Vervets revisited: A quantitative analysis of alarm call structure and context specificity.

摘要: The alarm calls of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) constitute the classic textbook example semantic communication in nonhuman animals, as give acoustically distinct to different predators and these elicit appropriate responses conspecifics. They also similar sounding aggressive contexts, however. Despite central role have played for understanding evolution communication, a comprehensive, quantitative analysis acoustic structure was lacking. We used 2-step cluster identify objective call types discriminant function assess context specificity. Alarm given response leopards, eagles, snakes could be well distinguished, while inclusion contexts yielded some overlap, specifically between female snakes, eagles during aggression, male barks (additionally recorded South Africa) leopard contexts. suggest that both cognitive appraisal situation internal state contribute variation usage structure. While properties bear little resemblance human words, existing variation, possibly together with additional contextual information, allows listeners select responses.