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Lapp S, Smith TC, Knapp RA, Lindauer A, Kitzes J. Aquatic Soundscape Recordings Reveal Diverse Vocalizations and Nocturnal Activity of an Endangered Frog. Am Nat 2024; 203:618-627. [PMID: 38635364 DOI: 10.1086/729422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
AbstractAutonomous sensors provide opportunities to observe organisms across spatial and temporal scales that humans cannot directly observe. By processing large data streams from autonomous sensors with deep learning methods, researchers can make novel and important natural history discoveries. In this study, we combine automated acoustic monitoring with deep learning models to observe breeding-associated activity in the endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae), a behavior that current surveys do not measure. By deploying inexpensive hydrophones and developing a deep learning model to recognize breeding-associated vocalizations, we discover three undocumented R. sierrae vocalization types and find an unexpected temporal pattern of nocturnal breeding-associated vocal activity. This study exemplifies how the combination of autonomous sensor data and deep learning can shed new light on species' natural history, especially during times or in locations where human observation is limited or impossible.
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Leitão A, Gahr M. Babbling opens the sensory phase for imitative vocal learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312323121. [PMID: 38621117 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312323121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Zebra finches, a species of songbirds, learn to sing by creating an auditory template through the memorization of model songs (sensory learning phase) and subsequently translating these perceptual memories into motor skills (sensorimotor learning phase). It has been traditionally believed that babbling in juvenile birds initiates the sensorimotor phase while the sensory phase of song learning precedes the onset of babbling. However, our findings challenge this notion by demonstrating that testosterone-induced premature babbling actually triggers the onset of the sensory learning phase instead. We reveal that juvenile birds must engage in babbling and self-listening to acquire the tutor song as the template. Notably, the sensory learning of the template in songbirds requires motor vocal activity, reflecting the observation that prelinguistic babbling in humans plays a crucial role in auditory learning for language acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertine Leitão
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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3
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Hay EM, McGee MD, White CR, Chown SL. Body size shapes song in honeyeaters. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240339. [PMID: 38654649 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Birdsongs are among the most distinctive animal signals. Their evolution is thought to be shaped simultaneously by habitat structure and by the constraints of morphology. Habitat structure affects song transmission and detectability, thus influencing song (the acoustic adaptation hypothesis), while body size and beak size and shape necessarily constrain song characteristics (the morphological constraint hypothesis). Yet, support for the acoustic adaptation and morphological constraint hypotheses remains equivocal, and their simultaneous examination is infrequent. Using a phenotypically diverse Australasian bird clade, the honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae), we compile a dataset consisting of song, environmental, and morphological variables for 163 species and jointly examine predictions of these two hypotheses. Overall, we find that body size constrains song frequency and pace in honeyeaters. Although habitat type and environmental temperature influence aspects of song, that influence is indirect, likely via effects of environmental variation on body size, with some evidence that elevation constrains the evolution of song peak frequency. Our results demonstrate that morphology has an overwhelming influence on birdsong, in support of the morphological constraint hypothesis, with the environment playing a secondary role generally via body size rather than habitat structure. These results suggest that changing body size (a consequence of both global effects such as climate change and local effects such as habitat transformation) will substantially influence the nature of birdsong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor M Hay
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew D McGee
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Craig R White
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Steven L Chown
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
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4
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Fandel AD, Silva K, Bailey H. Vocal signatures affected by population identity and environmental sound levels. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299250. [PMID: 38635752 PMCID: PMC11025965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring has improved our understanding of vocalizing organisms in remote habitats and during all weather conditions. Many vocally active species are highly mobile, and their populations overlap. However, distinct vocalizations allow the tracking and discrimination of individuals or populations. Using signature whistles, the individually distinct calls of bottlenose dolphins, we calculated a minimum abundance of individuals, characterized and compared signature whistles from five locations, and determined reoccurrences of individuals throughout the Mid-Atlantic Bight and Chesapeake Bay, USA. We identified 1,888 signature whistles in which the duration, number of extrema, start, end, and minimum frequencies of signature whistles varied significantly by site. All characteristics of signature whistles were deemed important for determining from which site the whistle originated and due to the distinct signature whistle characteristics and lack of spatial mixing of the dolphins detected at the Offshore site, we suspect that these dolphins are of a different population than those at the Coastal and Bay sites. Signature whistles were also found to be shorter when sound levels were higher. Using only the passively recorded vocalizations of this marine top predator, we obtained information about its population and how it is affected by ambient sound levels, which will increase as offshore wind energy is developed. In this rapidly developing area, these calls offer critical management insights for this protected species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber D. Fandel
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States of America
| | - Kirsten Silva
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States of America
| | - Helen Bailey
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States of America
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5
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Youngblood M. Language-like efficiency and structure in house finch song. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240250. [PMID: 38565151 PMCID: PMC10987240 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Communication needs to be complex enough to be functional while minimizing learning and production costs. Recent work suggests that the vocalizations and gestures of some songbirds, cetaceans and great apes may conform to linguistic laws that reflect this trade-off between efficiency and complexity. In studies of non-human communication, though, clustering signals into types cannot be done a priori, and decisions about the appropriate grain of analysis may affect statistical signals in the data. The aim of this study was to assess the evidence for language-like efficiency and structure in house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) song across three levels of granularity in syllable clustering. The results show strong evidence for Zipf's rank-frequency law, Zipf's law of abbreviation and Menzerath's law. Additional analyses show that house finch songs have small-world structure, thought to reflect systematic structure in syntax, and the mutual information decay of sequences is consistent with a combination of Markovian and hierarchical processes. These statistical patterns are robust across three levels of granularity in syllable clustering, pointing to a limited form of scale invariance. In sum, it appears that house finch song has been shaped by pressure for efficiency, possibly to offset the costs of female preferences for complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason Youngblood
- Minds and Traditions Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Thüringen, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Computational Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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6
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Radic R, Lukacova K, Baciak L, Hodova V, Kubikova L. The role of cerebellum in learned vocal communication in adult songbirds. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8168. [PMID: 38589482 PMCID: PMC11001874 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58569-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Injury, tumors, ischemia, and lesions in the cerebellum show the involvement of this region in human speech. The association of the cerebellum with learned birdsong has only been identified recently. Cerebellar dysfunction in young songbirds causes learning disabilities, but its role in adult songbirds has not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) in adult birdsong. We created bilateral excitotoxic lesions in the DCN of adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and recorded their songs for up to 4 months. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and immunohistochemistry, we validated the lesion efficacy. We found that the song duration significantly increased from 14 weeks post-op; the increase in duration was caused by a greater number of introductory notes as well as a greater number of syllables sung after the introductory notes. On the other hand, the motif duration decreased from 8 weeks after DCN lesions were induced, which was due to faster singing of syllables, not changes in inter-syllable interval length. DCN lesions also caused a decrease in the fundamental frequency of syllables. In summary, we showed that DCN lesions influence the temporal and acoustic features of birdsong. These results suggest that the cerebellum influences singing in adult songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Radic
- Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 840 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kristina Lukacova
- Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 840 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ladislav Baciak
- Central Laboratories, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vladimira Hodova
- Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 840 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Kubikova
- Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 840 05, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Chiappone M, Rodriguez-Saltos C, Legendre LJ, Li Z, Clarke J. Ostrich (Struthio camelus) syrinx morphology and vocal repertoire across postnatal ontogeny and sex: Implications for understanding vocal evolution in birds. J Anat 2024; 244:541-556. [PMID: 38055909 PMCID: PMC10941561 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal production in birds has been the target of considerable research that mostly has focused on phylogenetically well-nested songbirds. Anatomical descriptions and recordings of many non-songbirds have often only focused on a single ontogenetic stage or sex. While basic morphology of the vocal organ (syrinx) of ostrich (Palaeognathae, Struthio camelus) has been known since the 1800s, descriptions of its vocal repertoire and syrinx anatomy since then have been incomplete or inconsistent. New toolkits now enable detailed qualitative description of internal anatomy and meristic data and allow it to be compared to vocal production. Here we describe the anatomy of the syrinx in Struthio camelus for three post-hatching ontogenetic stages and both an adult male and female utilizing dissection and contrast enhanced X-ray computed tomography (diceCT). We find changes in ring geometry and spacing through ontogeny as well as lateral labia thickness. We document a small unpaired, midline, cartilaginous structure, a "pessuliform process" at the tracheobronchial juncture present throughout ontogeny and in both males and females. Investigation of the vocal repertoire of ostriches across ontogeny using a new dataset of 77 recordings led to identification of four vocalizations not previously reported in the literature, including the simultaneous production of a hiss and tonal. We find syrinx morphology largely consistent across ontogeny and in male and female adults. Both are capable of producing long duration tonal calls, but these may be more frequent in male birds. Closed-mouth boom calls remain unique to males. A detailed understanding of diversity in parts of early diverging clades is pivotal in attempting to estimate features of the ancestral syrinx in birds and how avian vocalization evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Chiappone
