Hidden in plain sound: the scientific potential of house mouse squeaks

The house mouse (Mus musculus) is an emerging model organism for the study of vocal communication. While mice emit a diversity of calls, most publications on adult mouse vocalizations primarily focus on ultrasonic vocalizations and only a small proportion include other vocalizations, like squeaks. The representation of squeaks in the literature is not an accurate reflection of their behavioural prevalence, however. Squeaks are common features of the mouse vocal repertoire, emitted under a range of circumstances. In this review, we synthesize the available evidence on mouse squeaks, demonstrating that squeaks are social vocalizations. Although their presence in social situations is evident, the extent to which squeaks convey information about the vocalizer and affect listener behaviour across different social contexts has yet to be thoroughly studied. Exploring the nuanced social functions of squeaks and correcting the publication bias that favours ultrasonic vocalizations will require a coordinated research effort, and we provide several recommendations for meeting these goals. Finally, we highlight the potential of the mouse squeak as an instrument for research beyond ethology, including to investigate the neural basis of vocal communication and conditions that impact communication in humans.