scholarly journals Born to sing! Song development in a singing primate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara De Gregorio ◽  
Filippo Carugati ◽  
Vittoria Estienne ◽  
Daria Valente ◽  
Teresa Raimondi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Ontogenetic Changes ◽  
Call Structure ◽  
Historical View ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
Temporal Features ◽  
Vocal Activity ◽  
Song Development

Abstract In animal vocal communication, the development of adult-like vocalization is fundamental to interact appropriately with conspecifics. However, the factors that guide ontogenetic changes in the acoustic features remains poorly understood. In contrast with a historical view of nonhuman primate vocal production as substantially innate, recent research suggests that inheritance and physiological modification can only explain some of the developmental changes in call structure during growth. A particular case of acoustic communication is the indris' singing behavior, a peculiar case among Strepsirrhine primates. Thanks to a decade of intense data collection, this work provides the first long-term quantitative analysis on song development in a singing primate. To understand the ontogeny of such a complex vocal output, we investigated juvenile and sub-adult indris' vocal behaviour, and we found that young individuals started participating in the chorus years earlier than previously reported. Our results indicated that spectro-temporal song parameters underwent essential changes during growth. In particular, the age and sex of the emitter influenced the indris' vocal activity. We found that frequency parameters showed consistent changes across the sexes, but the temporal features showed different developmental trajectories for males and females. Given the low level of morphological sexual dimorphism and the marked differences in vocal behavior, we hypothesize that factors like social influences and auditory feedback may affect songs' features, resulting in high vocal flexibility in juvenile indris. This trait may be pivotal in a species that engages in choruses with rapid vocal turn-taking.

A Phonological Analysis of Male Gibbon Singing Behavior

Behaviour ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 109 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 20-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Marler ◽  
John C. Mitani
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Discrete Elements ◽  
Phonological Structure ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
Sequential Organization ◽  
Temporal Features ◽  
Sorting Process ◽  
Hylobates Agilis

AbstractAcoustic analyses and experimental field playbacks were conducted to investigate the nature and communicative significance of the phonological structure and organization of male gibbon (Hylobates agilis) songs. Males use a limited number of spectrographically discrete elements or note types to construct songs. A classification of these note types was produced initially through a visual sorting process using gross spectral and temporal features. Measurement of single acoustic variables and a digital sound program, which compared the two-dimensional cross-correlation values of note spectrograms, were employed to check the results of the qualitative sorting procedure. The sequential organization of notes composing songs was examined by tabulating the frequencies of occurrence of each note type in different positions and the transition probabilities between note types. These analyses revealed that songs are formed within a framework of rules, which define regular patterns in the placement and order of note types. To investigate whether the gibbons employ these rules in a biologically meaningful fashion, a field playback experiment was conducted comparing the responses of animals to normal and phonologically rearranged songs. Although the gibbons identify rearranged songs as conspecific territorial signals, responses to playbacks suggested that the hypothesized rules generating songs are communicatively significant; male gibbons responded in a qualitatively different fashion to normal and phonologically rearranged songs. These results are evaluated in light of other studies of animal vocal communication.

scholarly journals Effect of Vocal Nerve Section on Song and ZENK Protein Expression in Area X in Adult Male Zebra Finches

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Congshu Liao ◽  
Dongfeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Protein Expression ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Nerve Section ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
Temporal Features ◽  
The Right ◽  
Area X ◽  
The Relationship

ZENK expression in vocal nuclei is associated with singing behavior. Area X is an important nucleus for learning and stabilizing birdsong. ZENK expression is higher in Area X compared to that in other vocal nuclei when birds are singing. To reveal the relationship between the ZENK expression in Area X and song crystallization, immunohistochemistry was used to detect ZENK protein expression in Area X after the unilateral vocal nerve (tracheosyringeal nerve) section in adult male zebra finches. Sham operations had no effect on song. In contrast, section of unilateral vocal nerve could induce song decrystallization at the 7th day after the surgery. The spectral and the temporal features of birdsong were distorted more significantly in the right-side vocal nerve section than in the left-side vocal nerve section. In addition, after surgery, ZENK expression was higher in the right-side of Area X than in the left-side. These results indicate that the vocal nerve innervations probably are right-side dominant. ZENK expression in both sides of Area X decreased, as compared to control group after surgery, which suggests that the ZENK expression in Area X is related to birdsong crystallization, and that there is cooperation between the Area X in AFP and syrinx nerve.