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Saltos
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lucas J Legendre
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Zhiheng Li
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Julia Clarke
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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8
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Snyder KT, Creanza N. Birds convey complex signals in simple songs. Nature 2024; 628:37-39. [PMID: 38509289 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-00677-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
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9
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Barkley YM, Merkens KPB, Wood M, Oleson EM, Marques TA. Click detection rate variability of central North Pacific sperm whales from passive acoustic towed arrays. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:2627-2635. [PMID: 38629884 DOI: 10.1121/10.0025540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an optimal method for detecting and monitoring cetaceans as they frequently produce sound while underwater. Cue counting, counting acoustic cues of deep-diving cetaceans instead of animals, is an alternative method for density estimation, but requires an average cue production rate to convert cue density to animal density. Limited information about click rates exists for sperm whales in the central North Pacific Ocean. In the absence of acoustic tag data, we used towed hydrophone array data to calculate the first sperm whale click rates from this region and examined their variability based on click type, location, distance of whales from the array, and group size estimated by visual observers. Our findings show click type to be the most important variable, with groups that include codas yielding the highest click rates. We also found a positive relationship between group size and click detection rates that may be useful for acoustic predictions of group size in future studies. Echolocation clicks detected using PAM methods are often the only indicator of deep-diving cetacean presence. Understanding the factors affecting their click rates provides important information for acoustic density estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne M Barkley
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
| | | | - Megan Wood
- Saltwater Inc., Anchorage, Alaska 99501, USA
| | - Erin M Oleson
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, Hawaii 96818, USA
| | - Tiago A Marques
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, The Observatory, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9LZ, Scotland
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
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10
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Srigyan M, Samad A, Singh A, Karan J, Chandra A, Sinha PG, Kumar V, Das S, Thomas A, Suyesh R. Vocal repertoire of Microhyla nilphamariensis from Delhi and comparison with closely related M. ornata populations from the western coast of India and Sri Lanka. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16903. [PMID: 38562993 PMCID: PMC10984171 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Advertisement calls in frogs have evolved to be species-specific signals of recognition and are therefore considered an essential component of integrative taxonomic approaches to identify species and delineate their distribution range. The species rich genus Microhyla is a particularly challenging group for species identification, discovery and conservation management due to the small size, conserved morphology and wide distribution of its members, necessitating the need for a thorough description of their vocalization. In this study, we provide quantitative description of the vocal behaviour of Microhyla nilphamariensis, a widely distributed south Asian species, from Delhi, India, based on call recordings of 18 individuals and assessment of 21 call properties. Based on the properties measured acrossed 360 calls, we find that a typical advertisement call of M. nilphamariensis lasts for 393.5 ± 57.5 ms, has 17 pulses on average and produce pulses at rate of 39 pulses/s. The overall call dominant frequency was found to be 2.8 KHz and the call spectrum consisted of two dominant frequency peaks centered at 1.6 KHz and 3.6 KHz, ranging between 1.5-4.1 KHz. Apart from its typical advertisement call, our study also reveals the presence of three 'rare' call types, previously unreported in this species. We describe variability in call properties and discuss their relation to body size and temperature. We found that overall dominant frequency 1 (spectral property) was found to be correlated with body size, while first pulse period (temporal property) was found to be correlated with temperature. Further, we compare the vocal repertoire of M. nilphamariensis with that of the congener Microhyla ornata from the western coast of India and Sri Lanka and also compare the call properties of these two populations of M. ornata to investigate intra-specific call variation. We find statistically significant differentiation in their acoustic repertoire in both cases. Based on 18 call properties (out of 20), individuals of each locality clearly segregate on PCA factor plane forming separate groups. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) using PCA factors shows 100% classification success with individuals of each locality getting classified to a discrete group. This confirms significant acoustic differentiation between these species as well as between geographically distant conspecifics. The data generated in this study will be useful for comparative bioacoustic analysis of Microhyla species and can be utilized to monitor populations and devise conservation management plan for threatened species in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Srigyan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Abdus Samad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Biological Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Biological Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Jyotsna Karan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Biological Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Chandra
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Pooja Gokhale Sinha
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Vineeth Kumar
- Department of Biology, Center for Advanced Learning, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sandeep Das
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation Division, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala, India
- Department of Zoology, St Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - Ashish Thomas
- Department of Environmental Studies, SGND Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Robin Suyesh
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
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11
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Hedwig D, Kohlberg A. Call combination in African forest elephants Loxodonta cyclotis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299656. [PMID: 38498501 PMCID: PMC10947659 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Syntax, the combination of meaning-devoid phonemes into meaningful words, which in turn are combined in structurally and semantically complex sentences, is fundamental to the unlimited expressiveness of human languages. Studying the functions of call combinations in non-human species provides insights into the evolution of such syntactic capabilities. Here, we investigated the combination of high amplitude broadband calls with low frequency rumble vocalizations in a highly social species, the African forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis. Rumbles play an integral role in coordinating social interactions by transmitting socially relevant information, including individual identity. By contrast, broadband calls, such as roars, are thought to function as signals of distress and urgency as they are typically produced in situations of high emotional intensity. Functional changes associated with the combination of these calls remain little understood. We found that call combinations were produced by all age-sex classes but were most prevalent in immature individuals. We found that rumbles used singularly occurred in all five investigated social contexts, whereas single broadband calls were restricted to two resource-related contexts. Call combinations also occurred in all five contexts, suggesting an increase in the functional use of broadband calls when combined with rumbles, analogous to the generativity brought about through syntax in human speech. Moreover, combining calls appeared to lead to functional shifts towards high-stake contexts. Call combinations were more likely in competition contexts compared to single rumbles, and more likely in separation contexts compared to single broadband calls. We suggest that call combination in forest elephants may aide to reduce message ambiguity in high-stake situation by simultaneously communicating distress and individual identity, which may be critical to secure access to resources, reduce the risk of injury and to reunite with or recruit the support of the family group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Hedwig
- Elephant Listening Project, K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Anna Kohlberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
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12
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Flint HE, Weller JE, Parry-Howells N, Ellerby ZW, McKay SL, King T. Evaluation of indicators of acute emotional states in dogs. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6406. [PMID: 38493262 PMCID: PMC10944520 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56859-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
A complete assessment of animal welfare requires not just an understanding of negative emotional states, such as fear and anxiety, but also of positive states, such as calmness and happiness. However, few studies have identified accurate and reliable indicators of positive emotional states in dogs. This study aimed to identify parameters that may serve as indicators of short-term emotional states in dogs. Using a cross-over design, 60 dogs living at a research facility were exposed to six different 10-min scenarios expected to elicit responses varying in emotional valence and arousal. A range of behavioural and physiological parameters were collected and their relationship to anticipated emotional valence and arousal was analysed using linear and logistic mixed models. Cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, heart rate variability, panting, whining, and body shake all demonstrated significant differences based on arousal levels, but only within negative valence scenarios. Scores from a qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) were associated with both emotional valence and arousal and were considered the best indicator of positive valence. Activity, ear temperature, and sitting were associated with positive high arousal, although this may have been influenced by differing levels of movement induced during these scenarios. Meanwhile, heart rate, secretory immunoglobulin A, standing and lying all showed similar changes associated with arousal for both positive and negative valence scenarios. This study provides a critical first step towards identifying evidence-based indicators of short-term emotional states in dogs, while highlighting considerations that should be made when employing these parameters, including the influence of coder bias, food provision, exercise, and external temperature. Overall, it is recommended future dog emotion and welfare research use a combination of parameters including indicators of both emotional valence and arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Flint
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK.
