Small apes adjust rhythms to facilitate song coordination.
Curr Biol
; 34(5): 935-945.e3, 2024 03 11.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38266649
ABSTRACT
Song coordination is a universal characteristic of human music. Many animals also produce well-coordinated duets or choruses that resemble human music. However, the mechanism and evolution of song coordination have only recently been studied in animals. Here, we studied the mechanism of song coordination in three closely related species of wild Nomascus gibbons that live in polygynous groups. In each species, song bouts were dominated by male solo sequences (referred to hereafter as male sequence), and females contributed stereotyped great calls to coordinate with males. Considering the function of rhythm in facilitating song coordination in human music and animal vocalizations, we predicted that adult males adjust their song rhythm to facilitate song coordination with females. In support of this prediction, we found that adult males produced significantly more isochronous rhythms with a faster tempo in male sequences that were followed by successful female great calls (a complete sequence with "introductory" and "wa" notes). The difference in isochrony and tempos between successful great call sequences and male sequences was smaller in N. concolor compared with the other two species, which may make it difficult for females to predict a male's precise temporal pattern. Consequently, adult females of N. concolor produced more failed great call (an incomplete sequence with only introductory notes) sequences. We propose that the high degree of rhythm change functions as an unambiguous signal that can be easily perceived by receivers. In this regard, gibbon vocalizations offer an instructive model to understand the origins and evolution of human music.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Hominidae
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Curr Biol
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article