Songs, Choruses and Countersinging of Kloss' Gibbons (Hylobates klossii) in Siberut Island, Indonesia

Abstract

This study evaluates the social spacing mechanism of song as it occurs in Kloss' gibbons. The study population included individuals in 13 family groups whose composition and territories were known (Tenaza 1975) plus a number of others. Sonagrams illustrate individual and sexual differences in singing. Sex differences in chorusing, countersinging and other behavior related to song are described. Variations in singing or chorusing or both are related to season, time of day, sex, age, spatial factors and social factors. The adaptive functions of singing, countersinging and chorusing are discussed. It is concluded that: (1) Song is mainly for interterritorial communication between members of the same sex, (2) ♂ ‐song probably also functions in mate attraction and (3) chorusing is primarily an adaptation reducing predation risk to singing gibbons.

Social, contextual, and individual factors affecting the occurrence and acoustic structure of drumming bouts in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

“…Whilst our closest living relative, the chimpanzee, lacks any melodic song‐like vocalizations that characterize many species of birds (e.g., Beecher and Brenowitz, ), whales (e.g., Payne and McVay, ) and some other primates e.g., Indri (e.g., Pollock, ), Tarsius (e.g., Burton and Nietsch, ), Callicebus (e.g., Robinson, ; Müller and Anzenberger, ) and Hylobates (Tenaza, ; Geissmann and Orgeldinger, ), their drumming behavior has rhythm which is a fundamental element of all human music (Harwood, ; Nettl., 2000). This suggests that, even though music is thought to be a uniquely human capacity—one which animals lack as we define it (Wallin et al, ; McDermott, ), some of the abilities underpinning musical performance may have distant evolutionary origins and thus can be potentially seen in our closest living relatives.…”

Macrogeographical variability in the great call of Hylobates agilis: assessing the applicability of vocal analysis in studies of fine‐scale taxonomy of gibbons

“…Several previous studies have shown such differences as well [e.g. Dallmann & Geissmann, 2001;Haimoff & Gittins, 1985] and they have been interpreted as evidence that gibbons use great calls to exchange information about identity [Tenaza, 1976]. Same island…”

Effects of meteorology, astronomical variables, location and human disturbance on the singing apes: Hylobates albibarbis

“…If the gibbons spent the night and/or morning wet (and therefore cold), then they will be expected to prioritize finding food over singing to replenish their energy levels. Gibbons experience heat loss throughout the night (high surface area to body ratio), which will be even more pronounced after rain [Tenaza, 1976].…”