Multiple environmental contexts and communication in pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea).

Abstract

There are multiple components to the concept of Umwelt experienced by an organism that may constrain the type and structure of communication signals as well as the usefulness of these signals. To illustrate the impact of these multiple environmental components, the authors used signals of the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), a small primate from the western Amazon. The authors summarize studies to show how the physical effects of the habitat; effects of other species, both predators and nonpredators; anthropogenic effects on the communication environment; within-group and between-groups influences other pygmy marmosets exert; and ontogeny influence the structure and usage of vocal signals. Communication within a species can be understood only in consideration of each of these contexts.

Using information theory to assess the diversity, complexity, and development of communicative repertoires.

“…Data for human juveniles and young adults were unavailable for comparison, but studies of human language acquisition have shown that developing humans go through stages of echolalia (continuous repetition) at both the phonemic and the word levels that correspond to the redundancy observed at analogous stages in dolphin and squirrel monkey vocal development (for review, see Locke, 1993). This pattern was predicted in McCowan et al (1999) for these and other species in which learning plays an important role in vocal development (for review, see King et al, 2002;Locke, 1993;McCowan & Newman, 2000;McCowan & Reiss, 1995b;Reiss & McCowan, 1993;Snowdon & de la Torre, 2002;Snowdon & Hausberger, 1997).…”

“…This pattern may also have a more functional basis that requires developmentally adaptive strategies for different age groups (Hersek & Owings, 1994;Owings & Loughry, 1985). Further research is needed to determine whether young infant dolphins or squirrel monkeys obtain specific benefits from perceivers by producing more diversely structured repertoires than older infants and adults (see Locke, 1993, for evidence in the babbling of humans; see Snowdon & de la Torre, 2002, for evidence in the babbling of marmosets).…”

Call type signals caller goal: a new take on ultimate and proximate influences in vocal production

“…Upon seeing a silhouette of a predator, male chickens (Gallus gallus) are more likely to emit context-specific alarm calls if there is a potential mate present rather than another male chicken or a female of another species (Karakashain, Gyger, & Marler, 1988). Pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea) alter the acoustic structure of their contact calls based on the distance of their audience (Snowdon & de la Torre, 2002). Similarly, vervet mothers are more likely to produce alarm calls when with their own offspring than with unrelated juveniles (Cheney & Seyfarth, 1985).…”

‘Silent’ signals: selective forces acting on ultrasonic communication systems in terrestrial vertebrates

“…The perceptual abilities of predators can influence signal design on both the evolutionary and proximate time scales (Owings et al 2002; Snowdon & de la Torre 2002). It is unlikely, however, that rodent ultrasonic communication evolved because of its inaudibility to rodents’ wide array of potential predators.…”