Sex and age-class differences in calls of Siberian wapiti Cervus elaphus sibiricus

摘要: Stag rutting calls are strongly different among subspecies of red deer Cervus elaphus. Studying sex-, age- and subspecies-related vocal variation may highlight the forces driving evolution communication in this species after their expansion from Central Asia to Europe North America, however, information was lacking so far for any Asian We analysed frequency, temporal power variables contact bugle calls, collected 63 Siberian wapiti elaphus sibiricus, most abundant deer. The open-mouth (oral) closed-mouth (nasal) were registered all sex age-classes, whereas bugles found both stags hinds but not calves. maximum fundamental frequency (f0max) similar between calves hinds. Similarly American subspecies, small differences f0 young adults C. e. sibiricus suggests only a minor ontogenetic decrease call compared European At same time, age-classes substantially higher those (C. hippelaphus, corsicanus, italicus hispanicus), although lower than studied roosevelti canadensis). These findings provide cues indicate elaphus, addition existing molecular morphological traits.