| | - Jennifer E Weller
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK
| | - Nia Parry-Howells
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK
| | - Zack W Ellerby
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK
| | - Stephanie L McKay
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK
| | - Tammie King
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, LE14 4RT, UK
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Abstract
A crucial brainstem circuit for vocal-respiratory coordination of the larynx is revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Medical Center, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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14
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Schlegel P, Berry DA, Moffatt C, Zhang Z, Chhetri DK. Register transitions in an in vivo canine model as a function of intrinsic laryngeal muscle stimulation, fundamental frequency, and sound pressure level. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:2139-2150. [PMID: 38498507 PMCID: PMC10954347 DOI: 10.1121/10.0025135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Phonatory instabilities and involuntary register transitions can occur during singing. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms which govern such transitions. To investigate this phenomenon, we systematically varied laryngeal muscle activation and airflow in an in vivo canine larynx model during phonation. We calculated voice range profiles showing average nerve activations for all combinations of fundamental frequency (F0) and sound pressure level (SPL). Further, we determined closed-quotient (CQ) and minimum-posterior-area (MPA) based on high-speed video recordings. While different combinations of muscle activation favored different combinations of F0 and SPL, in the investigated larynx there was a consistent region of instability at about 400 Hz which essentially precluded phonation. An explanation for this region may be a larynx specific coupling between sound source and subglottal tract or an effect based purely on larynx morphology. Register transitions crossed this region, with different combinations of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle (TA) activation stabilizing higher or lower neighboring frequencies. Observed patterns in CQ and MPA dependent on TA activation reproduced patterns found in singers in previous work. Lack of control of TA stimulation may result in phonation instabilities, and enhanced control of TA stimulation may help to avoid involuntary register transitions, especially in the singing voice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Schlegel
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - David A Berry
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Clare Moffatt
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Zhaoyan Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Dinesh K Chhetri
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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15
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Schneider WT, Rutz C, Bailey NW. Behavioural plasticity compensates for adaptive loss of cricket song. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14404. [PMID: 38519842 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Behavioural flexibility might help animals cope with costs of genetic variants under selection, promoting genetic adaptation. However, it has proven challenging to experimentally link behavioural flexibility to the predicted compensation of population-level fitness. We tested this prediction using the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. In Hawaiian populations, a mutation silences males and protects against eavesdropping parasitoids. To examine how the loss of this critical acoustic communication signal impacts offspring production and mate location, we developed a high-resolution, individual-based tracking system for low-light, naturalistic conditions. Offspring production did not differ significantly in replicate silent versus singing populations, and fitness compensation in silent conditions was associated with significantly increased locomotion in both sexes. Our results provide evidence that flexible behaviour can promote genetic adaptation via compensation in reproductive output and suggest that rapid evolution of animal communication systems may be less constrained than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will T Schneider
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Christian Rutz
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
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16
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Rose EM, Scofield AJ, Wenstrom AM, Stennette KA, Shank BD, Ball GF. Male and female red-cheeked cordon bleus sing similar yet individualistic songs. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:1909-1915. [PMID: 38456733 PMCID: PMC10924675 DOI: 10.1121/10.0025236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Birdsong is an excellent system for studying complex vocal signaling in both males and females. Historically, most research in captivity has focused only on male song. This has left a gap in our understanding of the environmental, neuroendocrine, and mechanistic control of female song. Here, we report the overall acoustic features, repertoire, and stereotypy of both male and female Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleus (Uraeginthus bengalus) (RCCBs) songs in the lab. We found few sex differences in the acoustic structure, song repertoire, and song stereotypy of RCCBs. Both sexes had similar song entropy, peak frequency, and duration. Additionally, individuals of both sexes sang only a single song type each and had similar levels of song and syllable stereotypy. However, we did find that female RCCBs had higher song bandwidth but lower syllable repertoires. Finally, and most strikingly, we found highly individualistic songs in RCCBs. Each individual produced a stereotyped and unique song with no birds sharing song types and very few syllable types being shared between birds of either sex. We propose that RCCBs represent a promising species for future investigations of the acoustic sex differences in song in a lab environment, and also for understanding the evolutionary driving forces behind individualistic songs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangeline M Rose
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Avery J Scofield
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Autumn M Wenstrom
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Katherine A Stennette
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Benjamin D Shank
- Department of Physics, Hope College, Holland, Michigan 49423, USA
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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17
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Rutovskaya MV, Volodin IA, Naidenko SV, Erofeeva MN, Alekseeva GS, Zhuravleva PS, Volobueva KA, Kim MD, Volodina EV. Relationship between acoustic traits of protesting cries of domestic kittens (Felis catus) and their individual chances for survival. Behav Processes 2024; 216:105009. [PMID: 38395238 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Domestic cat (Felis catus) mothers may rely on offspring cries to allocate resources in use of individuals with greater chances for survival and sacrifice the weak ones in case of impossibility to raise the entire large litter. Potential victims of this maternal strategy can enhance their chances of survival, by producing vocalizations with traits mimicking those of higher-quality offspring. We compared acoustic traits of 4990 cries produced during blood sampling by 57 two-week-old captive feral kittens (28 males, 29 females); 47 of them survived to 90 days of age and 10 died by reasons not related to traumas or aggression. No relationship was found between acoustic parameters and kitten survival, however, positive relationship was found between survival and body weight. The cries had moderate cues to individuality and lacked cues to sex. Body weight correlated positively with fundamental frequency and negatively with call rate, duration, peak frequency and power quartiles. We discuss that dishonesty of acoustic traits of kitten quality could develop as adaptation for misleading a mother from allocation resources between the weaker and stronger individuals, thus enhancing individual chances for survival for the weaker littermates. Physical constraint, as body weight, may prevent extensive developing the deceptive vocal traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina V Rutovskaya
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Ilya A Volodin
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, 1/12, Moscow 119234, Russia.
| | - Sergey V Naidenko
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Mariya N Erofeeva
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Galina S Alekseeva
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Polina S Zhuravleva
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Kseniya A Volobueva
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Mariya D Kim
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Elena V Volodina
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
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18
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Heseker P, Bergmann T, Scheumann M, Traulsen I, Kemper N, Probst J. Detecting tail biters by monitoring pig screams in weaning pigs. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4523. [PMID: 38402339 PMCID: PMC10894255 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55336-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Early identification of tail biting and intervention are necessary to reduce tail lesions and their impact on animal health and welfare. Removal of biters has become an effective intervention strategy, but finding them can be difficult and time-consuming. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tail biting and, in particular, individual biters could be identified by detecting pig screams in audio recordings. The study included 288 undocked weaner pigs housed in six pens in two batches. Once a tail biter (n = 7) was identified by visual inspection in the stable and removed by the farm staff, the previous days of video and audio recordings were analyzed for pig screams (sudden increase in loudness with frequencies above 1 kHz) and tail biting events until no biting before the removal was observed anymore. In total, 2893 screams were detected in four pens where tail biting occurred. Of these screams, 52.9% were caused by tail biting in the observed pen, 25.6% originated from other pens, 8.8% were not assignable, and 12.7% occurred due to other reasons. In case of a tail biting event, screams were assigned individually to biter and victim pigs. Based on the audio analysis, biters were identified between one and nine days prior to their removal from the pen after visual inspection. Screams were detected earlier than the increase in hanging tails and could therefore be favored as an early warning indicator. Analyzing animal vocalization has potential for monitoring and early detection of tail biting events. In combination with individual marks and automatic analysis algorithms, biters could be identified and tail biting efficiently reduced. In this way, biters can be removed earlier to increase animal health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Heseker
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior (ITTN), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Tjard Bergmann
- Institute for Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marina Scheumann
- Institute for Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Imke Traulsen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Nicole Kemper
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior (ITTN), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jeanette Probst
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior (ITTN), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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19
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Osiecka AN, Briefer EF, Kidawa D, Żurawska F, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K. Calls of the little auk (Alle alle) chicks reflect their behavioural contexts. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299033. [PMID: 38394184 PMCID: PMC10889865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal vocalisations can often inform conspecifics about the behavioural context of production and the underlying affective states, hence revealing whether a situation should be approached or avoided. While this is particularly important for socially complex species, little is known about affective expression in wild colonial animals, and even less to about their young. We studied vocalisations of the little auk (Alle alle) chicks in the Hornsund breeding colony, Svalbard. Little auks are highly colonial seabirds, and adults convey complex behavioural contexts through their calls. We recorded chick calls during two contexts of opposite affective valence: handing by a human, and while they interact with their parents inside the nest. Using permuted discriminant function analysis and a series of linear mixed models, we examined the effect of the production context/associated affective valence on the acoustic parameters of those calls. Calls were reliably classified to their context, with over 97% accuracy. Calls uttered during handling had higher mean entropy, fundamental frequency, as well as lower spectral centre of gravity and a less steep spectral slope compared to calls produced during interactions with a parent inside the nest. The individuality of handling calls, assessed by information content, was lower than the individuality of calls uttered in the nest. These findings suggest that seabird chicks can effectively communicate behavioural/affective contexts through calls, conveying socially important messages early in development. Our results are mostly in line with emotional expression patterns observed across taxa, supporting their evolutionary continuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N. Osiecka
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elodie F. Briefer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dorota Kidawa
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Feliksa Żurawska
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
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20
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Giua G, Iezzi D, Caceres-Rodriguez A, Strauss B, Chavis P, Manzoni OJ. Sex-specific modulation of early life vocalization and cognition by Fmr1 gene dosage in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:18. [PMID: 38383408 PMCID: PMC10880250 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00594-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pup-dam ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are essential to cognitive and socio-emotional development. In autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), disruptions in pup-dam USV communication hint at a possible connection between abnormal early developmental USV communication and the later emergence of communication and social deficits. METHODS Here, we gathered USVs from PND 10 FXS pups during a short period of separation from their mothers, encompassing animals of all possible genotypes and both sexes (i.e., Fmr1-/y vs. Fmr1+/y males and Fmr1+/+, +/-, and -/- females). This allowed comparing the influence of sex and gene dosage on pups' communication capabilities. Leveraging DeepSqueak and analyzing vocal patterns, intricate vocal behaviors such as call structure, duration, frequency modulation, and temporal patterns were examined. Furthermore, homing behavior was assessed as a sensitive indicator of early cognitive development and social discrimination. This behavior relies on the use of olfactory and thermal cues to navigate and search for the maternal or nest odor in the surrounding space. RESULTS The results show that FMRP-deficient pups of both sexes display an increased inclination to vocalize when separated from their mothers, and this behavior is accompanied by significant sex-specific changes in the main features of their USVs as well as in body weight. Analysis of the vocal repertoire and syntactic usage revealed that Fmr1 gene silencing primarily alters the USVs' qualitative composition in males. Moreover, sex-specific effects of Fmr1 silencing on locomotor activity and homing behavior were observed. FMRP deficiency in females increased activity, reduced nest-reaching time, and extended nest time. In males, it prolonged nest-reaching time and reduced nest time without affecting locomotion. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the interplay between Fmr1 gene dosage and sex in influencing communicative and cognitive skills during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Giua
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Daniela Iezzi
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | | | - Benjamin Strauss
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Pascale Chavis
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier J Manzoni
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France.
