-viral APOBEC3 genes, which highlights molecular mechanisms that may contribute to the exceptional immunity of bats. Genomic integrations of diverse viruses provide a genomic record of historical tolerance to viral infection in bats. Finally, we found and experimentally validated bat-specific variation in microRNAs, which may regulate bat-specific gene-expression programs. Our reference-quality bat genomes provide the resources required to uncover and validate the genomic basis of adaptations of bats, and stimulate new avenues of research that are directly relevant to human health and disease1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Jebb
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Zixia Huang
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Martin Pippel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Graham M Hughes
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ksenia Lavrichenko
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Paolo Devanna
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars S Jermiin
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Emilia C Skirmuntt
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Aris Katzourakis
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lucy Burkitt-Gray
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David A Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kevin A M Sullivan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Juliana G Roscito
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Bogdan M Kirilenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Megan L Power
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Roger D Ransome
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Dina K N Dechmann
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Andrea G Locatelli
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sébastien J Puechmaille
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Olivier Fedrigo
- Vertebrate Genomes Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- Vertebrate Genomes Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Eugene W Myers
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Faculty of Computer Science, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
Vocal learning is the ability to modify vocal output on the basis of experience. Traditionally, species have been classified as either displaying or lacking this ability. A recent proposal, the vocal learning continuum, recognizes the need to have a more nuanced view of this phenotype and abandon the yes–no dichotomy. However, it also limits vocal learning to production of novel calls through imitation, moreover subserved by a forebrain-to-phonatory-muscles circuit. We discuss its limitations regarding the characterization of vocal learning across species and argue for a more permissive view. Vocal learning is the capacity to modify vocal output on the basis of experience, crucial for human speech and several animal communication systems. This Essay maintains that the existing evidence supports a more nuanced view of this phenotype, broadening the set of species, behaviors, and factors that can help us understand it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Tiago Martins
- Section of General Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Fishbein AR, Fritz JB, Idsardi WJ, Wilkinson GS. What can animal communication teach us about human language? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190042. [PMID: 31735148 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Language has been considered by many to be uniquely human. Numerous theories for how it evolved have been proposed but rarely tested. The articles in this theme issue consider the extent to which aspects of language, such as vocal learning, phonology, syntax, semantics, intentionality, cognition and neurobiological adaptations, are shared with other animals. By adopting a comparative approach, insights into the mechanisms and origins of human language can be gained. While points of agreement exist among the authors, conflicting viewpoints are expressed on several issues, such as the presence of proto-syntax in animal communication, the neural basis of the Merge operation, and the neurogenetic changes necessary for vocal learning. Future comparative research in animal communication has the potential to teach us even more about the evolution, neurobiology and cognitive basis of human language. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam R Fishbein
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan B Fritz
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - William J Idsardi
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Linguistics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Abstract
Humans and songbirds learn to sing or speak by listening to acoustic models, forming auditory templates, and then learning to produce vocalizations that match the templates. These taxa have evolved specialized telencephalic pathways to accomplish this complex form of vocal learning, which has been reported for very few other taxa. By contrast, the acoustic structure of most animal vocalizations is produced by species-specific vocal motor programmes in the brainstem that do not require auditory feedback. However, many mammals and birds can learn to fine-tune the acoustic features of inherited vocal motor patterns based upon listening to conspecifics or noise. These limited forms of vocal learning range from rapid alteration based on real-time auditory feedback to long-term changes of vocal repertoire and they may involve different mechanisms than complex vocal learning. Limited vocal learning can involve the brainstem, mid-brain and/or telencephalic networks. Understanding complex vocal learning, which underpins human speech, requires careful analysis of which species are capable of which forms of vocal learning. Selecting multiple animal models for comparing the neural pathways that generate these different forms of learning will provide a richer view of the evolution of complex vocal learning and the neural mechanisms that make it possible. This article is part of the theme issue ‘What can animal communication teach us about human language?’
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| |
Collapse
|