Work

Primate communication in the pure ultrasound

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: Few mammals-cetaceans, domestic cats and select bats and rodents-can send and receive vocal signals contained within the ultrasonic domain, or pure ultrasound (greater than 20 kHz). Here, we use the auditory brainstem response (ABR) method to demonstrate that a species of nocturnal primate, the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), has a high-frequency limit of auditory sensitivity of ca 91 kHz. We also recorded a vocalization with a dominant frequency of 70 kHz. Such values are among the highest recorded for any terrestrial mammal, and a relatively extreme example of ultrasonic communication. For Philippine tarsiers, ultrasonic vocalizations might represent a private channel of communication that subverts detection by predators, prey and competitors, enhances energetic efficiency, or improves detection against low-frequency background noise.

Source: Biology Letters

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.1149

Authors: Marissa A. Ramsier, Andrew J. Cunningham, Gillian L. Moritz, James J. Finneran, Cathy V. Williams, Perry S. Ong, Sharon L. Gursky-Doyen, Nathaniel J. Dominy

Institutions: Cal Poly Humboldt, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, Duke University, Duke Lemur Center, University of the Philippines Diliman, Texas A&M University

Language: English

Topic: Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior

Subfield: Developmental Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Dartmouth College

OpenAlex ID: W2075137355

FWCI: 3.704

Cites: 25

Cited by: 81

Related to: 10