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
- INSERM U901, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille cedex 09, BP13 - 13273, France.
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21
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Jacobs ER, Gero S, Malinka CE, Tønnesen PH, Beedholm K, DeRuiter SL, Madsen PT. The active space of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246442. [PMID: 38264868 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are social mega-predators who form stable matrilineal units that often associate within a larger vocal clan. Clan membership is defined by sharing a repertoire of coda types consisting of specific temporal spacings of multi-pulsed clicks. It has been hypothesized that codas communicate membership across socially segregated sympatric clans, but others propose that codas are primarily used for behavioral coordination and social cohesion within a closely spaced social unit. Here, we test these hypotheses by combining measures of ambient noise levels and coda click source levels with models of sound propagation to estimate the active space of coda communication. Coda clicks were localized off the island of Dominica with a four- or five-element 80 m vertical hydrophone array, allowing us to calculate the median RMS source levels of 1598 clicks from 444 codas to be 161 dB re. 1 μPa (IQR 153-167), placing codas among the most powerful communication sounds in toothed whales. However, together with measured ambient noise levels, these source levels lead to a median active space of coda communication of ∼4 km, reflecting the maximum footprint of a single foraging sperm whale unit. We conclude that while sperm whale codas may contain information about clan affiliation, their moderate active space shows that codas are not used for long range acoustic communication between units and clans, but likely serve to mediate social cohesion and behavioral transitions in intra-unit communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen R Jacobs
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 3700 O St NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Chloe E Malinka
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Pernille H Tønnesen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kristian Beedholm
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Stacy L DeRuiter
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Calvin University, 3201 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USA
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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22
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King-Nolan CD, Rekdahl ML, Murray A, Strindberg S, Baumgartner MF, Rosenbaum HC. Fin whale song characteristics and potential subpopulation identity in the New York Bight. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2931. [PMID: 38351184 PMCID: PMC10864287 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52228-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) song can follow a highly consistent pattern, and regional differences in song patterns can be a valuable indicator of subpopulation identity and distribution. In the Northwest Atlantic, endangered fin whales are currently managed as a single stock despite previous identification of different regional song patterns, which indicates potential subpopulation structuring and vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbance if not managed accordingly. Here we document fin whale song in the New York Bight (NYB) from 2017 to 2020 using passive acoustic data to identify monthly and yearly trends in song patterns and to explore potential subpopulation structuring. The predominant song pattern observed was highly consistent with the pattern documented almost a decade prior in the NYB, with short inter-note intervals (INI) from fall-winter and long-INIs in the spring. However, in one song year the majority of songs were composed of long-INIs. This change in song pattern could be due to a shift in fin whale behavior or possibly multiple fin whale subpopulations using the NYB. Fin whales in the NYB may be particularly vulnerable to disturbance given the increasing anthropogenic pressures in this region, and further research into subpopulation structuring is needed to ensure adequate management of these endangered whales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melinda L Rekdahl
- Ocean Giants Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA
| | - Anita Murray
- Ocean Giants Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA
- Marine Mammal Research, Maine Department of Marine Resources, West Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04575, USA
| | | | - Mark F Baumgartner
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Howard C Rosenbaum
- Ocean Giants Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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23
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Longtine C, Eliason CM, Mishkind D, Lee C, Chiappone M, Goller F, Love J, Kingsley EP, Clarke JA, Tabin CJ. Homology and the evolution of vocal folds in the novel avian voice box. Curr Biol 2024; 34:461-472.e7. [PMID: 38183987 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
The origin of novel traits, those that are not direct modifications of a pre-existing ancestral structure, remains a fundamental problem in evolutionary biology. For example, little is known about the evolutionary and developmental origins of the novel avian vocal organ, the syrinx. Located at the tracheobronchial junction, the syrinx is responsible for avian vocalization, but it is unclear whether avian vocal folds are homologous to the laryngeal vocal folds in other tetrapods or convergently evolved. Here, we identify a core developmental program involved in avian vocal fold formation and infer the morphology of the syrinx of the ancestor of modern birds. We find that this ancestral syrinx had paired sound sources induced by a conserved developmental pathway and show that shifts in these signals correlate with syringeal diversification. We show that, despite being derived from different developmental tissues, vocal folds in the syrinx and larynx have similar tissue composition and are established through a strikingly similar developmental program, indicating that co-option of an ancestral developmental program facilitated the origin of vocal folds in the avian syrinx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Longtine
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chad M Eliason
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Darcy Mishkind
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - ChangHee Lee
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Chiappone
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Franz Goller
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jay Love
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Evan P Kingsley
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Julia A Clarke
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Clifford J Tabin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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24
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Charlton PE, Burke K, Kobrina A, Lauer AM, Dent ML. The perception of ultrasonic vocalizations by laboratory mice following intense noise exposures. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:867-878. [PMID: 38310604 PMCID: PMC10838193 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Noise-induced hearing loss interacts with age, sex, and listening conditions to affect individuals' perception of ecologically relevant stimuli like speech. The present experiments assessed the impact of age and sex on vocalization detection by noise-exposed mice trained to detect a downsweep or complex ultrasonic vocalization in quiet or in the presence of a noise background. Daily thresholds before and following intense noise exposure were collected longitudinally and compared across several factors. All mice, regardless of age, sex, listening condition, or stimulus type showed their poorest behavioral sensitivity immediately after the noise exposure. There were varying degrees of recovery over time and across factors. Old-aged mice had greater threshold shifts and less recovery compared to middle-aged mice. Mice had larger threshold shifts and less recovery for downsweeps than for complex vocalizations. Female mice were more sensitive, had smaller post-noise shifts, and had better recovery than males. Thresholds in noise were higher and less variable than thresholds in quiet, but there were comparable shifts and recovery. In mice, as in humans, the perception of ecologically relevant stimuli suffers after an intense noise exposure, and results differ from simple tone detection findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payton E Charlton
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Kali Burke
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Anastasiya Kobrina
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Amanda M Lauer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
| | - Micheal L Dent
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
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25
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Serra M, Costa G, Onaivi E, Simola N. Divergent Acute and Enduring Changes in 50-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats Repeatedly Treated With Amphetamine and Dopaminergic Antagonists: New Insights on the Role of Dopamine in Calling Behavior. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 27:pyae001. [PMID: 38174899 PMCID: PMC10852626 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rats emit 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to nonpharmacological and pharmacological stimuli, with addictive psychostimulants being the most effective drugs that elicit calling behavior in rats. Earlier investigations found that dopamine D1-like and D2-like receptors modulate the emission of 50-kHz USVs stimulated in rats by the acute administration of addictive psychostimulants. Conversely, information is lacking on how dopamine D1-like and D2-like receptors modulate calling behavior in rats that are repeatedly treated with addictive psychostimulants. METHODS We evaluated the emission of 50-kHz USVs in rats repeatedly treated (×5 on alternate days) with amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) either alone or together with (1) SCH 23390 (0.1-1 mg/kg, s.c.), a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist; (2) raclopride (0.3-1 mg/kg, s.c.), a selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist; or (3) a combination of SCH 23390 and raclopride (0.1 + 0.3 mg/kg, s.c.). Calling behavior of rats was recorded following pharmacological treatment, as well as in response to the presentation of amphetamine-paired cues and to amphetamine challenge (both performed 7 days after treatment discontinuation). RESULTS Amphetamine-treated rats displayed a sensitized 50-kHz USV emission during repeated treatment, as well as marked calling behavior in response to amphetamine-paired cues and to amphetamine challenge. Antagonism of D1 or D2 receptors either significantly suppressed or attenuated the emission of 50-kHz USVs in amphetamine-treated rats, with a maximal effect after synergistic antagonism of both receptors. CONCLUSIONS These results shed further light on how dopamine transmission modulates the emission of 50-kHz USVs in rats treated with psychoactive drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Costa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Emmanuel Onaivi
