Abstract:
Communication among nonhuman animals is often presented as rigid and inflexible, reflecting emotional states rather than having any cognitive basis. Using the world\'s smallest monkey, the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), with the smallest absolute brain size amongst simian primates as a case study, I review the role of cognition in the development and usage of vocalizations in pygmy marmosets and present new data on the instrumental use of babbling and of food associated vocalizations. Pygmy marmosets have several contact calls that differ in the psychoacoustic properties for sound localization as well as the distance at which they carry through the rainforest. Marmosets use these calls strategically based on distance from neighbors. Marmosets alter spectral and temporal aspects of call structure when exposed to new groups and when newly mated. They display population specific vocal dialects. Young pygmy marmosets engage in extensive babbling behavior rewarded by parents that helps the young develop adult vocal structures, but older monkeys also use babbling instrumentally in conflict situations. Specific food referential calls generally relate to food preferences, but food calls are suppressed in the presence of animate prey. Unmated animals systematically combine a long distance call with food calls as though advertising for mates. Taken together, these examples show that even small brained primates use their vocal signals flexibly and strategically in response to a variety of environmental and social conditions.
摘要:
非人类动物之间的交流通常表现为僵化和僵化,反映情绪状态,而不是有任何认知基础。用世界上最小的猴子,侏儒猴(Cebuellapygmaea),以猿猴灵长类动物中最小的绝对大脑大小为例,我回顾了认知在侏儒mar猴发声的发展和使用中的作用,并提供了有关babbling和食物相关发声的工具性使用的新数据。侏儒猿猴有几个联系电话,它们在声音定位的心理声学特性以及它们穿过雨林的距离方面都有所不同。Marmosets根据与邻居的距离战略性地使用这些呼叫。当暴露于新的群体和新交配时,Marmosets会改变呼叫结构的光谱和时间方面。它们显示特定于人口的声乐方言。年轻的侏儒mar猴从事父母奖励的广泛的胡言乱语行为,这有助于年轻人发展成人的声音结构,但是年长的猴子在冲突的情况下也会使用喋喋不休的工具。特定的食物参考调用通常与食物偏好有关,但是在有生命的猎物的情况下,食物的叫声被抑制了。未交配的动物系统地将长途电话与食物电话结合在一起,就像在为伴侣做广告一样。一起来看,这些例子表明,即使是小脑灵长类动物也能灵活地、有策略地利用他们的声音信号,以应对各种环境和社会条件。