The role of vocal learning in call acquisition of wild grey seal pups

Stansbury, Amanda L.; Janik, Vincent M.

doi:10.1098/rstb.2020.0251

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The cultural transmission of vocalizations we hypothesize in the semi-solitary harbor seal is quite rare in non-social mammals but may occur in a few social ones, such as the naked-mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) (Barker et al, 2021), grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) (Stansbury & Janik, 2021), and some cetaceans (for a review, see Garland & McGregor, 2020). This rarity may stem from a lack of evidence rather than negative evidence because vocal learning in mammals is much less studied than in birds.…”

Section: Converg Ing E Viden Ce From B Irds and Pinnipedsmentioning

confidence: 95%

The paradox of learned song in a semi-solitary mammal

Duengen¹,

Ravignani²

2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Learning can occur via trial and error; however, learning from conspecifics is faster and more efficient. Social animals can easily learn from conspecifics, but how do less social species learn? In particular, avian species provide astonishing examples of social learning of vocalizations, while vocal learning from conspecifics is much less understood in mammals. We present a hypothesis aimed at solving an apparent paradox: how can harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) learn their song when their whole lives are marked by loose conspecific social contact? Harbor seal pups are raised individually by their mostly silent mothers. Pups’ first few weeks of life show developed vocal plasticity; these weeks are followed by relatively silent years until sexually mature individuals start singing. How can this rather solitary life lead to learned song? Why do pups display vocal plasticity at a few weeks of age, when this is apparently not needed? Our ‘oblique transmission’ hypothesis addresses these questions and tries to explain how vocal learning fits into the natural history of harbor seals, and potentially other less social mammals. We review available evidence and hypothesize that pups learn adult vocalizations because they are born exactly at the right time to eavesdrop on singing adults. In particular, we hypothesize that, to make this learning possible, the following happens concurrently: 1) mothers give birth right before male singing starts, 2) pups enter a sensitive learning phase around weaning time, which 3) coincides with their foraging expeditions at sea which, 4) in turn, coincide with the peak singing activity of adult males. In other words, harbor seals show vocal learning as pups so they can acquire elements of their future song from adults, and solitary adults can sing because they have acquired these elements as pups. We conclude by suggesting empirical predictions and testable hypotheses for future work.

show abstract

Section: Converg Ing E Viden Ce From B Irds and Pinnipedsmentioning

confidence: 95%

The paradox of learned song in a semi-solitary mammal

Duengen¹,

Ravignani²

2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The cultural transmission of vocalizations we hypothesize in the semi‐solitary harbor seal is quite rare in non‐social mammals but may occur in a few social ones, such as the naked‐mole rat ( Heterocephalus glaber ) (Barker et al, 2021), grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) (Stansbury & Janik, 2021), and some cetaceans (for a review, see Garland & McGregor, 2020). This rarity may stem from a lack of evidence rather than negative evidence because vocal learning in mammals is much less studied than in birds.…”

Section: Converging Evidence From Birds and Pinnipedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The closely related grey seals may show similar vocal learning strategies: in a recent experiment, wild pups copied playback stimuli, becoming more accurate in imitations over time (Stansbury & Janik, 2021). Their fundamental frequency (f 0 ) matching became especially pronounced around 2–3 weeks of age, which may denote a sensitive period and cultural transmission of vocalizations in this phocid species (Stansbury & Janik, 2021). Further support comes from the case of Hoover, a human‐raised harbor seal pup (Ralls et al, 1985).…”

Section: Converging Evidence From Birds and Pinnipedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The paradox of learned song in a semi‐solitary mammal

Duengen

Ravignani

2023

Ethology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Learning can occur via trial and error; however, learning from conspecifics is faster and more efficient. Social animals can easily learn from conspecifics, but how do less social species learn? In particular, birds provide astonishing examples of social learning of vocalizations, while vocal learning from conspecifics is much less understood in mammals. We present a hypothesis aimed at solving an apparent paradox: how can harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) learn their song when their whole lives are marked by loose conspecific social contact? Harbor seal pups are raised individually by their mostly silent mothers. Pups' first few weeks of life show developed vocal plasticity; these weeks are followed by relatively silent years until sexually mature individuals start singing. How can this rather solitary life lead to a learned song? Why do pups display vocal plasticity at a few weeks of age, when this is apparently not needed? Our hypothesis addresses these questions and tries to explain how vocal learning fits into the natural history of harbor seals, and potentially other less social mammals. We suggest that harbor seals learn during a sensitive period within puppyhood, where they are exposed to adult males singing. In particular, we hypothesize that, to make this learning possible, the following happens concurrently: (1) mothers give birth right before male singing starts, (2) pups enter a sensitive learning phase around weaning time, which (3) coincides with their foraging expeditions at sea which, (4) in turn, coincide with the peak singing activity of adult males. In other words, harbor seals show vocal learning as pups so they can acquire elements of their future song from adults, and solitary adults can sing because they have acquired these elements as pups. We review the available evidence and suggest that pups learn adult vocalizations because they are born exactly at the right time to eavesdrop on singing adults. We conclude by advancing empirical predictions and testable hypotheses for future work.

show abstract

“…A subsequent study on wild grey seal pups demonstrated that vocal production learning influenced the development of their pup calls. Independent groups of animals copied unknown frequency modulation sequences and individual calls played back to them depending on the kind of playback they were exposed to [50].…”

Section: Pinnipedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vocal production learning in mammals revisited

Janik

Knörnschild

2021

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Vocal production learning, the ability to modify the structure of vocalizations as a result of hearing those of others, has been studied extensively in birds but less attention has been given to its occurrence in mammals. We summarize the available evidence for vocal learning in mammals from the last 25 years, updating earlier reviews on the subject. The clearest evidence comes from cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants and bats where species have been found to copy artificial or human language sounds, or match acoustic models of different sound types. Vocal convergence, in which parameter adjustments within one sound type result in similarities between individuals, occurs in a wider range of mammalian orders with additional evidence from primates, mole-rats, goats and mice. Currently, the underlying mechanisms for convergence are unclear with vocal production learning but also usage learning or matching physiological states being possible explanations. For experimental studies, we highlight the importance of quantitative comparisons of seemingly learned sounds with vocal repertoires before learning started or with species repertoires to confirm novelty. Further studies on the mammalian orders presented here as well as others are needed to explore learning skills and limitations in greater detail. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vocal learning in animals and humans’.

show abstract

The role of vocal learning in call acquisition of wild grey seal pups

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

The paradox of learned song in a semi-solitary mammal

The paradox of learned song in a semi-solitary mammal

The paradox of learned song in a semi‐solitary mammal

Vocal production learning in mammals revisited

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About