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Salles A, Neunuebel J. What do mammals have to say about the neurobiology of acoustic communication? MOLECULAR PSYCHOLOGY : BRAIN, BEHAVIOR, AND SOCIETY 2023; 2:5. [PMID: 38827277 PMCID: PMC11141777 DOI: 10.12688/molpsychol.17539.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Auditory communication is crucial across taxa, including humans, because it enables individuals to convey information about threats, food sources, mating opportunities, and other social cues necessary for survival. Comparative approaches to auditory communication will help bridge gaps across taxa and facilitate our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying this complex task. In this work, we briefly review the field of auditory communication processing and the classical champion animal, the songbird. In addition, we discuss other mammalian species that are advancing the field. In particular, we emphasize mice and bats, highlighting the characteristics that may inform how we think about communication processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Salles
- Biological Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Joshua Neunuebel
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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2
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Toor I, Maynard R, Peng X, Beery AK, Holmes MM. Naked Mole-Rat Social Phenotypes Vary in Investigative and Aggressive Behavior in a Laboratory Partner Preference Paradigm. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.860885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we employed the partner preference test (PPT) to examine how naked mole-rat non-breeding individuals of different behavioral phenotypes make social decisions. Naked mole-rats from six colonies were classified into three behavioral phenotypes (soldiers, dispersers, and workers) using a battery of behavioral tests. They then participated in a 3 h long PPT, where they could freely interact with a tethered familiar or tethered unfamiliar conspecific. By comparing the three behavioral phenotypes, we tested the hypothesis that the PPT can be used to interrogate social decision-making in this species, revealing individual differences in behavior that are consistent with discrete social phenotypes. We also tested whether a shorter, 10 min version of the paradigm is sufficient to capture group differences in behavior. Overall, soldiers had higher aggression scores toward unfamiliar conspecifics than both workers and dispersers at the 10 min and 3 h comparison times. At the 10 min comparison time, workers showed a stronger preference for the familiar animal’s chamber, as well as for investigating the familiar conspecific, compared to both dispersers and soldiers. At the 3 h time point, no phenotype differences were seen with chamber or investigation preference scores. Overall, all phenotypes spent more time in chambers with another animal vs. being alone. Use of the PPT in a comparative context has demonstrated that the test identifies species and group differences in affiliative and aggressive behavior toward familiar and unfamiliar animals, revealing individual differences in social decision-making and, importantly, capturing aspects of species-specific social organization seen in nature.
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McLester E. Contact call acoustic structure is associated with inter-individual distances during antiphonal vocal exchanges in wild red-tailed monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti). BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Contact calls allow animals to maintain group cohesion when visibility is restricted. To maximise call detection, animals should produce calls that are audible to closest neighbours or respond to individuals that produce preceding calls (i.e., antiphony). Antiphonal exchanges are more likely to occur between older conspecifics that respond more reliably or close neighbours that are more likely to detect calls when groups are travelling. Because animals should produce calls that are optimised for propagation, call structure should be associated with the distance between individuals calling in antiphonal exchanges. I investigated whether acoustic structures of red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius) contact calls (phrased grunts) reflected increased sound propagation as nearest neighbour distances increased, depending on three factors: (1) the occurrence of a preceding grunt, (2) neighbour age-sex class, and (3) group travel speed. I recorded grunts from five habituated monkey groups at Kibale National Park, Uganda. Per grunt, I measured five parameters associated with sound propagation. Grunt mean entropy and frequency related negatively to neighbour distance when the neighbour produced a preceding grunt or when there was no preceding grunt, but not when a more distant individual grunted prior. Neighbour age-sex class and group travel speed did not influence whether grunt structure was associated with neighbour distance, but monkeys produced grunts with higher mean entropy and frequency as groups travelled faster. Variation in grunt mean entropy and frequency was associated with propagation to either nearest neighbours or more distant individuals that produced preceding calls, providing quantitative evidence for antiphonal calling. By calling antiphonally, animals in cohesive groups can spread out to avoid intra-group competition while maintaining contact with other group members. Higher grunt entropy and frequency as groups travel faster may counteract more variable sound attenuation as animals move through acoustically complex (e.g., densely vegetated) environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward McLester
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestraße 5a, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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4
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Vernes SC, Kriengwatana BP, Beeck VC, Fischer J, Tyack PL, ten Cate C, Janik VM. The multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200236. [PMID: 34482723 PMCID: PMC8419582 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