- Biology Department, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Marques CS, Marques DA, Blackwell SB, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Malinka CE, Marques TA. Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation click rates to support cue counting passive acoustic density estimation. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:891-900. [PMID: 38310606 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Estimating animal abundance is fundamental for effective management and conservation. It is increasingly done by combining passive acoustics with knowledge about rates at which animals produce cues (cue rates). Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are elusive marine mammals for which passive acoustic density estimation might be plausible, but for which cue rates are lacking. Clicking rates in narwhals were investigated using a dataset from sound and movement tag records collected in August 2013-2016 and 2019 in East Greenland. Clicking rates were quantified for ∼1200 one-second-long systematic random samples from 8 different whales. Generalized additive models were used to model (1) the probability of being in a clicking state versus depth and (2) the clicking rate while in a clicking state, versus time and depth. The probability of being in a clicking state increased with depth, reaching ∼1.0 at ∼500 m, while the number of clicks per second (while in a clicking state) increased with depth. The mean cue production rate, weighted by tag duration, was 1.28 clicks per second (se = 0.13, CV = 0.10). This first cue rate for narwhals may be used for cue counting density estimation, but care should be taken if applying it to other geographical areas or seasons, given sample size, geographical, and temporal limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina S Marques
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diana A Marques
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susanna B Blackwell
- Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, 5142 Hollister Avenue, 283, Santa Barbara, California 93111, USA
| | | | - Chloe E Malinka
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Tiago A Marques
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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27
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Gil D. Absence of female partners can explain the dawn chorus of birds. Nature 2024; 626:481-482. [PMID: 38337061 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-00264-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
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28
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Abildtrup Nielsen N, Dawson SM, Torres Ortiz S, Wahlberg M, Martin MJ. Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) produce both narrowband high-frequency and broadband acoustic signals. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:1437-1450. [PMID: 38364047 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Odontocetes produce clicks for echolocation and communication. Most odontocetes are thought to produce either broadband (BB) or narrowband high-frequency (NBHF) clicks. Here, we show that the click repertoire of Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) comprises highly stereotypical NBHF clicks and far more variable broadband clicks, with some that are intermediate between these two categories. Both NBHF and broadband clicks were made in trains, buzzes, and burst-pulses. Most clicks within click trains were typical NBHF clicks, which had a median centroid frequency of 130.3 kHz (median -10 dB bandwidth = 29.8 kHz). Some, however, while having only marginally lower centroid frequency (median = 123.8 kHz), had significant energy below 100 kHz and approximately double the bandwidth (median -10 dB bandwidth = 69.8 kHz); we refer to these as broadband. Broadband clicks in buzzes and burst-pulses had lower median centroid frequencies (120.7 and 121.8 kHz, respectively) compared to NBHF buzzes and burst-pulses (129.5 and 130.3 kHz, respectively). Source levels of NBHF clicks, estimated by using a drone to measure ranges from a single hydrophone and by computing time-of-arrival differences at a vertical hydrophone array, ranged from 116 to 171 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m, whereas source levels of broadband clicks, obtained from array data only, ranged from 138 to 184 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m. Our findings challenge the grouping of toothed whales as either NBHF or broadband species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoline Abildtrup Nielsen
- Marine Biological Research Center, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
| | - Stephen M Dawson
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Sara Torres Ortiz
- Marine Biological Research Center, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
| | - Magnus Wahlberg
- Marine Biological Research Center, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
| | - Morgan J Martin
- Center for Marine Acoustics, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Sterling, Virginia 20166, USA
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29
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Foster K, Morrison I, Tyler M, Delgoda R. The effect of casing and gypsum on the yield and psychoactive tryptamine content of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer. Fungal Biol 2024; 128:1590-1595. [PMID: 38341264 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Psychedelic fungi have experienced a surge in interest in recent years. Most notably, the fungal secondary metabolite psilocybin has shown tremendous promise in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. The mushroom species that produce this molecule are poorly understood. Here we sought to examine for the first time, the response of a psilocybin-producing species Psilocybe cubensis to casing (peat moss and vermiculite) and supplementation with gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate), two common practices in commercial mushroom cultivation. Mycelial samples of genetically authenticated P. cubensis were used to inoculate popcorn grain bags. The fully colonized bags of popcorn grain (0.15 kg) were transferred to bins of 0.85 kg pasteurized horse manure, with or without 1 cm thick layer of casing and/or 5 % gypsum. Our results indicate that the use of a casing layer significantly increases the biological efficiency (161.5 %), by approximately four fold, in comparison to control (40.5 %), albeit with a slight delay (∼2 days) for obtaining fruiting bodies and a somewhat reduced total tryptamine content (0.85 %) as gauged by High Performance Liquid Chromatography measurements. Supplementation with both casing and gypsum, however, appears to promote maximal yields (896.6 g/kg of dried substrate), with a biological efficiency of 89.6 %, while also maintaining high total tryptamine expressions (0.95 %). These findings, revealing methods for maximizing yield of harvest and expressions of psychoactive tryptamines, may prove useful for both home growers and commercial cultivators of this species, and ultimately support the growth of a robust industry with high quality natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley Foster
- Natural Products Institute, 6 Belmopan Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica; Future Wellness (formerly Field Trip Natural Products), 2 St. George's Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
| | - Isaac Morrison
- Natural Products Institute, 6 Belmopan Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica; Future Wellness (formerly Field Trip Natural Products), 2 St. George's Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
| | - Marshall Tyler
- Future Wellness (formerly Field Trip Natural Products), 2 St. George's Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
| | - Rupika Delgoda
- Natural Products Institute, 6 Belmopan Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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30
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Hilmo R, Wilcock WSD. Estimating distances to baleen whales using multipath arrivals recorded by individual seafloor seismometers at full ocean depth. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:930-951. [PMID: 38341731 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Ocean bottom seismometer networks can record opportunistic data sets of 20-Hz fin whale calls. Because networks are often too sparse for multi-station tracking, single-station methods are needed to estimate call density. We investigated a method to range to singing fin whales at full ocean depths using the spacing of water column multiples. Calls were detected by cross-correlating a spectrogram with a template call. To enhance multipath signals, we considered 20-min windows and either summed the spectrograms of all calls aligned on the strongest detection before measuring the multipath spacing or measured the spacing directly from the autocorrelation of the cross correlation time series. We evaluated the methods at five sites with contrasting seafloor and subsurface properties, bathymetric relief, and water depths of 4000-6000 m, using fin whale songs at four sites and a sei whale song at the fifth. The autocorrelation method works best, and ranges can be obtained to >15 km. Ranging at sedimented sites requires careful accounting for subsurface reflections. Ranges have considerable uncertainty in regions of bathymetric relief. The method requires that the time between calls is different from that of the multipaths and does not work reliably when more than one whale is singing nearby.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Hilmo
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - William S D Wilcock
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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31
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Abstract
Mutations that change male cricket song should be at a disadvantage because the song is used by females to choose amongst males. A new study caught evolution in action and showed that females may have flexible preferences, and new songs may even be preferred so that the mutations spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen J Moore
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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32
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Zou B, Anuar MSS, Low TJ, Hong Z, Grismer LL, Quah ESH. Advertisement calls from species of the Limnonectes hascheanus-limborgi complex (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Peninsular Malaysia. Zootaxa 2024; 5399:163-171. [PMID: 38221166 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5399.2.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Limnonectes hascheanus and Limnonectes limborgi are two very similar-looking and closely related species and are sometimes referred to as the Limnonectes hascheanus-limborgi complex (Inger & Stuart 2010). Inger & Stuart (2010) tackled the systematics of the complex and confirmed the status of L. limborgi as a distinct species and not a junior synonym to L. hascheanus by providing molecular data and morphological characters of its distinctiveness. The geographic ranges of the two species were also reported to be distinct where L. hascheanus is mainly restricted to the southern part of the Thai-Malay Peninsula while L. limborgi is distributed from southern Myanmar north into northern Thailand and Laos before curving around into central Laos, northeastern Thailand, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam (Inger & Stuart 2010).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Zou
- School of Biological Sciences; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 USM; Penang; Malaysia.
| | - M S Shahrul Anuar
- School of Biological Sciences; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 USM; Penang; Malaysia; Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 USM; Penang; Malaysia.
| | - Tek Joo Low
- School of Biological Sciences; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 USM; Penang; Malaysia.
| | - Zijia Hong
- School of Biological Sciences; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 USM; Penang; Malaysia.
| | - L Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory; Department of Biology; La Sierra University; 4500 Riverwalk Parkway; Riverside; California; 92515; USA; Department of Herpetology; San Diego Natural History Museum; PO Box 121390; San Diego; California; 92112; USA.; Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Jalan UMS; 88400; Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia.
| | - Evan S H Quah
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Jalan UMS; 88400; Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia; Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum; National University of Singapore; 2 Conservatory Drive; Singapore 117377.
