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Chimpanzee alarm communications
Title
Chimpanzee alarm communications: a zoosemiotic study.
Creator
Raymond, Alyssa M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Evidence for conceptual semantics is well established in monkeys, however this basis of human language is less evident in the great apes. In order to study semantic communications in chimpanzees, I analyzed alarm calls produced towards a blimp as it was flying overhead. I then replayed a set of these alarm calls to the chimps on a different day. The chimps appeared to act in a manner consistent with the presence of the blimp. The calls they produced in response to the playback stimuli were...
Show moreEvidence for conceptual semantics is well established in monkeys, however this basis of human language is less evident in the great apes. In order to study semantic communications in chimpanzees, I analyzed alarm calls produced towards a blimp as it was flying overhead. I then replayed a set of these alarm calls to the chimps on a different day. The chimps appeared to act in a manner consistent with the presence of the blimp. The calls they produced in response to the playback stimuli were nearly identical to the calls that were produced during the actual flyover. Though the data collected were not sufficient to support a definitive claim, it does appear that the chimpanzees of the study have a meaning-laden vocalization for the aerial stimuli. Whether this call is specific to the blimp or generalizable to other aerial threats is yet to be determined.
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Date Issued
2012
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352278
Subject Headings
Animal communication, Social behavior in animals, Cognition in animals, Chimpanzees, Behavior, Chimpanzees, Psychology
Format
Document (PDF)
Habitat location and selection by the Sargassum crab Portunus sayi
Title
Habitat location and selection by the Sargassum crab Portunus sayi: the role of sensory cues.
Creator
West, Lorin E., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description
The Sargassum community consists of a unique and idverse assemblage of fauna critical to pelagic food chains. Associated organisms presumably have adaptations to assist in finding Sargassum. This study investigated cues used for habitat location and selection by the Sargassum crab, Portunus sayi. Chemical detection trials were conducted with a two-chamber choice apparatus with Sargassum spp. and Thalassia testudinum as source odors. Visual detection trials (devoid of chemical cues) and...
Show moreThe Sargassum community consists of a unique and idverse assemblage of fauna critical to pelagic food chains. Associated organisms presumably have adaptations to assist in finding Sargassum. This study investigated cues used for habitat location and selection by the Sargassum crab, Portunus sayi. Chemical detection trials were conducted with a two-chamber choice apparatus with Sargassum spp. and Thalassia testudinum as source odors. Visual detection trials (devoid of chemical cues) and habitat selection trials were conducted in which crabs were given a choice of habitats. Results showed that P. sayi respoded to chemical odors from Sargassum spp. Crabs visually located habitats but did not visually distinguish between different habitats. In habitat selection trials, crabs selected Sargassum spp. over artificial Sargassum and T. testudinum. These results suggest that crabs isolated from Sargassum likely use chemoreception from longer distances ; within visual proximity of a potential patch, crabs use both chemical and visual information.
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Date Issued
2012
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3356901
Subject Headings
Habitat (Ecology), Sargassum, Ecology, Marine chemical ecology, Chemoreceptors, Animal behavior, Animal communication, Portunus sayi, Ecology
Format
Document (PDF)
Signature whistles in Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis): Qualitative and quantitative analysis of mothers and offspring
Title
Signature whistles in Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis): Qualitative and quantitative analysis of mothers and offspring.
Creator
Bebus, Sara E., Florida Atlantic University, Herzing, Denise L.
Abstract/Description
The signature whistles of related Atlantic spotted dolphins ( Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas were evaluated for similarity. Judges compared the contour patterns of signature whistles pair-wise between 19 dolphins. Whistle parameters between the signature whistles of individuals were statistically compared. There were no significant differences between the signature whistles of male and female calves when the similarity of their whistles was compared to their mothers. However, there was a...
Show moreThe signature whistles of related Atlantic spotted dolphins ( Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas were evaluated for similarity. Judges compared the contour patterns of signature whistles pair-wise between 19 dolphins. Whistle parameters between the signature whistles of individuals were statistically compared. There were no significant differences between the signature whistles of male and female calves when the similarity of their whistles was compared to their mothers. However, there was a tendency with female calves more likely to produce signature whistles similar to their mothers' whistles. Three out of five female calves produced signature whistles that were "very similar" or "similar" to the signature whistles of their mothers. Two out of four male calves produced signature whistles that were "similar" to the signature whistles of their mothers. The signature whistles of mother and calf pairs were more likely to be "similar" to each other than the signature whistles of sibling pairs.
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Date Issued
2006
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13408
Subject Headings
Dolphins--Physiology, Animal communication, Atlantic spotted dolphin--Behavior, Animal sounds
Format
Document (PDF)
Signature whistle stability in wild female Atlantic spotted dolphins, Stenella frontalis
Title
Signature whistle stability in wild female Atlantic spotted dolphins, Stenella frontalis.
Creator
Burris, Jennifer., Florida Atlantic University, Salmon, Michael
Abstract/Description
Previous qualitative assessment indicated that signature whistles of temporarily captured, free-ranging dolphins remain stable over periods of 2--12 years. This study reports on the stability of signature whistle parameters in wild female Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas over five or more years and between changes in age class. Signature whistles from seven female dolphins were pooled into blocks of 'early' and 'late' years for the time assessment. Signature whistles from five females...