Influence of moonlight on nightjars’ vocal activity: a guideline for nightjar surveys in Europe

Biologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luís Reino ◽  
Miguel Porto ◽  
Joana Santana ◽  
Tomasz S. Osiejuk
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methods ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Moon Phases ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
Bird Survey ◽  
Southern Portugal ◽  
Vocal Activity

AbstractStrictly nocturnal or crepuscular habits on birds are restricted to a very limited number of species such as nightjars. Physiological skills of these species combined with ecological and behavioural adaptations provide them the ability to colonise a less competitive niche. Nightjars’ nocturnal ecological adaptations have been largely neglected on bird survey methods, which can bias the obtained results. Here, we studied the factors affecting vocal activity of two nightjar species, red-necked nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis and European nightjar C. europaeus in a Mediterranean area of southern Portugal by modelling observed vocal activity of both species as a function of astronomic variables, particularly moon phase and day of the year. Red-necked nightjar vocal behaviour was positively associated with brighter moon phases and springtime, whereas European nightjar was only influenced by the season, being more active in the summer. This reveals the importance of light conditions on vocal activity of the former species. We suggest that specifically designed field surveys for these species should be preferentially conducted during brighter nights, when the lunar cycle is close to full moon. Furthermore, positive contacts with birds are maximized from late spring to early summer, at least for the red-necked nightjar.

Is the Neural Basis of Vocalisation Different in Non-Human Primates and Homo Sapiens?

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Detlev Ploog
Keyword(s):  
Auditory System ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Homo Sapiens ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Evolution Of Language ◽  
Nervous Control ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
The Voice ◽  
The Brain

From an evolutionary perspective, the voice was a prerequisite for the emergence of speech. Speech, the most advanced mode of vocal communication, became possible only after gradual transformations of the sound-producing system and its central nervous control, in co-evolution with the transformations of the auditory system, had taken place. The discussion suggests that the last step in the evolution of the phonatory system in the brain was the outgrowing and augmenting of the fine fibre portion of the pyramidal tract synapsing directly with the motor nuclei for the vocal cords and the tongue, so that the direct and voluntary control of vocal behaviour became possible. It holds that the answer to the question raised in the title is ‘yes’. The neural basis is in fact quite different. The chapter also explains this difference and its consequences for the evolution of language.

Gesture production and language development

Gesture ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Zampini ◽  
Laura D'Odorico
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Predictive Index ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Stable Production ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Gesture Production

The present study aimed to describe language development in children with Down syndrome, focussing on the relationships between gestural and vocal communication. The individual developmental trajectories of gesture production and its predictive role on later language development were analysed in a group of children with Down syndrome. Eight two-year-old children were followed for a two-year period until they reached the age of four years old. With regard to the developmental trends, two distinct patterns were found. Some children showed an increasing profile of gesture production, whereas others showed an inverted U-shaped profile or a stable production of gestures. Only the children in the second group showed a remarkable growth in their lexical abilities. Moreover, gesture production was identified as a reliable predictor of later vocabulary size when children were both 24 and 36 months old, and the production of crossmodal transitional forms (i.e., gesture-word associations) appeared to be a significant predictive index of their later two-word production.

Vocal Development and Its Differentiation in a Non-Songbird: the Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decaocto)

Behaviour ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 134 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 595-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carel Ten Cate ◽  
Mechteld R. Ballintijn
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Motor Practice ◽  
Vocal Activity ◽  
Activity Bout ◽  
One Year ◽  
Frequency Modulations ◽  
Form Development ◽  
Age Related Changes

AbstractCoo development and its differentiation was studied between the second and eighteenth month of life in captive collared dove males (N = 9) and females (N = 6). During this period eight vocal characteristics were analyzed to determine the nature of age-related changes in the spectrotemporal structure of the perch-coo. At the onset males and females produced coos with the same structure, with exception of the fundamental frequency. In males, age-related changes in fundamental frequency, stereotypy, and coo length were limited. Early stabilization of these parameters may be related to maturation of the syrinx. Vocal activity, bout length, modulation percentage and sound percentage increased, which might be caused by an age-dependent increase in testosterone. The number of harmonics decreased, which might be related to some kind of 'motor practice'. Similar to song development in songbirds, perch-coos of male doves develop gradually into more conspicuous vocalizations, showing some plasticity in form development. In contrast, in female doves none of the vocal parameters changed with age. As a result, the structure of adult female coos continued to resemble that of juveniles, as has also been shown for female song in songbirds. For several vocal parameters the developmental trajectories of male and female coos began to diverge at the age of about one year. Two to three months later the sex differences became significant. Two vocal parameters showed an age-related change in inter-individual variation: vocal activity and modulation percentage of males. These findings support the hypothesis that frequency modulations may play an important role in intra-specific communication, conveying messages about a senders sex and age.