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33
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Winiarska D, Szymański P, Osiejuk TS. Detection ranges of forest bird vocalisations: guidelines for passive acoustic monitoring. Sci Rep 2024; 14:894. [PMID: 38195687 PMCID: PMC10776575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51297-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring has proven to have many advantages for monitoring efforts and research activities. However, there are considerations to be taken into account regarding the placement of autonomous sound recorders. Detection ranges differ among species and in response to variable conditions such as weather or the location of vocalising animals. It is thus important to the success of a research project to understand, with a certain degree of confidence, the distances at which birds might be detected. In two types of forests in Poland, we played back the vocalisations of 31 species of European forest birds exemplifying different singing characteristics. Based on recordings obtained along a 500-m transect, we estimated the probability of detection and maximum detection distance of each vocalisation. We broadcasted the recording at three heights of singing and repeated playbacks three times during the breeding season to evaluate the effect of vegetation growth. Our results revealed that environmental and meteorological factors had a significant influence on both detection probability and maximum detection distances. This work provides comprehensive measurements of detection distance for 31 bird species and can be used to plan passive acoustic monitoring research in Europe, taking into account species traits and individual characteristics of the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Winiarska
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Paweł Szymański
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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34
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Dur M, Gonzlez C, Gmez V. Redescription of the advertisement call of Melanophryniscus klappenbachi Prigioni and Langone, 2000 (Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae). Zootaxa 2024; 5397:598-600. [PMID: 38221181 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5397.4.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Dur
- Centro de Ecologa Aplicada del Litoral; CONICET-UNNE. Ruta 5; km 2.5; CP 3400; Corrientes; Argentina.
| | - Cynthya Gonzlez
- Centro de Ecologa Aplicada del Litoral; CONICET-UNNE. Ruta 5; km 2.5; CP 3400; Corrientes; Argentina.
| | - Valeria Gmez
- Centro de Ecologa Aplicada del Litoral; CONICET-UNNE. Ruta 5; km 2.5; CP 3400; Corrientes; Argentina.
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35
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Ruiz-Sobremazas D, Ruiz Coca M, Morales-Navas M, Rodulfo-Cárdenas R, López-Granero C, Colomina MT, Perez-Fernandez C, Sanchez-Santed F. Neurodevelopmental consequences of gestational exposure to particulate matter 10: Ultrasonic vocalizations and gene expression analysis using a bayesian approach. Environ Res 2024; 240:117487. [PMID: 37918762 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been associated with a wide range of health issues, particularly regarding cardio-respiratory diseases. Increasing evidence suggests a potential link between gestational exposure to environmental pollutants and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. The respiratory pathway is the most commonly used exposure model regarding PM due to valid and logical reasons. However, PM deposition on food (vegetables, fruits, cereals, etc.) and water has been previously described. Although this justifies the need of unforced, oral models of exposure, preclinical studies using oral exposure are uncommon. Specifically, air pollution can modify normal brain development at genetic, cellular, and structural levels. The present work aimed to investigate the effects of oral gestational exposure to particulate matter (PM) on ultrasonic vocalizations (USV). To this end, pregnant rats were exposed to particulate matter during gestation. The body weight of the pups was monitored until the day of recording the USVs. The results revealed that the exposed group emitted more USV calls when compared to the control group. Furthermore, the calls from the exposed group were longer in duration and started earlier than those from the non-exposed group. Gene expression analyses showed that PM exposure down-regulates the expression of Gabrg2 and Maoa genes in the brain, but no effect was detected on glutamate or other neurotransmission systems. These findings suggest that gestational exposure to PM10 may be related to social deficits or other phenomena that can be analyzed with USV. In addition, we were able to detect abnormalities in the expression of genes related to different neurotransmitter systems, such as the GABAergic and monoaminergic systems. Further research is needed to fully understand the possible effects of air pollutant exposure on neurodevelopmental disorders as well as the way in which these effects are linked to differences in neurotransmission systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ruiz-Sobremazas
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center (CEINSA), Almeria University, 04120, Almeria, Spain; University of Zaragoza, Department of Psychology and Sociology, Teruel, Spain
| | - Mario Ruiz Coca
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center (CEINSA), Almeria University, 04120, Almeria, Spain
| | - Miguel Morales-Navas
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center (CEINSA), Almeria University, 04120, Almeria, Spain
| | - Rocío Rodulfo-Cárdenas
- Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Research Group in Neurobehavior and Health (NEUROLAB), Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Department of Psychology and Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Center of Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology (TECNATOX), Reus, Spain
| | | | - Maria Teresa Colomina
- Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Research Group in Neurobehavior and Health (NEUROLAB), Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Department of Psychology and Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Tarragona, Spain; Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Center of Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology (TECNATOX), Reus, Spain
| | - Cristian Perez-Fernandez
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center (CEINSA), Almeria University, 04120, Almeria, Spain
| | - Fernando Sanchez-Santed
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center (CEINSA), Almeria University, 04120, Almeria, Spain.
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36
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Vasconcelos RO, Bolgan M, Matos AB, Van-Dunem SP, Penim J, Amorim MCP. Characterization of the vocal behavior of the miniature and transparent fish model, Danionella cerebruma). J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:781-789. [PMID: 38289152 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Danionella cerebrum has recently been proposed as a promising model to investigate the structure and function of the adult vertebrate brain, including the development of vocal-auditory neural pathways. This genetically tractable and transparent cypriniform is highly vocal, but limited information is available on its acoustic behavior and underlying biological function. Our main goal was to characterize the acoustic repertoire and diel variation in sound production of D. cerebrum, as well as to investigate the relationship between vocal behavior and reproduction. Sound recordings demonstrated high vocal activity, with sounds varying from short sequences of pulses known as "bursts" (comprising up to 15 pulses) to notably longer sounds, termed "long bursts", which extended up to 349 pulses with over 2.7 s. Vocal activity peaked at midday and it was very low at night with only a few bursts. While the number of pulses was higher during the daytime, the interpulse interval was longer at night. In addition, calling time was positively associated with the number of viable eggs, suggesting that acoustic communication is important for reproduction. These preliminary findings reveal the potential of using D. cerebrum to investigate vocal plasticity and the implications for sexual selection and reproduction in a novel vertebrate model for neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel O Vasconcelos
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao, Special Administrative Region, China
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- EPCV - Department of Life Sciences, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Bolgan
- Ocean Science Consulting Limited, Dunbar, United Kingdom
| | - André B Matos
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao, Special Administrative Region, China
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sheila P Van-Dunem
- EPCV - Department of Life Sciences, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge Penim
- EPCV - Department of Life Sciences, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M Clara P Amorim
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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37
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Scott KJ, Speers LJ, Bilkey DK. Utilizing synthetic training data for the supervised classification of rat ultrasonic vocalizations. J Acoust Soc Am 2024; 155:306-314. [PMID: 38236810 DOI: 10.1121/10.0024340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Murine rodents generate ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) with frequencies that extend to around 120 kHz. These calls are important in social behaviour, and so their analysis can provide insights into the function of vocal communication, and its dysfunction. The manual identification of USVs, and subsequent classification into different subcategories is time consuming. Although machine learning approaches for identification and classification can lead to enormous efficiency gains, the time and effort required to generate training data can be high, and the accuracy of current approaches can be problematic. Here, we compare the detection and classification performance of a trained human against two convolutional neural networks (CNNs), DeepSqueak (DS) and VocalMat (VM), on audio containing rat USVs. Furthermore, we test the effect of inserting synthetic USVs into the training data of the VM CNN as a means of reducing the workload associated with generating a training set. Our results indicate that VM outperformed the DS CNN on measures of call identification, and classification. Additionally, we found that the augmentation of training data with synthetic images resulted in a further improvement in accuracy, such that it was sufficiently close to human performance to allow for the use of this software in laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Jack Scott
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, William James Building, 275 Leith Walk, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Lucinda J Speers
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, William James Building, 275 Leith Walk, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Inserm, France
| | - David K Bilkey
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, William James Building, 275 Leith Walk, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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38
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An R, Lu C, Wang C, Chang L, Huang J, Jiang F, Xu TL, Gong N. Developmental Patterns and Gender Differences of Vocal Production in Marmoset Monkeys. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:133-138. [PMID: 37914957 PMCID: PMC10774232 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ruixin An
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Chaocheng Lu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Liangtang Chang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Junfeng Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Neng Gong
