Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup is...Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup isolation calls in 4–5-day-old Mongolian hamsters Allocricetulus curtatus.We analyzed the acoustic structure of 5,010 isolation calls emitted in the broad range of frequencies(sonic,below 20 kHz,and ultrasonic,from 20 to 128 kHz)by 23 pups during 2-min isolation test trials,1 trial per pup.In addition,we measured 5 body size parameters and the body weight of each pup.The calls could contain up to 3 independent fundamental frequencies in their spectra,the low(f0),the medium(g0),and the high(h0),or purely consisted of chaos in which the fundamental frequency could not be tracked.By presence/absence of the 3 fundamental frequencies or their combinations and chaos,we classifed calls into 6 distinctive categories(low-frequency[LF]-f0,LF-chaos,high-frequency[HF]-g0,HF-h0,HF-g0+h0,and HF-chaos)and estimated the relative abundance of calls in each category.Between categories,we compared acoustic parameters and estimated their relationship with pup body size index.We discuss the results of this study with data on the acoustics of pup isolation calls reported for other species of rodents.We conclude that such high complexity of Mongolian hamster pup isolation calls is unusual for rodents.Decreased acoustic complexity serves as a good indicator of autism spectrum disorders in knockout mouse models,which makes knockout hamster models prospective new wild animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.展开更多
Zoo and wildlife management faces a problem with bird sexing,as many bird taxa have indiscernible gender differences in size and coloration.Problematic groups are geese,cranes,rails,raptors,owls,parrots,doves,auks,she...Zoo and wildlife management faces a problem with bird sexing,as many bird taxa have indiscernible gender differences in size and coloration.Problematic groups are geese,cranes,rails,raptors,owls,parrots,doves,auks,shearwaters and some passerines.Commonly accepted invasive sexing techniques based on genetics,laparoscopy,morphometric and on cloacal inspection,are all needed in bird capturing and handling.Capturing and subsequent manipulations may be inapplicable for free-ranging birds,whereas distant voice-based sexing is relevant for many species.This review evaluates the potential for noninvasive sexing by separate calls or duet calls,for adult birds of 69 species from 16 orders and for chicks of 11 species from 7 orders.For adult birds of 25 species,a single call per individual was sufficient for 100 % reliable sexing by ear or using spectrographic analysis.For chicks,the potential for voice-based sexing seems to be very limited.For birds calling rarely or unpredictably,we propose a simple way of provoking vocalization using playbacks of species-specific calls that are available from sound libraries.We conclude that sexing by voice may represent a feasible alternative to the classical sexing techniques,both in the wild and in captivity.展开更多
In domestic dogs Canis familiaris,vocal traits have been investigated for barks and growls,and the relationship between individual body size and vocal traits investigated for growls,with less corre-sponding informatio...In domestic dogs Canis familiaris,vocal traits have been investigated for barks and growls,and the relationship between individual body size and vocal traits investigated for growls,with less corre-sponding information for whines.In this study,we examined the frequency and temporal traits of whines of 20 adult companion dogs(9 males,11 females),ranging in body mass from 3.5 to 70.0 kg and belonging to 16 breeds.Dog whines(26-71 per individual,824 in total)were recorded in condi-tioned begging contexts modeled by dog owners.Whines had 3 independent fundamental fre-quencies:the low,the high and the ultra-high that occurred singly as monophonic calls or simul-taneously as 2-voice biphonic or 3 voice polyphonic calls.From the smallest to largest dog,the upper frequency limit varied from 0.24 to 2.13 kHz for the low fundamental frequency,from 2.95 to 10.46 kHz for the high fundamental frequency and from 9.99 to 23.26 kHz for the ultra-high funda-mental frequency.Within individuals,the low fundamental frequency was lower in monophonic than in biphonic whines,whereas the high fundamental frequency did not differ between those whine types.All frequency variables of the low,high,and ultra-high fundamental frequencies cor-related negatively with dog body mass.For duration,no correlation with body mass was found.We discuss potential production mechanisms and sound sources for each fundamental frequency;point to the acoustic similarity between high-frequency dog whines and rodent ultrasonic calls and hypothesize that ultra-high fundamental frequencies function to allow private,"tete-a-tete"com-munication between members of social groups.展开更多
The means of orientation is studied in the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse Typhlomys chapensis,a poorly known enigmatic semi-fossorial semi-arboreal rodent.Data on eye structure are presented,which prove that Typhlomys(tran...The means of orientation is studied in the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse Typhlomys chapensis,a poorly known enigmatic semi-fossorial semi-arboreal rodent.Data on eye structure are presented,which prove that Typhlomys(translated as“the blind mouse”)is incapable of object vision:the retina is folded and retains no more than 2500 ganglion cells in the focal plane,and the optic nerve is subject to gliosis.Hence,Typhlomys has no other means for rapid long-range orientation among tree branches other than echolocation.Ultrasonic vocalization recordings at the frequency range of 50-100 kHz support this hypothesis.The vocalizations are represented by bouts of up to 7 more or less evenly-spaced and uniform frequency-modulated sweep-like pulses in rapid succession.Structurally,these sweeps are similar to frequency-modulated ultrasonic echolocation calls of some bat species,but they are too faint to be revealed with a common bat detector.When recording video simultaneously with the ultrasonic audio,a significantly greater pulse rate during locomotion compared to that of resting animals has been demonstrated.Our findings of locomotion-associated ultrasonic vocalization in a fast-climbing but weakly-sighted small mammal ecotype add support to the“echolocation-first theory”of pre-flight origin of echolocation in bats.展开更多
