This press release is available in German.
Animals are more eloquent than previously assumed. Even the monosyllabic call of the banded mongoose is structured and thus comparable with the vowel and consonant system of human speech. Behavioral biologists from the University of Zurich have thus become the first to demonstrate that animals communicate with even smaller sound units than syllables.
When humans speak, they structure individual syllables with the aid of vowels and consonants. Due to their anatomy, animals can only produce a limited number of distinguishable sounds and calls. Complex animal sound expressions such as whale and bird songs are formed because smaller sound units so-called "syllables" or "phonocodes" are repeatedly combined into new arrangements. However, it was previously assumed that monosyllabic sound expressions such as contact or alarm calls do not have any combinational structures. Behavioral biologist Marta Manser and her doctoral student David Jansen from the University of Zurich have now proved that the monosyllabic calls of banded mongooses are structured and contain different information. They thus demonstrate for the first time that animals also have a sound expression structure that bears a certain similarity to the vowel and consonant system of human speech.
Single syllable provides information on the identity and activity of the caller
The research was conducted on wild banded mongooses at a research station in Uganda. For their study, the scientists used a combination of detailed behavior observations, recordings of calls and acoustic analyses of contact calls. Such a call lasts for between 50 and 150 milliseconds and can be construed as a single 'syllable'. Jansen and his colleagues now reveal that, despite their brevity, the monosyllabic calls of banded mongooses exhibit several tempor
'/>"/>
| Contact: Marta Manser marta.manser@ieu.uzh.ch 41-446-355-282 University of Zurich Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. Studies reveal structure of EV71, a virus causing childhood illnesses
2. Crystal structure of archael chromatin clarified in new study
3. Scientists produce eye structures from human blood-derived stem cells
4. Autism risk gene linked to differences in brain structure
5. Expedition to undersea mountain yields new information about sub-seafloor structure
6. Mechanical properties and microstructure of cranial and beak bones of the woodpecker and the lark
7. Psychiatric medication effects on brain structure
8. CSHL researchers solve structure of human protein critical for silencing genes
9. Study provides new insights into structure of heart muscle fibers
10. Detector of DNA damage: Structure of a repair factor revealed
11. Structure of RNAi complex now crystal clear
 |
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |