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Internal acoustic structuring in pied babbler recruitment cries specifies the form of recruitment

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Engesser, Sabrina, Ridley, Amanda R., Manser, Marta B., Manser, Andri and Townsend, Simon W. (2018) Internal acoustic structuring in pied babbler recruitment cries specifies the form of recruitment. Behavioral Ecology, 29 (5). pp. 1021-1030. doi:10.1093/beheco/ary088 ISSN 1045-2249.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ary088

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Abstract

Language is inherently combinatorial, and parallels of this combinatorial capacity are found in nonhuman systems, with animals combining sounds and calls into larger meaningful structures. However, further analogue examples are central in unveiling the diversity, distribution, and evolutionary drivers of combinatoriality. Here, we provide evidence for internal “meaning-refining” acoustic variation within a larger stereotyped signal in pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor). Using acoustic analyses, we demonstrate that males produce 2 long, raucous, “cry-like” structures, both starting with a wind-up segment grading into repetitions of A/single-note or AB/double-note motifs. Behavioral observations indicated that, consistent with similarities in their larger stereotyped structure, both variants function overall in recruiting group members during locomotion, but the internal A or AB substructure specifies the “precise” form of recruitment, from approaching the caller’s announced location to following it over longer distances. Playing back cries from a stationary loudspeaker further supported that the 2 variants elicit different responses, with more individuals approaching the loudspeaker in response to single-note compared with double-note cries. Additionally, despite similarities in overall distance travelled, group movement was only directional for single-note, but undefined for double-note cries. We suggest that the overall structure of the 2 cry variants conveys the same general meaning, with embedded variation refining this meaning. These results further illustrate the variability of generative mechanisms outside of human language and lend support to the hypothesis that combinatorial structuring may have emerged in species with limited or fixed vocal repertoires in order to enhance communicative output.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Turdoides -- Vocalization, Birds -- Vocalization, Combination (Linguistics), Animal communication, Linguistic change, Distinctive features (Linguistics)
Journal or Publication Title: Behavioral Ecology
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISSN: 1045-2249
Official Date: 10 September 2018
Dates:
DateEvent
10 September 2018Published
28 June 2018Available
3 June 2018Accepted
Volume: 29
Number: 5
Page Range: pp. 1021-1030
DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary088
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Behavioral Ecology following peer review. The version of record Sabrina Engesser, Amanda R Ridley, Marta B Manser, Andri Manser, Simon W Townsend; Internal acoustic structuring in pied babbler recruitment cries specifies the form of recruitment, Behavioral Ecology, Volume 29, Issue 5, 10 September 2018, Pages 1021–1030, is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ary088
Access rights to Published version: Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit: 10 July 2018
Date of first compliant Open Access: 28 June 2019
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
57191601[UZ] Universität Zürichhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006447
FK-14-077[UZ] Universität Zürichhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006447
P1ZHP3_151648[SNSF] Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschunghttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711
31003A_153065[SNSF] Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschunghttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711
PP00P3_163850[SNSF] Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschunghttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711
SNFP300PA_177830[SNSF] Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschunghttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711
Claraz Stiftung[UZ] Universität Zürichhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006447
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