Temporal and Acoustic Correlates in Vocal Exchange of Coo Calls in Japanese Macaques

Abstract

Vocal exchanges of coo calls in female Japanese macaques were observed in two populations. Temporal patterns of occurrence of these vocalizations during vocal interaction were studied by analyzing inter-call intervals between two consecutive coos. When the second call was uttered by a different caller from the first (DC sequence), most of the second calls occurred at intervals shorter than approximately 0.8 sec, and the remaining ones at intervals longer than approximately 0.8 sec. These results indicate that the second coos of DC sequence are of two different types, and that second calls separated by short intervals may occur in response to the first call, whereas second calls separated by a relatively longer interval may occur independently of the preceding call. When an animal responds to a coo given by another, she appears to do so within a certain period of time. When two consecutiove calls were uttered by the same caller (SC sequence), the second coos rarely occurred within 0.8 sec, but mostly at longer intervals. These results suggest that when an animal utters a coo spontaneously, it remains silent for a short interval and when no response occurs, she is likely to give further coos addressing groups members. Acoustic analysis of two consecutive coos in DC sequence showed that the second coos given by a different caller and occurring within 0.8 sec significantly correlated with those of first coos with respect to several acoustic parameters. This correlation was not observed when coos occurred at intervals of more than 0.8 sec. This phenomenon was confirmed by a playback experiment. The results suggest the possibility that an animal is able to alter acoustic features of responding coos and matches those of preceding coos.

Grooming-at-a-distance by exchanging calls in non-human primates

“…Contact calls are produced by most members of a troop in a variety of contexts, but always affiliative [15]. Previous studies on contact calls of Japanese macaques have demonstrated individual recognition [16] as well as exchange rules [15], including turn-taking [17], acoustic matching between callers [18] and persistent waiting for a response [19].…”

The choreography of belonging : toothed whale spatial cohesion and acoustic communication

“…Here, I found that animals were more likely than expected to produce a signature whistle in the five seconds following their partner's signature whistle. Vocal exchanges where a receiver responds to a produced signal by replying with its own signal have been reported in many animals ranging from primates (Sugiura, 1993(Sugiura, , 1998Miller et al, 2009) to song birds (Krebs et al, 1981) to odontocetes . Thus, the observed increase in probability of a signature whistle is consistent with the hypothesis that animals are responding to each other's signature whistles by producing their own signature whistles.…”

Maintaining contact : design and use of acoustic signals in killer whales, Orcinus orca

“…Sharng may improve the receiver's ability to identify environmental effects on a propagating signal, which may improve the receiver's ability to estimate the range to the signaler (Morton, 1982;Falls et al, 1982;McGregor et aI., 1983;Shy & Morton, 1986; but see Naguib, 1997Naguib, , 1998Wiley, 1998). Matched counter-callng occurs when a receiver responds to a signal by producing the same signal (Sugiura, 1993), and may provide a mea!1s for a respondent to direct a signal at the original caller (McGregor et aI., 1992).…”