Acoustic cues to caller identity in lemurs: a case study

Gamba, Marco; Colombo, Camilla Marta Pedina; Giacoma, Cristina

doi:10.1007/s10164-011-0291-z

Cited by 51 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Our findings suggest that there is a strong correlation within species between vocal tract length and the position of formants, in agreement with previous studies on various other mammal species (Fitch 1997;Reby and McComb 2003;Riede and Fitch 1999). This suggests that, as in humans, differences in the formant pattern of nonhuman primates may provide primary cues to body size (Fitch 1997) and individuality (Gamba et al 2012;Rendall et al 1998), and could be used to differentiate among vocal types (Gamba and Giacoma 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We undertook this acoustic analysis for a comparison with the modeling approach, and wanted the results to be as general as possible so as to be able to compare their variability with the results we could obtain from the models of the vocal tracts we analyzed. We do not examine the effects of sex (because the models were from one male and two female lemurs), age, or other individual features of the caller on calls (Gamba andGiacoma 2007, 2008;Gamba et al 2012), but instead provide a broader view of species-specific vocalization traits.…”

Section: Sound Recording and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An extension of the source-filter theory to the interpretation of nonhuman vocal phonation (Gamba et al 2012) is the application of computational models to describe the phonation processes of animals (Lieberman et al 1969). Mammalian vocal tracts during vocalization resemble flared (or uniform) tubes and formants are evenly spaced (Shipley et al 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Primates use nasal calls, and they are particularly common in forest environments (Gautier and Gautier-Hion 1982). For example, lemurs use sounds resonating in the nasal tract extensively (Colquhoun 1997;Gamba and Giacoma 2005;Gamba et al 2012;Gosset et al 2001;Macedonia and Stanger 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…is the grunt, which is emitted in various situations, including during group movements in the forest. Grunts are low-pitched calls of variable duration (Gamba andGiacoma 2005, 2006;Gamba et al 2012). From previous observations we know that closedmouth grunts in lemurs are given with the larynx engaged in the nasal airways, and air resonates through the nasal tract (M. Gamba et al pers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vocal Tract Morphology Determines Species-Specific Features in Vocal Signals of Lemurs (Eulemur)

2012

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The source-filter theory describes vocal production as a two-stage process involving the generation of a sound source, with its own spectral structure, which is then filtered by the resonant properties of the vocal tract. This theory has been successfully applied to the study of animal vocal signals since the 1990s. As an extension, models reproducing vocal tract resonance can be used to reproduce formant patterns and to understand the role of vocal tract filtering in nonhuman vocalizations. We studied three congeneric lemur species -Eulemur fulvus, E. macaco, E. rubriventer-using morphological measurements to build computational models of the vocal tract to estimate formants, and acoustic analysis to measure formants from natural calls. We focused on call types emitted through the nose, without apparent articulation. On the basis of anatomical measurements, we modeled the vocal tract of each species as a series of concatenated tubes, with a cross-sectional area that changed along the tract to approximate the morphology of the larynx, the nasopharyngeal cavity, the nasal chambers, and the nostrils. For each species, we calculated the resonance frequencies in 2500 randomly generated vocal tracts, in which we simulated intraspecific length and size variation. Formant location and spacing showed significant species-specific differences determined by the length of the vocal tract. We then measured formants of a set of nasal vocalizations ("grunts") recorded from captive lemurs of the same species. We found species-specific differences in the natural calls. This is the first evidence that morphology of the vocal tract is relevant in generating filter-related acoustic cues that potentially provide receivers with information about the species of the emitter.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sound Recording and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vocal Tract Morphology Determines Species-Specific Features in Vocal Signals of Lemurs (Eulemur)

2012

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Multimodal pair‐bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair‐bonded nonhuman primates

Singletary

Tecot

2020

American J Primatol

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Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair‐bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair‐bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra‐pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair‐bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair‐bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds.

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