Loading…
Bioacoustic characterization of the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) vocal repertoire
Ruffed lemurs ( Varecia spp.) exhibit a unique suite of behavioral traits compared to other lemur species, which includes their fluid fission–fusion social dynamics, communal rearing of parked litters, and pronounced frugivory in their humid rainforest habitats. Given these traits, and the dense rai...
Saved in:
Published in: | Primates 2023-11, Vol.64 (6), p.621-635 |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Summary: | Ruffed lemurs (
Varecia
spp.) exhibit a unique suite of behavioral traits compared to other lemur species, which includes their fluid fission–fusion social dynamics, communal rearing of parked litters, and pronounced frugivory in their humid rainforest habitats. Given these traits, and the dense rainforests they inhabit, vocal communication may be key to maintaining social cohesion, coordinating infant care, and/or defending their high-quality food resources. Indeed, they are known for their raucous ‘roar-shriek’ calls. However, there has been surprisingly little research on vocal communication in
Varecia
species and only two previously published repertoires, both of which were qualitative descriptions of their calls. In this study, we quantitatively examined the vocal repertoire of wild black-and-white ruffed lemurs (
Varecia variegata
) at Mangevo, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We characterized 11 call types using 33 bioacoustic parameters related to frequency, duration, tonality, and composition. We also used discriminant function analysis and hierarchical clustering to quantitatively and objectively classify call types within the black-and-white ruffed lemur vocal repertoire. The repertoire consists of both monosyllabic and multisyllabic calls that are individually given or emitted in contagious choruses. Eight of the 11 calls were also used in combination or in larger multi-call sequences. The discriminant function analysis correctly assigned call types with 87% success, though this varied greatly by call type (1–65%). Hierarchical clustering identified 3–4 robust clusters, indicating low clustering structure in the data and suggesting that
V. variegata
exhibits a graded vocal repertoire. Future work should consider the environmental and behavioral contexts in which calls are used to better understand the function of these call types and combinations. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 0032-8332 1610-7365 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10329-023-01083-8 |