Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Ma, Haigang
• Wang, Zidi
• Han, Pu
• Fan, Penglai
• Chapman, Colin A.
• Garber, Paul A.
• Fan, Pengfei

Titel

Small apes adjust rhythms to facilitate song coordination

Ist Teil von

• Current biology, 2024-03, Vol.34 (5), p.935-945.e3

Ort / Verlag

England: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

ScienceDirect Journals (5 years ago - present)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• 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. [Display omitted] •Three wild polygynous Nomascus gibbon species’ songs are rhythmic•N. nasutus, N. hainanus, and N. concolor commonly contain an isochronous rhythm•Adjustments of isochrony and tempo facilitate song coordination in gibbons•High degree of rhythm change functions as an unambiguous signal How do animals coordinate their vocalizations to form elaborate duets or choruses? Ma et al. find that male Nomascus gibbons adjust rhythms to facilitate female song coordination. This provides insights into the origin and evolution of song coordination in music.