How learning affects vocalizations is a key question in the study of animal communication and human language. Parallel efforts in birds and humans have taught us much about how vocal learning works on a behavioural and neurobiological level. Subsequent efforts have revealed a variety of cases among mammals in which experience also has a major influence on vocal repertoires. Janik and Slater (Anim. Behav.60, 1-11. (doi:10.1006/anbe.2000.1410)) introduced the distinction between vocal usage and production learning, providing a general framework to categorize how different types of learning influence vocalizations. This idea was built on by Petkov and Jarvis (Front. Evol. Neurosci.4, 12. (doi:10.3389/fnevo.2012.00012)) to emphasize a more continuous distribution between limited and more complex vocal production learners. Yet, with more studies providing empirical data, the limits of the initial frameworks become apparent. We build on these frameworks to refine the categorization of vocal learning in light of advances made since their publication and widespread agreement that vocal learning is not a binary trait. We propose a novel classification system, based on the definitions by Janik and Slater, that deconstructs vocal learning into key dimensions to aid in understanding the mechanisms involved in this complex behaviour. We consider how vocalizations can change without learning, and a usage learning framework that considers context specificity and timing. We identify dimensions of vocal production learning, including the copying of auditory models (convergence/divergence on model sounds, accuracy of copying), the degree of change (type and breadth of learning) and timing (when learning takes place, the length of time it takes and how long it is retained). We consider grey areas of classification and current mechanistic understanding of these behaviours. Our framework identifies research needs and will help to inform neurobiological and evolutionary studies endeavouring to uncover the multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C. Vernes
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Veronika C. Beeck
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Carel ten Cate
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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5
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Leedale AE, Thorley J, Clutton-Brock T. Odour-based social recognition in Damaraland mole-rats, Fukomys damarensis. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Barker AJ, Veviurko G, Bennett NC, Hart DW, Mograby L, Lewin GR. Cultural transmission of vocal dialect in the naked mole-rat. Science 2021; 371:503-507. [PMID: 33510025 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc6588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) form some of the most cooperative groups in the animal kingdom, living in multigenerational colonies under the control of a single breeding queen. Yet how they maintain this highly organized social structure is unknown. Here we show that the most common naked mole-rat vocalization, the soft chirp, is used to transmit information about group membership, creating distinctive colony dialects. Audio playback experiments demonstrate that individuals make preferential vocal responses to home colony dialects. Pups fostered in foreign colonies in early postnatal life learn the vocal dialect of their adoptive colonies, which suggests vertical transmission and flexibility of vocal signatures. Dialect integrity is partly controlled by the queen: Dialect cohesiveness decreases with queen loss and remerges only with the ascendance of a new queen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Barker
- Department of Neuroscience, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Grigorii Veviurko
- Department of Neuroscience, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Daniel W Hart
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Lina Mograby
- Department of Neuroscience, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Department of Neuroscience, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
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7
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Social Behavior in Naked Mole-Rats: Individual Differences in Phenotype and Proximate Mechanisms of Mammalian Eusociality. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:35-58. [PMID: 34424512 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are small rodents native to east Africa, living in subterranean colonies of up to 300 individuals. Within each colony, reproduction is restricted to a single breeding female and 1-3 breeding males; all other colony members are reproductively suppressed and socially subordinate unless removed from the suppressive cues of the colony. Due to their striking reproductive skew, naked mole-rats are often considered eusocial mammals. Consistent with this idea, there are behavioral specializations and at least some evidence for morphological distinctions within and between the breeding and non-breeding members of the colony. Importantly, naked mole-rats show plasticity in their behavioral phenotype whereby changes in the social environment influence expression of both type and amount of social behavior. Thus, naked mole-rats provide the opportunity to examine the proximate mechanisms controlling individual differences in social behavior, shedding light on how mammals live in complex social groups.
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8
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Delaney MA, Imai DM, Buffenstein R. Spontaneous Disease and Pathology of Naked Mole-Rats. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:353-380. [PMID: 34424525 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats are highly valuable research models and popular exhibition animals at zoos worldwide. Here, we provide comprehensive descriptions of common postmortem findings of naked mole-rats from both research colonies and populations managed in zoological institutions. Included are brief reviews of their natural history and related physiologic adaptations, unique anatomical features, gross and histologic lesions of common as well as rarely reported disease processes, and discussions of possible pathogeneses with recommendations for future investigations to fill knowledge gaps. Based on postmortem data of several hundreds of naked mole-rats in managed care, it is clear that cancer is extremely rare and infectious disease is infrequently reported. However, despite relatively benign aging phenotypes in this species, several degenerative processes have been nevertheless observed in older populations of naked mole-rats. As such, some potential diet and husbandry-related issues are discussed in addition to the one of the most prominent causes of morbidity and mortality, conspecific aggression and traumas. From this review of lesions and disease, it is clear that pathology, including histopathology, is integral to better understanding mechanisms of healthy aging and cancer resistance of these extraordinary rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha A Delaney
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Denise M Imai
- Comparative Pathology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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9
