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Related Concept Videos

Communication01:03

Communication

Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.

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Two pup vocalization types are genetically and functionally separable in deer mice.

Nicholas Jourjine1, Maya L Woolfolk1, Juan I Sanguinetti-Scheck1

  • 1Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

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|March 9, 2023
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Summary

Vocal communication in mice evolves rapidly. Deer mice pups use distinct calls, "cries" and ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), with cries eliciting faster maternal approach, indicating different functions. Genetic studies show vocal traits evolve independently.

Keywords:
PeromyscusUSVsbehavioral evolutionbehavioral geneticscryisolation callmouse pupvocalization

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Area of Science:

  • Animal Behavior
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Bioacoustics

Background:

  • Vocalization is a crucial social behavior in vertebrates, influencing fitness.
  • Vocalizations can be conserved but also exhibit heritable variation within and between species.
  • Understanding the evolution of vocal behavior requires analyzing its acoustic properties and genetic basis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolution of vocal communication in rodent pups.
  • To compare vocalization types and their developmental trajectories across different mouse species.
  • To determine the genetic basis and functional significance of distinct vocalizations.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized novel computational tools for automatic detection and clustering of vocalizations.
  • Compared pup isolation calls (ultrasonic vocalizations and cries) in deer mice (Peromyscus) and house mice (Mus).
  • Conducted playback assays to assess maternal response to different call types.
  • Performed genetic crosses between deer mouse species to analyze vocalization inheritance.

Main Results:

  • Peromyscus pups produce both ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and distinct lower-frequency 'cries'.
  • Cries are emitted early in development (days 1-9) and elicit faster maternal approach than USVs (emitted after day 9).
  • Genetic analysis revealed distinct genetic control for cry and USV features, with varying degrees of dominance and potential for uncoupling in hybrids.

Conclusions:

  • Vocal behavior, including distinct call types with different functions, can evolve rapidly between closely related species.
  • Different vocalization types (cries vs. USVs) likely serve distinct communication roles, particularly in early parental care.
  • Vocal traits are controlled by distinct genetic loci, allowing for independent evolution and divergence.