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Perception of female reproductive state from vocal cues in a mammal species

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 18:44 authored by S Semple, Karen Mccomb
While acoustic signalling by males is known to aect male^male competition, mate attraction and the timing of ovulation, the extent to which sexual selection has shaped the evolution of female acoustic signals is poorly understood. Among mammals, experimental evidence indicates that females attract mating partners by using olfactory and visual signals to advertise their reproductive state. Whether or not males ascertain female reproductive state from vocal signals has, however, never been systematically tested. In this study, we use playbacks of recorded vocalizations to demonstrate that male Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus, can discriminate between female copulation calls given at dierent stages of the oestrous cycle, responding more strongly to those given around the time when conception is most likely to occur. Acoustic analysis suggests that the mean dominant frequency of call units and a number of temporal parameters could provide males with the information necessary to discern the proximity of ovulation in this way. Our results provide the rst experimental evidence that the calls of female mammals may contain information on reproductive state, which males can perceive and use in such a way as to increase their reproductive success.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Proceedings B: Biological Sciences

ISSN

1471-2954

Publisher

Royal Society, The

Issue

1444

Volume

267

Page range

707-712

ISBN

0962-8452

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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