scholarly journals Singing-related reorganization of the song motor circuit is accompanied by a shift in hormonal modulation of song

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana D. Rocha ◽  
Jes Dreier ◽  
Jonathan Brewer ◽  
Manfred Gahr ◽  
Michiel Vellema
Keyword(s):  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Motor Skill Acquisition ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
Motor Practice ◽  
Hormonal Modulation ◽  
Song Production ◽  
Hormone Sensitive ◽  
Song Development

AbstractSex hormones are essential modulators of birdsong. Testosterone, and its active androgenic and estrogenic metabolites, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol, can re-shape the brain circuits responsible for song learning and production. The differential mechanisms of action of these different hormones during song development and song maintenance are, nonetheless, not fully understood. Here we demonstrate that unlike testosterone, DHT treatment does not induce singing behavior in naïve adult female canaries that have never previously produced song. However, in birds with previous testosterone-induced singing experience, DHT alone is enough to promote the re-acquisition of high quality songs, even after months of silence. In addition, we show that the synaptic reorganization that accompanies vocal motor skill development requires more than DHT-induced androgen receptor activation. These results indicate that vocal motor practice will persistently modify the hormone-sensitive brain circuit responsible for song production, suggesting a mechanistic differentiation in the hormone-dependent regulation of the initial vocal motor skill acquisition and later re-acquisition.

Vocal behaviour of the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis)

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Sharpe ◽  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
New South ◽  
Territorial Defence ◽  
North East ◽  
Calling Behaviour ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Squirrel Glider ◽  
Animal Handling ◽  
Frequent Call

We describe the vocal behaviour of the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) from 465 h of observation across five sites in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. A monosyllabic or polysyllabic nasal grunt was the most frequent call (56% of 208 calls); it ranged from single calls to sequences of up to 20-min duration (mean 2.1 min ± 0.6, s.e.) and was heard on 34% of nights (n = 83) at two sites. The rate of the nasal grunt showed a positive relationship with population density at one site. The nasal grunt was typically made when conspecifics were near the caller, but responses were infrequent (7% of observations). Call playback produced no discernable change in call response. The nasal grunt appears to regulate individual spacing by facilitating mutual avoidance, a function hypothesised to be an evolutionary precursor to the use of calls in territorial defence. Threatening calls were the next most common vocalisation (17% of calls) and were accompanied by scuffles and/or chases. They were also used when gliders were preyed upon and during animal handling. The calling behaviour of the squirrel glider confirms the importance of vocal communication among petaurid gliders.

scholarly journals Cognitive Components of Vocal Communication: A Case Study

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Snowdon
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Call Structure ◽  
Cognitive Components ◽  
Pygmy Marmosets ◽  
Contact Calls

Communication among nonhuman animals is often presented as rigid and inflexible, reflecting emotional states rather than having any cognitive basis. Using the world’s smallest monkey, the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), with the smallest absolute brain size amongst simian primates as a case study, I review the role of cognition in the development and usage of vocalizations in pygmy marmosets and present new data on the instrumental use of babbling and of food associated vocalizations. Pygmy marmosets have several contact calls that differ in the psychoacoustic properties for sound localization as well as the distance at which they carry through the rainforest. Marmosets use these calls strategically based on distance from neighbors. Marmosets alter spectral and temporal aspects of call structure when exposed to new groups and when newly mated. They display population specific vocal dialects. Young pygmy marmosets engage in extensive babbling behavior rewarded by parents that helps the young develop adult vocal structures, but older monkeys also use babbling instrumentally in conflict situations. Specific food referential calls generally relate to food preferences, but food calls are suppressed in the presence of animate prey. Unmated animals systematically combine a long distance call with food calls as though advertising for mates. Taken together, these examples show that even small brained primates use their vocal signals flexibly and strategically in response to a variety of environmental and social conditions.

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