Vocalizations of Adult Gelada Baboons (Theropithecus gelada): Acoustic Structure and Behavioural Context

Aich, Helga; Moos-Heilen, Regina; Zimmermann, Elke

doi:10.1159/000156508

Cited by 37 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Thus, even though grunts are typically directed at animals within a unit or bachelor group, unit males frequently hear the grunts of extra-unit males. Furthermore, gelada grunts (figure 1) resemble baboon grunts that are harmonically rich and relatively easy to identify individually (Aich et al 1990;Owren et al 1997;Rendall 2003). For all playback trials, I used a natural sequence of two to four short grunts and one to two prolonged grunts ('prolonged moan'; Aich et al 1990; figure 1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, gelada grunts (figure 1) resemble baboon grunts that are harmonically rich and relatively easy to identify individually (Aich et al 1990;Owren et al 1997;Rendall 2003). For all playback trials, I used a natural sequence of two to four short grunts and one to two prolonged grunts ('prolonged moan'; Aich et al 1990; figure 1). Grunt sequences were recorded opportunistically during behavioural observations from less than 7 m using a Sennheiser ME-66 directional microphone and a Marantz PMD 660 digital recorder.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental evidence for limited vocal recognition in a wild primate: implications for the social complexity hypothesis

Bergman

2010

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Although monitoring social information is a key aspect of the social complexity hypothesis, surprisingly little work has compared social knowledge across different species of wild animals. In the present study, I use playback experiments to test for individual recognition in wild male geladas (Theropithecus gelada) to compare with published accounts of social knowledge in chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). Geladas and baboons are closely related primates living in socially complex groups that differ dramatically in group size-geladas routinely associate with more than 10 times the number of conspecifics than do baboons. Using grunts from non-rival males to simulate approaches, I examined the strength of a subject male's response when the 'approach' was from the direction of (i) non-rival males (control), or (ii) rival males (a more salient stimulus if playback grunts are not recognized by the subject). I compared responses separately based on the degree of social overlap between the caller and the subject. Responses indicate that male geladas, unlike baboons, do not use vocalizations to recognize all of the individuals they regularly encounter. This represents, to my knowledge, the first documented evidence of 'missing' social knowledge in a natural primate population. The sharp distinction between baboons and geladas suggests that geladas are either unable or unmotivated to keep track of the individual identity of other males in their multi-level society-even males with whom they have a large degree of social overlap. Thus, these results are consistent with the central assumption of the social complexity hypothesis that social cognition is costly.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evidence for limited vocal recognition in a wild primate: implications for the social complexity hypothesis

Bergman

2010

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…Here, we test Menzerath's law in the vocal communication of wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada), a gregarious primate species with a well-described vocal repertoire, and in which individualstypically adult males-produce long and complex vocal sequences during affiliative contexts (27)(28)(29)(30). The constituent parts of these sequences are discrete, individual calls, and six different call types in total are seen in sequences.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Gelada vocal sequences follow Menzerath’s linguistic law

Gustison

Semple

Ferrer-i-Cancho

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

140

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Identifying universal principles underpinning diverse natural systems is a key goal of the life sciences. A powerful approach in addressing this goal has been to test whether patterns consistent with linguistic laws are found in nonhuman animals. Menzerath's law is a linguistic law that states that, the larger the construct, the smaller the size of its constituents. Here, to our knowledge, we present the first evidence that Menzerath's law holds in the vocal communication of a nonhuman species. We show that, in vocal sequences of wild male geladas (Theropithecus gelada), construct size (sequence size in number of calls) is negatively correlated with constituent size (duration of calls). Call duration does not vary significantly with position in the sequence, but call sequence composition does change with sequence size and most call types are abbreviated in larger sequences. We also find that intercall intervals follow the same relationship with sequence size as do calls. Finally, we provide formal mathematical support for the idea that Menzerath's law reflects compression-the principle of minimizing the expected length of a code. Our findings suggest that a common principle underpins human and gelada vocal communication, highlighting the value of exploring the applicability of linguistic laws in vocal systems outside the realm of language.communication | language | primate | Menzerath | Zipf

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“…around the time of ovulation (Saayman 1970;Aich et al 1990;O'Connell and Cowlishaw 1994;Todt et al 1995;Gouzoules et al 1998;. In chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), O'Connell and Cowlishaw (1994) reported that copulation calls were longer in conjunction with full sexual swellings.…”

Section: Variation In Copulation Calls In Relation To Female and Malementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aich et al 1990;Gouzoules et al 1998). This hypothesis is consistent with the observation that copulation calls are most likely to occur in conjunction with maximum sexual swelling but inconsistent with the observation that calls may occur in any stage of the menstrual cycle and even during pregnancy.…”

Section: Hypothesis 6: Copulation Calls Are Signals With Which Femalementioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of female copulation calls in primates: a review and a new model

Pradhan

Engelhardt

Schaik

et al. 2005

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Female copulation calls are mating-associated vocalizations that occur in some species of Old World monkeys and apes. We argue that copulation calls have two immediate functions: to encourage mating attempts by other males and to increase mate guarding by the consort male. We hypothesize that female copulation calls have evolved under the selective pressures of risk of infanticide and sperm competition. When male mate guarding is effective, copulation calls allow females to concentrate paternity in dominant males and benefit from their protection against the risk of infanticide. When mate guarding is ineffective, copulation calls may bring genetic benefits to females through facilitation of sperm competition. We present a quantitative model in which interspecific variation in females' promiscuity predicts their tendency to use copulation calls in conjunction with mating. The model predicts that in species with little female promiscuity copulation calls should be rare and exhibited only in association with mating with dominant males. In species in which females are highly promiscuous, copulation calls should be frequent and unrelated to male dominance rank. The limited data available to test the model support its main predictions as well as the predicted relation between copulation calls and male dominance rank.

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Vocalizations of Adult Gelada Baboons (Theropithecus gelada): Acoustic Structure and Behavioural Context

Cited by 37 publications

References 11 publications

Experimental evidence for limited vocal recognition in a wild primate: implications for the social complexity hypothesis

Experimental evidence for limited vocal recognition in a wild primate: implications for the social complexity hypothesis

Gelada vocal sequences follow Menzerath’s linguistic law

The evolution of female copulation calls in primates: a review and a new model

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