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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Lamont KA, Boynton MH, Hickman DL, Fletcher CA, Williams MD. Acute Effects of Hypothermia and Inhalant Anesthesia on Ultrasonic Vocalizations and Neuroendocrine Markers in Neonatal Rats. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2024; 63:57-66. [PMID: 38040412 PMCID: PMC10844739 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal rodents undergo anesthesia for numerous procedures and for euthanasia by anesthetic overdose. However, data regarding whether neonatal anesthesia is humane are limited. Hypothermia (cryoanesthesia) is the most commonly used anesthetic protocol for neonatal rats 10 d of age or younger. However, hypothermia has recently been restricted in several countries due to perceived painful effects, including pain on rewarming. Minimizing the potential pain and distress of neonates in research is imperative, although very challenging. Traditional validated and nonvalidated behavioral and physiologic outcome measures used for adult rats undergoing anesthesia are unsuitable for evaluating neonates. Therefore, we investigated the effects of several anesthetic methods on neonatal rats by using the innovative objective approaches of noninvasive ultrasonic vocalizations and more invasive neuroendocrine responses (i. e., serum corticosterone, norepinephrine, glucose). Our results show that hypothermia leads to heightened acute distress in neonatal rats as indicated by prolonged recovery times, increased duration of vocalizations, and elevated corticosterone levels, as compared with neonates undergoing inhalational anesthesia. We demonstrate that inhalational anesthesia is preferable to cryoanesthesia for neonatal rats, and researchers using hypothermia anesthesia should consider using inhalational anesthesia as an alternative method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcella H Boynton
- Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine, and
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Debra L Hickman
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana; and
| | - Craig A Fletcher
- Division of Comparative Medicine
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
| | - Morika D Williams
- Division of Comparative Medicine
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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40
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Adams CB, Papeş M, Price CA, Freeberg TM. Influence of social and physical environmental variation on antipredator behavior in mixed-species parid flocks. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295910. [PMID: 38128009 PMCID: PMC10735029 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) regularly form flocks with multiple species through the winter months, including white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis). Earlier studies found that behavior of both chickadees and titmice was sensitive to mixed-species flock composition. Little is known about the influence of background noise level and vegetation density on the antipredator behaviors of individuals within these flocks, however. We tested for the effects of vegetation density, traffic noise, and flock composition (conspecific number, flock diversity, and flock size) on antipredator behavioral responses following an alarm call playback (Study 1) and an owl model presentation (Study 2) at feeders. We recorded background traffic noise and performed lidar scans to quantify vegetation density at each site. After a feeder had been stocked with seed and a flock was present, we recorded calls produced, and we identified flock composition metrics. We coded seed-taking latency, call latency, mob latency, and mob duration following the respective stimulus presentation and tested for effects of flock composition metrics, vegetation density, and background noise on these responses. For the alarm call playback study, flock composition drove behaviors in chickadees and titmice, and vegetation density drove behaviors in chickadees and nuthatches. For the owl model study, conspecific number predicted behavior in chickadees, and mob duration was predicted by nuthatch number. The results reveal individual sensitivity to group composition in anti-predatory and foraging behavior in simulated risky contexts. Additionally, our data suggest that the modality of perceived simulated risk (acoustic vs. visual) and the density of vegetation influence behavior in these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colton B. Adams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Monica Papeş
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Charles A. Price
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
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41
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Leavell BC, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Vélez V, Hemingway CT, Wilhite K, Halfwerk W, Bernal XE. Ripple effects in a communication network: anti-eavesdropper defence elicits elaborated sexual signals in rival males. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231910. [PMID: 38113943 PMCID: PMC10730286 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emitting conspicuous signals into the environment to attract mates comes with the increased risk of interception by eavesdropping enemies. As a defence, a commonly described strategy is for signallers to group together in leks, diluting each individual's risk. Lekking systems are often highly social settings in which competing males dynamically alter their signalling behaviour to attract mates. Thus, signalling at the lek requires navigating fluctuations in risk, competition and reproductive opportunities. Here, we investigate how behavioural defence strategies directed at an eavesdropping enemy have cascading effects across the communication network. We investigated these behaviours in the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), examining how a calling male's swatting defence directed at frog-biting midges indirectly affects the calling behaviour of his rival. We found that the rival responds to swat-induced water ripples by increasing his call rate and complexity. Then, performing phonotaxis experiments, we found that eavesdropping fringe-lipped bats (Trachops cirrhosus) do not exhibit a preference for a swatting male compared to his rival, but females strongly prefer the rival male. Defences to minimize attacks from eavesdroppers thus shift the mate competition landscape in favour of rival males. By modulating the attractiveness of signalling prey to female receivers, we posit that eavesdropping micropredators likely have an unappreciated impact on the ecology and evolution of sexual communication systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Viviana Vélez
- Program of Study and Control of Tropical Diseases, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Claire T. Hemingway
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kyle Wilhite
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
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42
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Pantoja-Sánchez H, Leavell BC, Rendon B, de-Silva WAPP, Singh R, Zhou J, Menda G, Hoy RR, Miles RN, Sanscrainte ND, Bernal XE. Tiny spies: mosquito antennae are sensitive sensors for eavesdropping on frog calls. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245359. [PMID: 37942703 PMCID: PMC10753488 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Most mosquito and midge species use hearing during acoustic mating behaviors. For frog-biting species, however, hearing plays an important role beyond mating as females rely on anuran calls to obtain blood meals. Despite the extensive work examining hearing in mosquito species that use sound in mating contexts, our understanding of how mosquitoes hear frog calls is limited. Here, we directly investigated the mechanisms underlying detection of frog calls by a mosquito species specialized on eavesdropping on anuran mating signals: Uranotaenia lowii. Behavioral, biomechanical and neurophysiological analyses revealed that the antenna of this frog-biting species can detect frog calls by relying on neural and mechanical responses comparable to those of non-frog-biting species. Our findings show that in Ur. lowii, contrary to most species, males do not use sound for mating, but females use hearing to locate their anuran host. We also show that the response of the antennae of this frog-biting species resembles that of the antenna of species that use hearing for mating. Finally, we discuss our data considering how mosquitoes may have evolved the ability to tap into the communication system of frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Bianca Rendon
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 41163, USA
| | | | - Richa Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Gil Menda
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ronald R. Hoy
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ronald N. Miles
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Neil D. Sanscrainte
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Centre for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Republic of Panamá
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43
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Willadsen M, Schwarting RKW, Wöhr M. Acute anxiogenic effects of escitalopram are associated with mild alterations in D-amphetamine-induced behavior and social approach evoked by playback of 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 241:109734. [PMID: 37813275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Rats communicate through auditory signals in the ultrasonic range, so-called ultrasonic vocalizations (USV). Short, high-frequency 50-kHz USV are associated with positive affective states and are emitted in appetitive situations, often rewarding social interactions, such as rough-and-tumble play and mating. Exaggerated levels of 50-kHz USV emission can be observed in response to psychostimulants, most notably d-amphetamine (AMPH). There is robust evidence suggesting that 50-kHz USV serve as affiliative signals and help to maintain or re-establish social proximity. A key neurotransmitter involved in behavioral regulation is serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). This includes both, the regulation of anxiety-related behavior and ultrasonic communication. Here, we show that acute treatment with the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram (ESC) leads to increased anxiety-related behavior in the elevated plus maze and tested whether such acute anxiogenic effects of ESC result in alterations in ultrasonic communication in sender and/or receiver. To this aim, we conducted a dose-response study in male rats and assessed AMPH-induced hyperactivity and 50-kHz ultrasonic calling in the sender and social approach behavior evoked by playback of pro-social 50-kHz USV in the receiver. Acute ESC treatment affected both, sender and receiver. This was reflected in a lack of AMPH-induced changes in acoustic features of 50-kHz USV and absence of social exploratory behavior evoked by 50-kHz USV playback, respectively. Albeit the SSRI effects were relatively mild, this supports the notion that the 5-HT system is involved in the regulation of a key aspect of the social behavior repertoire of rodents, namely socio-affective communication through 50-kHz USV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Willadsen
- Philipps-University of Marburg, Faculty of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, D-35032, Marburg, Germany; Philipps-University of Marburg, Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, D-35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Rainer K W Schwarting
- Philipps-University of Marburg, Faculty of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, D-35032, Marburg, Germany; Philipps-University of Marburg, Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, D-35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Philipps-University of Marburg, Faculty of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, D-35032, Marburg, Germany; Philipps-University of Marburg, Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, D-35032, Marburg, Germany; KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Brain and Cognition, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Social and Affective Neuroscience Research Group, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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44
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Selbmann A, Miller PJO, Wensveen PJ, Svavarsson J, Samarra FIP. Call combination patterns in Icelandic killer whales (Orcinus orca). Sci Rep 2023; 13:21771. [PMID: 38065973 PMCID: PMC10709340 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48349-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Acoustic sequences have been described in a range of species and in varying complexity. Cetaceans are known to produce complex song displays but these are generally limited to mysticetes; little is known about call combinations in odontocetes. Here we investigate call combinations produced by killer whales (Orcinus orca), a highly social and vocal species. Using acoustic recordings from 22 multisensor tags, we use a first order Markov model to show that transitions between call types or subtypes were significantly different from random, with repetitions and specific call combinations occurring more often than expected by chance. The mixed call combinations were composed of two or three calls and were part of three call combination clusters. Call combinations were recorded over several years, from different individuals, and several social clusters. The most common call combination cluster consisted of six call (sub-)types. Although different combinations were generated, there were clear rules regarding which were the first and last call types produced, and combinations were highly stereotyped. Two of the three call combination clusters were produced outside of feeding contexts, but their function remains unclear and further research is required to determine possible functions and whether these combinations could be behaviour- or group-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Selbmann