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Barker AJ, Koch U, Lewin GR, Pyott SJ. Hearing and Vocalizations in the Naked Mole-Rat. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:157-195. [PMID: 34424516 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since their discovery, naked mole-rats have been speaking to us. Early field studies noted their extensive vocalizations, and scientists who are fortunate enough to spend time with these creatures in the laboratory setting cannot help but notice their constant peeping, chirruping and grunting (Hill et al., Proc Zool Soc Lond 128:455-514, 1957). Yet, few dwell on the function of these chirps and peeps, being instead drawn to the many other extraordinary aspects of naked mole-rat physiology detailed throughout this book. Still, no biology is complete without a description of how an organism communicates. While the field of naked mole-rat bioacoustics and acoustic communication has been largely silent for many years, we highlight recent progress in understanding how and what Heterocephalus glaber hears and which vocalizations it uses. These efforts are essential for a complete understanding of naked mole-rat cooperation, society and even culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Barker
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ursula Koch
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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10
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Braude S, Holtze S, Begall S, Brenmoehl J, Burda H, Dammann P, Marmol D, Gorshkova E, Henning Y, Hoeflich A, Höhn A, Jung T, Hamo D, Sahm A, Shebzukhov Y, Šumbera R, Miwa S, Vyssokikh MY, Zglinicki T, Averina O, Hildebrandt TB. Surprisingly long survival of premature conclusions about naked mole‐rat biology. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:376-393. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stan Braude
- Biology Department Washington University, One Brookings Drive St. Louis MO 63130 U.S.A
| | - Susanne Holtze
- Department of Reproduction Management Leibniz‐Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin 10315 Germany
| | - Sabine Begall
- Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology University of Duisburg‐Essen, Universitätsstr Essen 45147 Germany
| | - Julia Brenmoehl
- Institute for Genome Biology Leibniz‐Institute for Farm Animal Biology Dummerstorf 18196 Germany
| | - Hynek Burda
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Praha 16500 Czech Republic
| | - Philip Dammann
- Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology University of Duisburg‐Essen, Universitätsstr Essen 45147 Germany
- University Hospital Essen Hufelandstr Essen 45141 Germany
| | - Delphine Marmol
- Molecular Physiology Research Unit (URPhyM), NARILIS University of Namur Namur 5000 Belgium
| | - Ekaterina Gorshkova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova str. 32 Moscow 119991 Russia
- Faculty of Biology Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Yoshiyuki Henning
- University Hospital Essen Hufelandstr Essen 45141 Germany
- Institute of Physiology Department of General Zoology University of Duisburg Essen Germany
| | - Andreas Hoeflich
- Division Signal Transduction Institute for Genome Biology, Leibniz‐Institute for Farm Animal Biology, FBN Dummerstorf, Wilhelm‐Stahl‐Allee 2 Dummerstorf 18196 Germany
| | - Annika Höhn
- Department of Molecular Toxicology German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) Potsdam‐Rehbrücke Nuthetal 14558 Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) München‐Neuherberg 85764 Germany
| | - Tobias Jung
- Department of Molecular Toxicology German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) Potsdam‐Rehbrücke Nuthetal 14558 Germany
| | - Dania Hamo
- Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) Berlin 13353 Germany
- German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin (DRFZ) Berlin 10117 Germany
| | - Arne Sahm
- Computational Biology Group Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute Jena 07745 Germany
| | - Yury Shebzukhov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova str. 32 Moscow 119991 Russia
- Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) Berlin 13353 Germany
| | - Radim Šumbera
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice 37005 Czech Republic
| | - Satomi Miwa
- Biosciences Institute, Edwardson building, Campus for Ageing and Vitality Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL U.K
| | - Mikhail Y. Vyssokikh
- Belozersky Institute of Physico‐Chemical Biology Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Thomas Zglinicki
- Biosciences Institute, Edwardson building, Campus for Ageing and Vitality Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL U.K
| | - Olga Averina
- Belozersky Institute of Physico‐Chemical Biology Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Thomas B. Hildebrandt
- Department of Reproduction Management Leibniz‐Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin 10315 Germany
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11
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Hausberger M, Giacalone A, Harmand M, Craig AJFK, Henry L. Calling rhythm as a predictor of the outcome of vocal interactions: flight departure in pale-winged starling pairs. Naturwissenschaften 2019; 107:2. [PMID: 31797059 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1658-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Vocal communication plays an important role in the regulation of social interactions and the coordination of activities in many animal species. Synchrony is an essential part of the establishment and maintenance of pair bonds, but few reports have investigated decision-making at the pair level. We investigated temporal characteristics of call exchanges in pale-winged starlings (Onychognathus nabouroup) that could predict whether one, two, or neither members of a pair would take off. Our analysis of these interactions revealed that the overall rhythm of a call exchange, as well as the acceleration towards the end of an interaction, were significantly associated with the type of behavioural outcome. Faster rhythms were associated with higher probabilities that both birds would fly away. Our results confirm the findings of previous studies showing that higher rates of alarm calls indicate imminent departure and highlight the relationship between temporal features of vocal interactions and their outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Hausberger
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes, Université de Caen-Normandie, UMR 6552, Caen, France
| | - Aline Giacalone
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes, Université de Caen-Normandie, UMR, 6552, Caen, France
| | - Mariane Harmand
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes, Université de Caen-Normandie, UMR, 6552, Caen, France
| | - Adrian J F K Craig
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | - Laurence Henry
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes, Université de Caen-Normandie, UMR, 6552, Caen, France.