Distribution area and taxonomic borders within the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato remain questionable.Early evidence suggests that red-cheeked ground squirrels of Southeast Kazakhstan are r...Distribution area and taxonomic borders within the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato remain questionable.Early evidence suggests that red-cheeked ground squirrels of Southeast Kazakhstan are remarkably different in terms of the acoustic structure of their alarm calls from the red-cheeked ground squirrels of the Kurgan region in Russia.In this study,we analyzed the differences in the acoustic structure of the alarm call and mitochondrial DNA(complete control region,1005-1006 bp and complete cytochrome b gene,1140 bp)in 3 populations of red-cheeked ground squirrels(Tara,Altyn-Emel and Balkhash),all located within areas isolated by geographical barriers in Southeast Kazakhstan.We found that the alarm call variables were similar between the 3 study populations and differed by the maximum fundamental frequency(8.46±0.75 kHz)from the values(5.62±0.06 kHz)reported for the red-cheeked ground squirrels from the Kurgan region of Russia.Variation in mtDNA control region was only 3%and variation in cytochrome b gene was only 2.5%.Phylogenetic trees based on cytochrome b gene polymorphism of 44 individuals from the study area and adjacent territories indicated 3 clades with high(98-100%)bootstrap support:“intermedius,”“brevicauda”and“iliensis”).We conclude that the 3 study populations in Southeast Kazakhstan belong to the clade intermedius and suggest a taxonomical revision of the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato,including analyses of nuclear DNA and alarm calls for populations of the brevicauda and iliensis clades.展开更多
文摘Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup isolation calls in 4–5-day-old Mongolian hamsters Allocricetulus curtatus.We analyzed the acoustic structure of 5,010 isolation calls emitted in the broad range of frequencies(sonic,below 20 kHz,and ultrasonic,from 20 to 128 kHz)by 23 pups during 2-min isolation test trials,1 trial per pup.In addition,we measured 5 body size parameters and the body weight of each pup.The calls could contain up to 3 independent fundamental frequencies in their spectra,the low(f0),the medium(g0),and the high(h0),or purely consisted of chaos in which the fundamental frequency could not be tracked.By presence/absence of the 3 fundamental frequencies or their combinations and chaos,we classifed calls into 6 distinctive categories(low-frequency[LF]-f0,LF-chaos,high-frequency[HF]-g0,HF-h0,HF-g0+h0,and HF-chaos)and estimated the relative abundance of calls in each category.Between categories,we compared acoustic parameters and estimated their relationship with pup body size index.We discuss the results of this study with data on the acoustics of pup isolation calls reported for other species of rodents.We conclude that such high complexity of Mongolian hamster pup isolation calls is unusual for rodents.Decreased acoustic complexity serves as a good indicator of autism spectrum disorders in knockout mouse models,which makes knockout hamster models prospective new wild animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.
基金supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grants 12-04-00260a to IV, EV and VM and 12-04-00414a to AK, for studying the acoustic-based, laparoscopy and gene-based methods of sexing of a few Anseriformes, Gruidae and Alcidae species included in this review)the President RF Foundation (Grant MK-1781.2012.4 to AK, for studying Alcidae species, also included in this review)the Russian Scientific Foundation (Grant No 14-14-00237) to IV, EV, AK and VM for completing the review
文摘Zoo and wildlife management faces a problem with bird sexing,as many bird taxa have indiscernible gender differences in size and coloration.Problematic groups are geese,cranes,rails,raptors,owls,parrots,doves,auks,shearwaters and some passerines.Commonly accepted invasive sexing techniques based on genetics,laparoscopy,morphometric and on cloacal inspection,are all needed in bird capturing and handling.Capturing and subsequent manipulations may be inapplicable for free-ranging birds,whereas distant voice-based sexing is relevant for many species.This review evaluates the potential for noninvasive sexing by separate calls or duet calls,for adult birds of 69 species from 16 orders and for chicks of 11 species from 7 orders.For adult birds of 25 species,a single call per individual was sufficient for 100 % reliable sexing by ear or using spectrographic analysis.For chicks,the potential for voice-based sexing seems to be very limited.For birds calling rarely or unpredictably,we propose a simple way of provoking vocalization using playbacks of species-specific calls that are available from sound libraries.We conclude that sexing by voice may represent a feasible alternative to the classical sexing techniques,both in the wild and in captivity.
