Perception of male caller identity in Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): acoustic analysis and playback experiments.

ABSTRACT: The ability to signal individual identity using vocal signals and distinguish between conspecifics based on vocal cues is important in several mammal species. Furthermore, it can be important for receivers to differentiate between callers in reproductive contexts. In this study, we used acoustic analyses to determine whether male koala bellows are individually distinctive and to investigate the relative importance of different acoustic features for coding individuality. We then used a habituation-discrimination paradigm to investigate whether koalas discriminate between the bellow vocalisations of different male callers. Our results show that male koala bellows are highly individualized, and indicate that cues related to vocal tract filtering contribute the most to vocal identity. In addit

SUBMITTER: Charlton BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3102089 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature