Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of all authors, we are pleased to
announce our recent publication in Journal of Experimental Biology:
Martin M, Gridley T, Immez A, Elwen S, Charrier I (2024). *Use of
acoustic signals in Cape fur seal mother-pup reunions: individual
signature, signal propagation and pup home range*. /Journal of
Experimental Biology/ 227 (13): jeb246917.
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.246917 ABSTRACT: The Cape fur seal
(/Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus/) is one of the most colonial mammals,
with colonies of up to hundreds of thousands of individuals during the
breeding season. During the lactation period, mothers and pups are
regularly separated as females undertake multi-day foraging trips at
sea. Mothers and pups use a mutual vocal recognition system to reunite
after separation. Such communication is highly constrained by both high
background noise and risk of individual confusion owing to the density
of seals. This study aimed to experimentally assess the acoustic
features relevant for mother–pup vocal identification and the
propagation properties of their calls. Playback experiments revealed
that mother and pup individual vocal signatures rely on both temporal
and frequency parameters: amplitude and frequency modulations, timbre
and fundamental frequency (/f/_0 ). This is more parameters than in any
colonial species studied so far. The combinational use of acoustic
features reinforces the concept that both environmental and social
constraints may have acted as selective pressures on the individual
vocal recognition systems. Theoretical propagation distances of mother
and pup vocalisations were estimated to be below the range of distances
at which mother–pup reunions can occur. This suggests that Cape fur
seals may have strong abilities to extract vocal signals from the
background noise, as previously demonstrated in the highly colonial king
penguin. Investigating the transmission of information throughout the
propagation of the signal as well as the ability of the receiving
individual to decipher vocal signatures is crucial to understanding
vocal recognition systems in the wild. Do not hesitate to contact me if
you have any questions. Best regards,
- -
*Mathilde Martin, PhD*
Postdoctoral researcher
Communication and Cognition in Social Mammals research group
Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
University of Zurich
https://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/research/behaviour/cognition.html
<https://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/research/behaviour/cognition.html>
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<BLOCKEDmathildemartin-research[.]comBLOCKED>
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