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12
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Volodin IA, Klenova AV, Ilchenko OG, Volodina EV. High frequency audible calls in northern birch mice Sicista betulina in response to handling: effects of individuality, sex and body mass on the acoustics. BMC Res Notes 2019; 12:677. [PMID: 31640790 PMCID: PMC6805337 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4719-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This is the first study of the sonic and ultrasonic vocalization in a Dipodidae rodent. For the small-sized quadrupedal northern birch mouse Sicista betulina, phylogenetically related to the bipedal jerboas (Dipodidae), we report null results for ultrasonic vocalization and investigate the acoustic cues to individual identity, sex and body size in the discomfort-related high-frequency tonal sonic calls. RESULTS We used a parallel audio recording in the sonic and ultrasonic ranges during weighting adult northern birch mice before the scheduled hibernation in captivity. The sonic (audible) high-frequency tonal calls (ranging from 6.21 to 9.86 kHz) were presented in all individuals (7 males and 4 females). The ultrasonic calls lacked in the recordings. Two-way nested ANOVA revealed the effects of caller individual identity on all 10 measured acoustic variables and the effects of sex on four out of 10 measured acoustic variables. Discriminant function analyses with 10 acoustic variables included in the analysis showed 85.5% correct assignment of calls to individual and 79.7% correct assignment of calls to sex; both values significantly exceeded the random values (23.1% and 54.3%, respectively) calculated with randomization procedure. Body mass did not differ between sexes and did not correlate significantly with the acoustic variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya A Volodin
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia. .,Scientific Research Department, Moscow Zoo, B. Gruzinskaya, 1, Moscow, 123242, Russia.
| | - Anna V Klenova
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Olga G Ilchenko
- Scientific Research Department, Moscow Zoo, B. Gruzinskaya, 1, Moscow, 123242, Russia
| | - Elena V Volodina
- Scientific Research Department, Moscow Zoo, B. Gruzinskaya, 1, Moscow, 123242, Russia
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13
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Levréro F, Touitou S, Frédet J, Nairaud B, Guéry JP, Lemasson A. Social bonding drives vocal exchanges in Bonobos. Sci Rep 2019; 9:711. [PMID: 30679444 PMCID: PMC6346008 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of human speech is still a hotly debated topic in science. Evidence of socially-guided acoustic flexibility and proto-conversational rules has been found in several monkey species, but is lacking in social and cooperative great apes. Here we investigated spontaneous vocal interactions within a peaceful context in captive bonobos to reveal that vocal interactions obey temporally and social rules. Dyadic vocal interactions were characterized by call overlap avoidance and short inter-call intervals. Bonobos preferentially responded to conspecifics with whom they maintained close bonds. We also found that vocal sharing rate (production rate of shared acoustic variants within each given dyad) was mostly explained by the age difference of callers, as other individual characteristics (sex, kinship) and social parameters (affinity in spatial proximity and in vocal interactions) were not. Our results show that great apes spontaneously display primitive conversation rules guided by social bonds. The demonstration that such coordinated vocal interactions are shared between monkeys, apes and humans fills a significant gap in our knowledge of vocal communication within the primate phylogeny and highlights the universal feature of social influence in vocal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Levréro
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Neuro-PSI, CNRS UMR 9197, Saint-Etienne, France.
| | - Sonia Touitou
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Neuro-PSI, CNRS UMR 9197, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Julia Frédet
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Neuro-PSI, CNRS UMR 9197, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Baptiste Nairaud
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Neuro-PSI, CNRS UMR 9197, Saint-Etienne, France
| | | | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes, EthoS "Ethologie Animale et Humaine," UMR 6552 -CNRS-Université de Caen Normandie, Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
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14
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Okanoya K, Yosida S, Barone CM, Applegate DT, Brittan-Powell EF, Dooling RJ, Park TJ. Auditory-vocal coupling in the naked mole-rat, a mammal with poor auditory thresholds. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:905-914. [PMID: 30232547 PMCID: PMC6208660 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1287-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats are extremely social and extremely vocal rodents, displaying a wide range of functionally distinct call types and vocalizing almost continuously. Their vocalizations are low frequency, and a behavioral audiogram has shown that naked mole-rats, like other subterranean mammals, hear only low frequencies. Hence, the frequency range of their hearing and vocalizations appears to be well matched. However, even at low frequencies, naked mole-rats show very poor auditory thresholds, suggesting vocal communication may be effective only over short distances. However, in a tunnel environment where low frequency sounds propagate well and background noise is low, it may be that vocalizations travel considerable distances at suprathreshold intensities. Here, we confirmed hearing sensitivity using the auditory brainstem response; we characterized signature and alarm calls in intensity and frequency domains and we measured the effects of propagation through tubes with the diameter of naked mole-rat tunnels. Signature calls—used for intimate communication—could travel 3–8 m at suprathreshold intensities, and alarm calls (lower frequency and higher intensity), could travel up to 15 m. Despite this species’ poor hearing sensitivity, the naked mole-rat displays a functional, coupled auditory-vocal communication system—a hallmark principle of acoustic communication systems across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Okanoya
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shigeto Yosida
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Catherine M Barone
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel T Applegate
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Robert J Dooling