基金This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant 19-14-00037.
文摘In domestic dogs Canis familiaris,vocal traits have been investigated for barks and growls,and the relationship between individual body size and vocal traits investigated for growls,with less corre-sponding information for whines.In this study,we examined the frequency and temporal traits of whines of 20 adult companion dogs(9 males,11 females),ranging in body mass from 3.5 to 70.0 kg and belonging to 16 breeds.Dog whines(26-71 per individual,824 in total)were recorded in condi-tioned begging contexts modeled by dog owners.Whines had 3 independent fundamental fre-quencies:the low,the high and the ultra-high that occurred singly as monophonic calls or simul-taneously as 2-voice biphonic or 3 voice polyphonic calls.From the smallest to largest dog,the upper frequency limit varied from 0.24 to 2.13 kHz for the low fundamental frequency,from 2.95 to 10.46 kHz for the high fundamental frequency and from 9.99 to 23.26 kHz for the ultra-high funda-mental frequency.Within individuals,the low fundamental frequency was lower in monophonic than in biphonic whines,whereas the high fundamental frequency did not differ between those whine types.All frequency variables of the low,high,and ultra-high fundamental frequencies cor-related negatively with dog body mass.For duration,no correlation with body mass was found.We discuss potential production mechanisms and sound sources for each fundamental frequency;point to the acoustic similarity between high-frequency dog whines and rodent ultrasonic calls and hypothesize that ultra-high fundamental frequencies function to allow private,"tete-a-tete"com-munication between members of social groups.
基金approved by the Committee of Bio-ethics of the Lomonosov Moscow State University(research protocol no.2011-36)Video processing was performed with support of the Russian Science Foundation(project 14-50-00029“Scientific basis of the national biobank-depository of the living systems”)+1 种基金Acoustic analysis was supported by the Russian Science Foundation(project 14-14-00237)the Program of Basic Research of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences“Wildlife:Current Status and Problems of Development.”。
文摘The means of orientation is studied in the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse Typhlomys chapensis,a poorly known enigmatic semi-fossorial semi-arboreal rodent.Data on eye structure are presented,which prove that Typhlomys(translated as“the blind mouse”)is incapable of object vision:the retina is folded and retains no more than 2500 ganglion cells in the focal plane,and the optic nerve is subject to gliosis.Hence,Typhlomys has no other means for rapid long-range orientation among tree branches other than echolocation.Ultrasonic vocalization recordings at the frequency range of 50-100 kHz support this hypothesis.The vocalizations are represented by bouts of up to 7 more or less evenly-spaced and uniform frequency-modulated sweep-like pulses in rapid succession.Structurally,these sweeps are similar to frequency-modulated ultrasonic echolocation calls of some bat species,but they are too faint to be revealed with a common bat detector.When recording video simultaneously with the ultrasonic audio,a significantly greater pulse rate during locomotion compared to that of resting animals has been demonstrated.Our findings of locomotion-associated ultrasonic vocalization in a fast-climbing but weakly-sighted small mammal ecotype add support to the“echolocation-first theory”of pre-flight origin of echolocation in bats.
基金the guidelines for the treatment of animals in behavioral research and teaching(Anim Behav,2006,71:245-253)the Russian Foundation for Basic Research(grant 18-04-00400).
文摘Distribution area and taxonomic borders within the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato remain questionable.Early evidence suggests that red-cheeked ground squirrels of Southeast Kazakhstan are remarkably different in terms of the acoustic structure of their alarm calls from the red-cheeked ground squirrels of the Kurgan region in Russia.In this study,we analyzed the differences in the acoustic structure of the alarm call and mitochondrial DNA(complete control region,1005-1006 bp and complete cytochrome b gene,1140 bp)in 3 populations of red-cheeked ground squirrels(Tara,Altyn-Emel and Balkhash),all located within areas isolated by geographical barriers in Southeast Kazakhstan.We found that the alarm call variables were similar between the 3 study populations and differed by the maximum fundamental frequency(8.46±0.75 kHz)from the values(5.62±0.06 kHz)reported for the red-cheeked ground squirrels from the Kurgan region of Russia.Variation in mtDNA control region was only 3%and variation in cytochrome b gene was only 2.5%.Phylogenetic trees based on cytochrome b gene polymorphism of 44 individuals from the study area and adjacent territories indicated 3 clades with high(98-100%)bootstrap support:“intermedius,”“brevicauda”and“iliensis”).We conclude that the 3 study populations in Southeast Kazakhstan belong to the clade intermedius and suggest a taxonomical revision of the species complex Spermophilus erythrogenys sensu lato,including analyses of nuclear DNA and alarm calls for populations of the brevicauda and iliensis clades.
