Dear All
We are pleased to announce a new
publication on Signature Whistle Copying in Bottlenose Dolphins which is
published online with open access in Proceedings of the Royal Society
B, click here to get to the article;
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1757/20130053
Citation: King, S.L., Sayigh, L.S., Wells, R.S, Fellner, W., and Janik,
V.M. 2013. Vocal copying of individually distinctive signature whistles
in bottlenose dolphins. Proc. R. Soc. B. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0053.
Abstract:
Vocal learning is relatively common in
birds but less so in mammals. Sexual selection and individual or group
recognition have been identified as major forces in its
evolution. While important in the development of vocal displays, vocal
learning also allows signal copying in social interactions.
Such copying can function in addressing or labelling selected
conspecifics. Most examples of addressing in non-humans come from bird song,
where matching occurs in an aggressive context. However, in other animals,
addressing with learned signals is
very much an affiliative signal. We studied the function of vocal
copying in a mammal that shows vocal learning as well as
complex cognitive and social behaviour, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus). Copying occurred almost exclusively between close associates such
as
mother–calf pairs and male alliances during separation and was not followed by
aggression. All copies were clearly recognizable as such because copiers
consistently modified some acoustic parameters of a signal when copying it. We
found no evidence for the use of copying in aggression or deception.
This use of vocal copying is similar to its use in human language, where the
maintenance of social bonds appears to be more
important than the immediate defence of resources.
Enjoy,
Stephanie
--
--
Dr. Stephanie L. King
Sea Mammal Research Unit
Scottish Oceans Institute
University of St Andrews
East Sands
St Andrews
Scotland
KY16 8LB
_______________________________________________
MARMAM mailing list
MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca
https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