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Thomas J Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Pika S, Wilkinson R, Kendrick KH, Vernes SC. Taking turns: bridging the gap between human and animal communication. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180598. [PMID: 29875303 PMCID: PMC6015850 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Language, humans' most distinctive trait, still remains a 'mystery' for evolutionary theory. It is underpinned by a universal infrastructure-cooperative turn-taking-which has been suggested as an ancient mechanism bridging the existing gap between the articulate human species and their inarticulate primate cousins. However, we know remarkably little about turn-taking systems of non-human animals, and methodological confounds have often prevented meaningful cross-species comparisons. Thus, the extent to which cooperative turn-taking is uniquely human or represents a homologous and/or analogous trait is currently unknown. The present paper draws attention to this promising research avenue by providing an overview of the state of the art of turn-taking in four animal taxa-birds, mammals, insects and anurans. It concludes with a new comparative framework to spur more research into this research domain and to test which elements of the human turn-taking system are shared across species and taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pika
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Biocognition, Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Ray Wilkinson
- Department of Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kobin H Kendrick
- Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York, York, UK
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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16
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Filippi P. Emotional and Interactional Prosody across Animal Communication Systems: A Comparative Approach to the Emergence of Language. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1393. [PMID: 27733835 PMCID: PMC5039945 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Across a wide range of animal taxa, prosodic modulation of the voice can express emotional information and is used to coordinate vocal interactions between multiple individuals. Within a comparative approach to animal communication systems, I hypothesize that the ability for emotional and interactional prosody (EIP) paved the way for the evolution of linguistic prosody - and perhaps also of music, continuing to play a vital role in the acquisition of language. In support of this hypothesis, I review three research fields: (i) empirical studies on the adaptive value of EIP in non-human primates, mammals, songbirds, anurans, and insects; (ii) the beneficial effects of EIP in scaffolding language learning and social development in human infants; (iii) the cognitive relationship between linguistic prosody and the ability for music, which has often been identified as the evolutionary precursor of language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piera Filippi
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrussels, Belgium
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17
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Shen JX, Xu ZM. The Lombard effect in male ultrasonic frogs: Regulating antiphonal signal frequency and amplitude in noise. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27103. [PMID: 27345957 PMCID: PMC4921866 DOI: 10.1038/srep27103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication in noisy environments presents a significant challenge for vocal animals because noise can interfere with animal acoustic signals by decreasing signal-to-noise ratios and masking signals. Birds and mammals increase call intensity or frequency as noise levels increase, but it is unclear to what extend this behavior is shared by frogs. Concave-eared torrent frogs (Odorrana tormota) have evolved the capacity to produce various calls containing ultrasonic harmonics and to communicate beside noisy streams. However, it is largely unclear how frogs regulate vocalization in response to increasing noise levels. We exposed male frogs to various levels of noise with playback of conspecific female courtship calls and recorded antiphonal signals and spontaneous short calls. Males were capable of rapidly adjusting fundamental frequency and amplitude of antiphonal signals as noise levels increased. The increment in fundamental frequency and amplitude was approximately 0.5 kHz and 3 dB with every 10 dB increase in noise level, indicating the presence of noise-dependent signal characteristics. Males showed the noise-tolerant adaption in response to female calls in noise level from 40 to 90 dB SPL. The results suggest that the noise-dependent signal characteristics in O. tormota have evolved as a strategy to cope with varying torrent noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Xian Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Min Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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18
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Gessele N, Garcia-Pino E, Omerbašić D, Park TJ, Koch U. Structural Changes and Lack of HCN1 Channels in the Binaural Auditory Brainstem of the Naked Mole-Rat (Heterocephalus glaber). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146428. [PMID: 26760498 PMCID: PMC4711988 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) live in large eu-social, underground colonies in narrow burrows and are exposed to a large repertoire of communication signals but negligible binaural sound localization cues, such as interaural time and intensity differences. We therefore asked whether monaural and binaural auditory brainstem nuclei in the naked mole-rat are differentially adjusted to this acoustic environment. Using antibody stainings against excitatory and inhibitory presynaptic structures, namely the vesicular glutamate transporter VGluT1 and the glycine transporter GlyT2 we identified all major auditory brainstem nuclei except the superior paraolivary nucleus in these animals. Naked mole-rats possess a well structured medial superior olive, with a similar synaptic arrangement to interaural-time-difference encoding animals. The neighboring lateral superior olive, which analyzes interaural intensity differences, is large and elongated, whereas the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, which provides the contralateral inhibitory input to these binaural nuclei, is reduced in size. In contrast, the cochlear nucleus, the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and the inferior colliculus are not considerably different when compared to other rodent species. Most interestingly, binaural auditory brainstem nuclei lack the membrane-bound hyperpolarization-activated channel HCN1, a voltage-gated ion channel that greatly contributes to the fast integration times in binaural nuclei of the superior olivary complex in other species. This suggests substantially lengthened membrane time constants and thus prolonged temporal integration of inputs in binaural auditory brainstem neurons and might be linked to the severely degenerated sound localization abilities in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikodemus Gessele
- Neurophysiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabet Garcia-Pino
- Neurophysiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damir Omerbašić
- Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas J. Park
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ursula Koch
- Neurophysiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
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19
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Ravignani A. Evolving perceptual biases for antisynchrony: a form of temporal coordination beyond synchrony. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:339. [PMID: 26483622 PMCID: PMC4588693 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ravignani
- Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrussels, Belgium
- Sensory and Cognitive Ecology Group, Universität RostockRostock, Germany
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20
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Henry L, Craig AJFK, Lemasson A, Hausberger M. Social coordination in animal vocal interactions. Is there any evidence of turn-taking? The starling as an animal model. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1416. [PMID: 26441787 PMCID: PMC4585254 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Turn-taking in conversation appears to be a common feature in various human cultures and this universality raises questions about its biological basis and evolutionary trajectory. Functional convergence is a widespread phenomenon in evolution, revealing sometimes striking functional similarities between very distant species even though the mechanisms involved may be different. Studies on mammals (including non-human primates) and bird species with different levels of social coordination reveal that temporal and structural regularities in vocal interactions may depend on the species' social structure. Here we test the hypothesis that turn-taking and associated rules of conversations may be an adaptive response to the requirements of social life, by testing the applicability of turn-taking rules to an animal model, the European starling. Birdsong has for many decades been considered as one of the best models of human language and starling songs have been well described in terms of vocal production and perception. Starlings do have vocal interactions where alternating patterns predominate. Observational and experimental data on vocal interactions reveal that (1) there are indeed clear temporal and structural regularities, (2) the temporal and structural patterning is influenced by the immediate social context, the general social situation, the individual history, and the internal state of the emitter. Comparison of phylogenetically close species of Sturnids reveals that the alternating pattern of vocal interactions varies greatly according to the species' social structure, suggesting that interactional regularities may have evolved together with social systems. These findings lead to solid bases of discussion on the evolution of communication rules in relation to social evolution. They will be discussed also in terms of processes, at the light of recent neurobiological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Henry
- Laboratoire d'éthologie animale et humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 6552, Université de Rennes 1Rennes, France
| | | | - Alban Lemasson
- Laboratoire d'éthologie animale et humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 6552, Université de Rennes 1Rennes, France
- Laboratoire d'éthologie animale et humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 6552, Station Biologique, Université de Rennes 1Paimpont, France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- Laboratoire d'éthologie animale et humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 6552, Université de Rennes 1Rennes, France
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Toor I, Clement D, Carlson EN, Holmes MM. Olfaction and social cognition in eusocial naked mole-rats, Heterocephalus glaber. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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22
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Davies KTJ, Bennett NC, Tsagkogeorga G, Rossiter SJ, Faulkes CG. Family Wide Molecular Adaptations to Underground Life in African Mole-Rats Revealed by Phylogenomic Analysis. Mol Biol Evol 2015; 32:3089-107. [PMID: 26318402 PMCID: PMC4652621 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
During their evolutionary radiation, mammals have colonized diverse habitats. Arguably the subterranean niche is the most inhospitable of these, characterized by reduced oxygen, elevated carbon dioxide, absence of light, scarcity of food, and a substrate that is energetically costly to burrow through. Of all lineages to have transitioned to a subterranean niche, African mole-rats are one of the most successful. Much of their ecological success can be attributed to a diet of plant storage organs, which has allowed them to colonize climatically varied habitats across sub-Saharan Africa, and has probably contributed to the evolution of their diverse social systems. Yet despite their many remarkable phenotypic specializations, little is known about molecular adaptations underlying these traits. To address this, we sequenced the transcriptomes of seven mole-rat taxa, including three solitary species, and combined new sequences with existing genomic data sets. Alignments of more than 13,000 protein-coding genes encompassed, for the first time, all six genera and the full spectrum of ecological and social variation in the clade. We detected positive selection within the mole-rat clade and along ancestral branches in approximately 700 genes including loci associated with tumorigenesis, aging, morphological development, and sociality. By combining these results with gene ontology annotation and protein–protein networks, we identified several clusters of functionally related genes. This family wide analysis of molecular evolution in mole-rats has identified a suite of positively selected genes, deepening our understanding of the extreme phenotypic traits exhibited by this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalina T J Davies
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Georgia Tsagkogeorga
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G Faulkes
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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23
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Ghazanfar AA, Takahashi DY. The evolution of speech: vision, rhythm, cooperation. Trends Cogn Sci 2014; 18:543-53. [PMID: 25048821 PMCID: PMC4177957 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A full account of human speech evolution must consider its multisensory, rhythmic, and cooperative characteristics. Humans, apes, and monkeys recognize the correspondence between vocalizations and their associated facial postures, and gain behavioral benefits from them. Some monkey vocalizations even have a speech-like acoustic rhythmicity but lack the concomitant rhythmic facial motion that speech exhibits. We review data showing that rhythmic facial expressions such as lip-smacking may have been linked to vocal output to produce an ancestral form of rhythmic audiovisual speech. Finally, we argue that human vocal cooperation (turn-taking) may have arisen through a combination of volubility and prosociality, and provide comparative evidence from one species to support this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Departments of Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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24
