Prairie dog alarm calls encode labels about predator colors

Slobodchikoff, C. N.; Paseka, Andrea; Verdolin, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1007/s10071-008-0203-y

Cited by 51 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…can be sufficient to start a brawl at a bar. Besides, bees communicate 'about' food [85], many animals use calls that refer to different predators [86,87] and grey parrots can learn to use sounds to refer to objects [44]. Some great apes can also learn to use signs or sounds to refer to objects [88,89].…”

Section: Deconstructing Language Into Biologically Tractable Unitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evo-devo, deep homology and FoxP2: implications for the evolution of speech and language

Scharff

Petri

2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

102

109

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The evolution of novel morphological features, such as feathers, involves the modification of developmental processes regulated by gene networks. The fact that genetic novelty operates within developmental constraints is the central tenet of the 'evo-devo' conceptual framework. It is supported by findings that certain molecular regulatory pathways act in a similar manner in the development of morphological adaptations, which are not directly related by common ancestry but evolved convergently. The Pax6 gene, important for vision in molluscs, insects and vertebrates, and Hox genes, important for tetrapod limbs and fish fins, exemplify this 'deep homology'. Recently, 'evo-devo' has expanded to the molecular analysis of behavioural traits, including social behaviour, learning and memory. Here, we apply this approach to the evolution of human language. Human speech is a form of auditory-guided, learned vocal motor behaviour that also evolved in certain species of birds, bats and ocean mammals. Genes relevant for language, including the transcription factor FOXP2, have been identified. We review evidence that FoxP2 and its regulatory gene network shapes neural plasticity in cortico-basal ganglia circuits underlying the sensory-guided motor learning in animal models. The emerging picture can help us understand how complex cognitive traits can 'descend with modification'.

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Section: Deconstructing Language Into Biologically Tractable Unitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evo-devo, deep homology and FoxP2: implications for the evolution of speech and language

Scharff

Petri

2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

102

109

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“…For species with multiple alarm call types, different call types may be used to communicate about different types of predators [42,43,45], to communicate different degrees of risk or response urgency [46,48], or to communicate both predator type and urgency [44,72]. Species living in more complex social groups, such as groups with more social demographic roles, may have greater need to signal alarm in a more complex manner and thus may use larger alarm call repertoires.…”

Section: Demographic Complexity Drives Repertoire Size Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolving communicative complexity: insights from rodents and beyond

Pollard

Blumstein

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

129

103

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Social living goes hand in hand with communication, but the details of this relationship are rarely simple. Complex communication may be described by attributes as diverse as a species' entire repertoire, signallers' individualistic signatures, or complex acoustic phenomena within single calls. Similarly, attributes of social complexity are diverse and may include group size, social role diversity, or networks of interactions and relationships. How these different attributes of social and communicative complexity co-evolve is an active question in behavioural ecology. Sciurid rodents (ground squirrels, prairie dogs and marmots) provide an excellent model system for studying these questions. Sciurid studies have found that demographic role complexity predicts alarm call repertoire size, while social group size predicts alarm call individuality. Along with other taxa, sciurids reveal an important insight: different attributes of sociality are linked to different attributes of communication. By breaking social and communicative complexity down to different attributes, focused studies can better untangle the underlying evolutionary relationships and move us closer to a comprehensive theory of how sociality and communication evolve.

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“…Moreover, as it is typically the case that not all humans pose the same risk to prey species, distinguishing between different human subgroups to identify those associated with genuinely threatening situations could present a major cognitive challenge. The extent of behavioral flexibility that different species may exhibit in correctly classifying human predators-and the degree of sophistication possible in such abilities-is therefore of considerable interest.Most research on the abilities of animals to classify human predators has focused on discrimination through facial features or general differences in behavior and appearance (5,(11)(12)(13). This focus has demonstrated that a number of different species are able to use visual cues to distinguish between individual humans that present varying levels of threat (4, 5, 14-16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most research on the abilities of animals to classify human predators has focused on discrimination through facial features or general differences in behavior and appearance (5,(11)(12)(13). This focus has demonstrated that a number of different species are able to use visual cues to distinguish between individual humans that present varying levels of threat (4, 5, 14-16).…”

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confidence: 99%

Elephants can determine ethnicity, gender, and age from acoustic cues in human voices

McComb

Shannon

Sayialel

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

128

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Animals can accrue direct fitness benefits by accurately classifying predatory threat according to the species of predator and the magnitude of risk associated with an encounter. Human predators present a particularly interesting cognitive challenge, as it is typically the case that different human subgroups pose radically different levels of danger to animals living around them. Although a number of prey species have proved able to discriminate between certain human categories on the basis of visual and olfactory cues, vocalizations potentially provide a much richer source of information. We now use controlled playback experiments to investigate whether family groups of free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Amboseli National Park, Kenya can use acoustic characteristics of speech to make functionally relevant distinctions between human subcategories differing not only in ethnicity but also in sex and age. Our results demonstrate that elephants can reliably discriminate between two different ethnic groups that differ in the level of threat they represent, significantly increasing their probability of defensive bunching and investigative smelling following playbacks of Maasai voices. Moreover, these responses were specific to the sex and age of Maasai presented, with the voices of Maasai women and boys, subcategories that would generally pose little threat, significantly less likely to produce these behavioral responses. Considering the long history and often pervasive predatory threat associated with humans across the globe, it is likely that abilities to precisely identify dangerous subcategories of humans on the basis of subtle voice characteristics could have been selected for in other cognitively advanced animal species.T he ability to recognize predators and assess the level of threat that they pose is a crucial cognitive skill for many wild animals that has very direct and obvious fitness consequences (1-5). Until recently, most research in this area focused on how a range of birds and mammals classify other animal predators, demonstrating complex abilities to differentiate between predators with different hunting styles and respond with appropriate escape tactics (2, 3, 6-8). However, for many wild populations, humans represent a significant predatory threat (5, 9, 10) and this threat is rapidly increasing as areas for wildlife decrease and humananimal conflict grows. Moreover, as it is typically the case that not all humans pose the same risk to prey species, distinguishing between different human subgroups to identify those associated with genuinely threatening situations could present a major cognitive challenge. The extent of behavioral flexibility that different species may exhibit in correctly classifying human predators-and the degree of sophistication possible in such abilities-is therefore of considerable interest.Most research on the abilities of animals to classify human predators has focused on discrimination through facial features or general differences in behavior and appear...

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Prairie dog alarm calls encode labels about predator colors

Cited by 51 publications

References 23 publications

Evo-devo, deep homology and FoxP2: implications for the evolution of speech and language

Evo-devo, deep homology and FoxP2: implications for the evolution of speech and language

Evolving communicative complexity: insights from rodents and beyond

Elephants can determine ethnicity, gender, and age from acoustic cues in human voices

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