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Paul J Wensveen
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Jörundur Svavarsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Filipa I P Samarra
- Institute of Research Centres, University of Iceland, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
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45
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Reby D, Anikin A. Vocal communication: The enigmatic production of low-frequency purrs in cats. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1236-R1237. [PMID: 38052174 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Cat purring, the unusual, pulsed vibration that epitomizes comfort, enjoys a special status in the world of vocal communication research. Indeed, it has long been flagged as a rare exception to the dominant theory of voice production in mammals. A new study presents histological and biomechanical evidence that purring can occur passively, without needing muscle vibration in the larynx controlled by an independent neural oscillator.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Reby
- ENES Bioacoustics Research Laboratory, CRNL, CNRS, Inserm, University of Saint-Etienne, 42000 Saint-Etienne, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Andrey Anikin
- ENES Bioacoustics Research Laboratory, CRNL, CNRS, Inserm, University of Saint-Etienne, 42000 Saint-Etienne, France; Division of Cognitive Science, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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46
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Langehennig-Peristenidou A, Romero-Mujalli D, Bergmann T, Scheumann M. Features of animal babbling in the vocal ontogeny of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). Sci Rep 2023; 13:21384. [PMID: 38049448 PMCID: PMC10696017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47919-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In human infants babbling is an important developmental stage of vocal plasticity to acquire maternal language. To investigate parallels in the vocal development of human infants and non-human mammals, seven key features of human babbling were defined, which are up to date only shown in bats and marmosets. This study will explore whether these features can also be found in gray mouse lemurs by investigating how infant vocal streams gradually resemble the structure of the adult trill call, which is not present at birth. Using unsupervised clustering, we distinguished six syllable types, whose sequential order gradually reflected the adult trill. A subset of adult syllable types was produced by several infants, with the syllable production being rhythmic, repetitive, and independent of the social context. The temporal structure of the calling bouts and the tempo-spectral features of syllable types became adult-like at the age of weaning. The age-dependent changes in the acoustic parameters differed between syllable types, suggesting that they cannot solely be explained by physical maturation of the vocal apparatus. Since gray mouse lemurs exhibit five features of animal babbling, they show parallels to the vocal development of human infants, bats, and marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Romero-Mujalli
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
- Department for Environment Constructions and Design, Institute of Microbiology (IM), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), 6850, Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | - Tjard Bergmann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marina Scheumann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
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47
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Cusano DA, Wiley D, Zeh JM, Kerr I, Pensarosa A, Zadra C, Shorter KA, Parks SE. Acoustic recording tags provide insight into the springtime acoustic behavior of sei whales in Massachusetts Bay. J Acoust Soc Am 2023; 154:3543-3555. [PMID: 38038616 DOI: 10.1121/10.0022570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The acoustic ecology of sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) is poorly understood due to limited direct observation of the behavioral context of sound production and individual behavior. Suction cup-attached acoustic recording tags were deployed on sei whales to unambiguously assign call types and explore the acoustic behavior of this endangered species. Twelve tag deployments resulted in ∼173 h of acoustic data and 1030 calls. Sound types included downsweeps and three previously undescribed call types. Knocks were short duration (<1 s), with an average peak frequency of 330 Hz. Pulse type 1 and pulse type 2 calls, typically produced in sequences, were short in duration (0.08 and 0.28 s) and low in average peak frequency (50 and 26 Hz), with relatively high received levels. Average call rates for all call types combined were three calls per hour, but increased during twilight. Sex differences in call type usage included a higher use of pulses by females and knocks by males. Calls were almost exclusively produced at depths <10 m, although whales rarely dove deeper in this study. These data provide a more comprehensive picture of the acoustic and behavioral ecology of sei whales than previously possible, which can inform future conservation efforts for this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana A Cusano
- National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA
| | - David Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, Massachusetts 02066, USA
| | - Julia M Zeh
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
| | - Iain Kerr
- Ocean Alliance, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, USA
| | | | - Chris Zadra
- Ocean Alliance, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, USA
| | - K Alex Shorter
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Susan E Parks
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
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48
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Coffey KR, Nickelson WB, Dawkins AJ, Neumaier JF. Rapid appearance of negative emotion during oral fentanyl self-administration in male and female rats. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13344. [PMID: 38017643 PMCID: PMC10745948 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder has become an epidemic in the United States, fuelled by the widespread availability of fentanyl, which produces rapid and intense euphoria followed by severe withdrawal and emotional distress. We developed a new preclinical model of fentanyl seeking in outbred male and female rats using volitional oral self-administration (SA) that can be readily applied in labs without intravascular access. Using a traditional two-lever operant procedure, rats learned to take oral fentanyl vigorously, escalated intake across sessions, and readily reinstated responding to conditioned cues after extinction. Oral SA also revealed individual and sex differences that are essential to studying substance use risk propensity. During a behavioural economics task, rats displayed inelastic demand curves and maintained stable intake across a wide range of fentanyl concentrations. Oral SA was also neatly patterned, with distinct 'loading' and 'maintenance' phases of responding within each session. Using our software DeepSqueak, we analysed ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), which are innate expressions of current emotional state in rats. Rats produced 50 kHz USVs during loading then shifted quickly to 22 kHz calls despite ongoing maintenance of oral fentanyl taking, reflecting a transition to negative reinforcement. Using fibre photometry, we found that the lateral habenula differentially processed drug cues and drug consumption depending on affective state, with potentiated modulation by drug cues and consumption during the negative affective maintenance phase. Together, these results indicate a rapid progression from positive to negative reinforcement occurs even within an active drug taking session, revealing a within-session opponent process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R. Coffey
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - William B. Nickelson
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Puget Sound VA Health Care System, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108
| | - Aliyah J. Dawkins
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Puget Sound VA Health Care System, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108
| | - John F. Neumaier
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Puget Sound VA Health Care System, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
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49
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Schlicht L, Schlicht E, Santema P, Kempenaers B. A dawn and dusk chorus will emerge if males sing in the absence of their mate. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20232266. [PMID: 37989244 PMCID: PMC10688385 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The spring dawn and dusk chorus of birds is a widespread phenomenon, yet its origin remains puzzling. We propose that a dawn and dusk chorus will inevitably arise if two criteria are met: (1) females leave their roost later in the morning and go to roost earlier in the evening than their mate, and (2) males sing more when separated from their mate. Previous studies on blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) support the first criterion. We here report that males sing at a higher rate whenever they are separated from their mate and that song rate increases with the duration of female absence. These findings can explain the existence of the dawn and dusk chorus in blue tits, and they can explain why the dawn chorus is more pronounced than the dusk chorus, as is typically observed. An exhaustive literature search provides support for both criteria of the 'absent mate' hypothesis in several passerine birds. We found no evidence contradicting the hypothesis. The new hypothesis is not inconsistent with many of the existing hypotheses about dawn singing, but may be a more general explanation for the occurrence of a dawn and dusk chorus. We describe how the 'absent mate' hypothesis leads to testable predictions about daily and seasonal variation in song output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Schlicht
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Emmi Schlicht
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Santema
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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John SR, Tiwari R, Goussha Y, Amar R, Bizer A, Netser S, Wagner S. Simultaneous recording of ultrasonic vocalizations and sniffing from socially interacting individual rats using a miniature microphone. Cell Rep Methods 2023; 3:100638. [PMID: 37939710 PMCID: PMC10694494 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Vocalizations are pivotal in mammalian communication, especially in humans. Rodents accordingly rely on ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) that reflect their internal state as a primary channel during social interactions. However, attributing vocalizations to specific individuals remains challenging, impeding internal state assessment. Rats emit 50-kHz USVs to indicate positive states and intensify sniffing during alertness and social interactions. Here, we present a method involving a miniature microphone attached to the rat nasal cavity that allows to capture both male and female individual rat vocalizations and sniffing patterns during social interactions. We found that while the emission of 50-kHz USVs increases during close interactions, these signals lack specific behavioral associations. Moreover, a previously unreported low-frequency vocalization type marking rat social interactions was uncovered. Finally, different dynamics of sniffing and vocalization activities point to distinct underlying internal states. Thus, our method facilitates the exploration of internal states concurrent with social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanah Rachel John
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Rishika Tiwari
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Yizhaq Goussha
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Rotem Amar
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Alex Bizer
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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