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Borjon JI, Ghazanfar AA. Convergent evolution of vocal cooperation without convergent evolution of brain size. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2014; 84:93-102. [PMID: 25247613 DOI: 10.1159/000365346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
One pragmatic underlying successful vocal communication is the ability to take turns. Taking turns - a form of cooperation - facilitates the transmission of signals by reducing the amount of their overlap. This allows vocalizations to be better heard. Until recently, non-human primates were not thought of as particularly cooperative, especially in the vocal domain. We recently demonstrated that common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate species, take turns when they exchange vocalizations with both related and unrelated conspecifics. As the common marmoset is distantly related to humans (and there is no documented evidence that Old World primates exhibit vocal turn taking), we argue that this ability arose as an instance of convergent evolution, and is part of a suite of prosocial behavioral tendencies. Such behaviors seem to be, at least in part, the outcome of the cooperative breeding strategy adopted by both humans and marmosets. Importantly, this suite of shared behaviors occurs without correspondence in encephalization. Marmoset vocal turn taking demonstrates that a large brain size and complex cognitive machinery is not needed for vocal cooperation to occur. Consistent with this idea, the temporal structure of marmoset vocal exchanges can be described in terms of coupled oscillator dynamics, similar to quantitative descriptions of human conversations. We propose a simple neural circuit mechanism that may account for these dynamics and, at its core, involves vocalization-induced reductions of arousal. Such a mechanism may underlie the evolution of vocal turn taking in both marmoset monkeys and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy I Borjon
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., USA
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25
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Tupal S, Rieger MA, Ling GY, Park TJ, Dougherty JD, Goodchild AK, Gray PA. Testing the role of preBötzinger Complex somatostatin neurons in respiratory and vocal behaviors. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:3067-77. [PMID: 25040660 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Identifying neurons essential for the generation of breathing and related behaviors such as vocalisation is an important question for human health. The targeted loss of preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) glutamatergic neurons, including those that express high levels of somatostatin protein (SST neurons), eliminates normal breathing in adult rats. Whether preBötC SST neurons represent a functionally specialised population is unknown. We tested the effects on respiratory and vocal behaviors of eliminating SST neuron glutamate release by Cre-Lox-mediated genetic ablation of the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGlut2). We found the targeted loss of VGlut2 in SST neurons had no effect on viability in vivo, or on respiratory period or responses to neurokinin 1 or μ-opioid receptor agonists in vitro. We then compared medullary SST peptide expression in mice with that of two species that share extreme respiratory environments but produce either high or low frequency vocalisations. In the Mexican free-tailed bat, SST peptide-expressing neurons extended beyond the preBötC to the caudal pole of the VII motor nucleus. In the naked mole-rat, however, SST-positive neurons were absent from the ventrolateral medulla. We then analysed isolation vocalisations from SST-Cre;VGlut2(F/F) mice and found a significant prolongation of the pauses between syllables during vocalisation but no change in vocalisation number. These data suggest that glutamate release from preBötC SST neurons is not essential for breathing but play a species- and behavior-dependent role in modulating respiratory networks. They further suggest that the neural network generating respiration is capable of extensive plasticity given sufficient time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasan Tupal
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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26
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Bednářová R, Hrouzková-Knotková E, Burda H, Sedláček F, Šumbera R. Vocalizations of the giant mole-rat (Fukomys mechowii), a subterranean rodent with the richest vocal repertoire. BIOACOUSTICS 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2012.712749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Abstract
Abstract
Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) produce echolocation clicks, burst pulses, and whistles. The sounds of 3 captive belugas were recorded using 2 hydrophones at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium. There were stable individual differences in the pulse patterning of one type of pulsed sounds (PS1 call), suggesting that belugas use these as “signature” calls. Eighty-eight percent of PS1 calls initiated PS1 calls from other animals within 1 s. PS1 calls repeated by the same individual occurred primarily when other belugas did not respond within 1 s of the first call. Belugas delayed successive PS1 calls when other belugas responded with a PS1 call within 1 s. There was no clear temporal pattern for whistles. It appears that the time limit for responding to calls is 1 s after the initial call. If other individuals do not respond to the PS1 call of a beluga within 1 s, belugas tend to repeat the call and wait for a response. The results of this study suggest that the belugas exchange their individual signatures by using PS1 calls, in a manner similar to that of signature whistles used by bottlenose dolphins.
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Abstract
Naked mole rats are mouse-sized rodents that have become an important animal model in biomedical research. They play a unique mammalian role in behavioral and ecophysiological research of life underground. This chapter studies the general physiology, anatomy of organ systems, husbandry, and uses in research of the naked mole rats. Naked mole rats belong to the order Rodentia in that they have two incisor teeth on the upper and lower arcade that continuously grow. The skin is loose, wrinkled, and brownish pink in color. The body is for the most part absent of hairs with the exception of tactile hairs that are regularly arranged throughout the body and which are particularly prominent around the face and to a lesser extent on the tail. They are typically housed at 28–30°C, and at 50–60% relative humidity. Because naked mole rats are social and have cooperative behaviors, the study of their conduct has more applicability to people. The chapter describes the models of experimental research on the naked mole rat such as the model of reproductive suppression, model of somatosensory processing, model of bone elongation, and model of aging.
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Nishiyama K, Kobayasi KI, Riquimaroux H. Vocalization control in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) during locomotion behavior. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 130:4148-57. [PMID: 22225069 DOI: 10.1121/1.3651815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The vocalization behavior of Mongolian gerbils, a model animal of auditory physiology, was examined. A pair of gerbils was placed in a chamber, and their species-specific vocalizations and locomotive behaviors were recorded and analyzed. Two types of calls were predominantly produced: high-frequency upward frequency-modulated (HU-FM) calls and low-frequency multi-harmonic frequency-modulated (LM-FM) calls. Emission rates of HU-FM calls significantly decreased as the distance between the two gerbils increased, and playback of simulated HU-FM calls increased the emission rates. Acoustic analysis of HU-FM calls showed that the calls exhibited a stereotypic spectro-temporal structure including a fixed inter-onset interval (100-175 ms) and that individual differences in the frequency could convey the body size of the callers. The timing of HU-FM calls was highly synchronized with jump movements when an animal vocalized while jumping, suggesting the existence of tight locomotor-vocal coupling. Conversely, LM-FM calls were observed only when the gerbils tactilely contacted with each other while fighting over a food. These results suggest that Mongolian gerbils change the rates of call emissions and call types (e.g., LM-FM or HU-FM calls) in response to changes in visual and possibly tactile and auditory information. The functions of both calls are discussed in terms of their acoustic structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Nishiyama
- Department of Biomedical Information, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Miyakodani, Tatara, Kyotanabe-city, Kyoto, 610-0321, Japan
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Yosida S, Okanoya K. Bilateral lesions of the medial frontal cortex disrupt recognition of social hierarchy during antiphonal communication in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2011; 198:109-17. [PMID: 22080355 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-011-0692-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2011] [Revised: 10/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Generation of the motor patterns of emotional sounds in mammals occurs in the periaqueductal gray matter of the midbrain and is not directly controlled by the cortex. The medial frontal cortex indirectly controls vocalizations, based on the recognition of social context. We examined whether the medial frontal cortex was responsible for antiphonal vocalization, or turn-taking, in naked mole-rats. In normal turn-taking, naked mole-rats vocalize more frequently to dominant individuals than to subordinate ones. Bilateral lesions of the medial frontal cortex disrupted differentiation of call rates to the stimulus animals, which had varied social relationships to the subject. However, medial frontal cortex lesions did not affect either the acoustic properties of the vocalizations or the timing of the vocal exchanges. This suggests that the medial frontal cortex may be involved in social cognition or decision making during turn-taking, while other regions of the brain regulate when animals vocalize and the vocalizations themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeto Yosida
- Laboratory for Biolinguistics, Riken Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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Expression pattern of cadherins in the naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) suggests innate cortical diversification of the cerebrum. J Comp Neurol 2011; 519:1736-47. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.22598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Yosida S, Okanoya K. Naked Mole-Rat is Sensitive to Social Hierarchy Encoded in Antiphonal Vocalization. Ethology 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2009.01677.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Carter GG, Fenton MB, Faure PA. White-winged vampire bats (Diaemus youngi) exchange contact calls. CAN J ZOOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1139/z09-051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Temporally precise vocal exchanges, termed “antiphonal calling”, might allow pair or group members to maintain social contact with greater efficiency than when calling independently. The white-winged vampire bat ( Diaemus youngi (Jentink, 1893)) is a group-living species that produces social calls in antiphonal exchanges. Because white-winged vampire bats can use social calls to discriminate conspecifics, we suspect that one function of these vocal exchanges is to allow group members to know who is where. Here, we tested the prediction that antiphonal calling by groups of white-winged vampire bats increases when the spatial positions of conspecifics change. We recorded social calls from groups of four individually caged bats in total darkness, with each bat located in the corner of a 4 m × 4 m room. During test trials, we shifted the spatial positions of caged bats to new positions. During control trials, caged bats were displaced an equal distance but were returned to their original positions. We found that both the number of social calls and the proportion of antiphonal exchanges were greater during test trials than during control trials. These results suggest that white-winged vampire bats use antiphonal exchanges of social calls to monitor the spatial positions of conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. G. Carter
- Department of Biology, Biological and Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - M. B. Fenton
- Department of Biology, Biological and Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - P. A. Faure
- Department of Biology, Biological and Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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Campbell P, Reep RL, Stoll ML, Ophir AG, Phelps SM. Conservation and diversity of Foxp2 expression in muroid rodents: functional implications. J Comp Neurol 2009; 512:84-100. [PMID: 18972576 PMCID: PMC2677918 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
FOXP2, the first gene causally linked to a human language disorder, is implicated in song acquisition, production, and perception in oscine songbirds, the evolution of speech and language in hominids, and the evolution of echolocation in bats. Despite the evident relevance of Foxp2 to vertebrate acoustic communication, a comprehensive description of neural expression patterns is currently lacking in mammals. Here we use immunocytochemistry to systematically describe the neural distribution of Foxp2 protein in four species of muroid rodents: Scotinomys teguina and S. xerampelinus ("singing mice"), the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, and the lab mouse, Mus musculus. While expression patterns were generally highly conserved across brain regions, we identified subtle but consistent interspecific differences in Foxp2 distribution, most notably in the medial amygdala and nucleus accumbens, and in layer V cortex throughout the brain. Throughout the brain, Foxp2 was highly enriched in areas involved in modulation of fine motor output (striatum, mesolimbic dopamine circuit, olivocerebellar system) and in multimodal sensory processing and sensorimotor integration (thalamus, cortex). We propose a generalized model for Foxp2-modulated pathways in the adult brain including, but not limited to, fine motor production and auditory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly Campbell
- Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.
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Carter GG, Skowronski MD, Faure PA, Fenton B. Antiphonal calling allows individual discrimination in white-winged vampire bats. Anim Behav 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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