Show morePrevious qualitative assessment indicated that signature whistles of temporarily captured, free-ranging dolphins remain stable over periods of 2--12 years. This study reports on the stability of signature whistle parameters in wild female Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas over five or more years and between changes in age class. Signature whistles from seven female dolphins were pooled into blocks of 'early' and 'late' years for the time assessment. Signature whistles from five females were pooled by age class for the second analysis. Duration, minimum frequency, maximum frequency, and change in frequency were measured from spectrograms of whistles for statistical analysis. No significant changes were found in any of the signature whistle parameters either between early and late periods of time or with a change in age class.
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Date Issued
2004
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13155
Subject Headings
Dolphins--Physiology, Animal communication, Atlantic spotted dolphin--Behavior, Animal sounds
Format
Document (PDF)
Acoustic Tonal and Vector Properties of Red Hind Grouper Vocalizationd
Title
Acoustic Tonal and Vector Properties of Red Hind Grouper Vocalizationd.
Creator
Matthews, Cameron Anthony, Beaujean, Pierre-Philippe, Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Abstract/Description
Vertebrates are the most prodigious vocalizing animals in existence, and the most diverse methods of acoustic communication among vertebrates can be found in the ocean. Relatively many teleost fish are gifted with the ability to communicate acoustically, and the family of serranidae often performs this as a function of the swim bladder. Epinephelus Guttatus (E. guttatus), or more commonly the red hind grouper, is equipped with a drum shaped swim bladder acting as a monopole under typical...
Show moreVertebrates are the most prodigious vocalizing animals in existence, and the most diverse methods of acoustic communication among vertebrates can be found in the ocean. Relatively many teleost fish are gifted with the ability to communicate acoustically, and the family of serranidae often performs this as a function of the swim bladder. Epinephelus Guttatus (E. guttatus), or more commonly the red hind grouper, is equipped with a drum shaped swim bladder acting as a monopole under typical ocean conditions. This configuration allows for what is understood to be omnidirectional projection of tones approximately centered between 40 and 440 Hz and spanning anywhere from 40 to 200 Hz of bandwidth and modulation effects based on observed data provided by researchers. Prior studies on many other fish show correlation in acoustic communication profile with length, size and sexual identity. In the red hind, sexual dimorphism leads to an inherent female identity in all juvenile fish which converts to male according to environmental factors, recommending at least consistent organs across both sexes be assumed even if not in use. Much research has been performed on male fish vocalization in terms of spectral content. Communication in fish is a complex multi-modal process, with acoustic communication being important for many of the species, particularly those in the littoral regions of the worlds’ oceans. If identifying characteristics of the red hind vocalization can be isolated based on detection, classification, tracking and localizing methodologies, then these identifying characteristics may indeed lead to passive feature identification that allows for estimation of individual fish mass. Hypotheses based on vector, cyclostationary and classical tonal mechanics are presented for consideration. A battery of test data collection events, applying pre-recorded fish vocalizations to a geolocated undersea sound source were conducted. The results are supplied with the intent of validating hypothesis in a non-expert system manner that shows how a series of biological metrics may be assessed for detection, classification, localization and mass estimation for an individual vocalizing red hind grouper
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Date Issued
2017
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004826, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004826
Subject Headings
Wave-motion, Theory of., Sound production by animals., Fishes--Vocalization., Bioacoustics., Animal communication., Underwater acoustics., Acoustic surface waves.
Format
Document (PDF)
seeds of structure: Exploring the chimpanzee mind
Title
The seeds of structure: Exploring the chimpanzee mind.
Creator
Halloran, Andrew R., Florida Atlantic University, Broadfield, Douglas C.
Abstract/Description
There are certain properties of the human mind which allow abstract thought. These properties are responsible for the ability to create myth (or explanations of the unknown), cosmology, and culture. They are the seeds of all human phenomena not attributable to instinct. These properties can be isolated as the capacity for numeric logic and the mind functioning in terms of binary oppositions. The long held paradigm sees the human species as unique in possessing these qualities and well as the...
Show moreThere are certain properties of the human mind which allow abstract thought. These properties are responsible for the ability to create myth (or explanations of the unknown), cosmology, and culture. They are the seeds of all human phenomena not attributable to instinct. These properties can be isolated as the capacity for numeric logic and the mind functioning in terms of binary oppositions. The long held paradigm sees the human species as unique in possessing these qualities and well as the phenomena they yield. In order to challenge this paradigm, a two experiments are conducted on a chimpanzee to see if she possessed these properties. She successfully completed the cognitive tests on both experiments, thus implicating the human species as not unique in its abstractions.
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Date Issued
2005
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13309
Subject Headings
Brain--Evolution, Human information processing, Primates--Behavior, Human-animal communication, Cognition in animals, Chimpanzees--Behavior
Format
Document (PDF)
Marine tucuxi in Sepetiba Bay: Why do they form aggregations?
Title
Marine tucuxi in Sepetiba Bay: Why do they form aggregations?.
Creator
Dias, Laura Aichinger, Herzing, Denise L., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description
Between August 2005 and December 2006, 139 boat surveys were conducted in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil to sample behavioral patterns and environmental parameters during the occurrence of marine tucuxi groups and aggregations. Aggregations were defined as several groups gathered in an area totaling more than 100 animals, usually engaged in a specific behavior. A total of 65 aggregations (x=177) and 192 groups (x=18) were recorded. Marine tucuxi groups and aggregations differed regarding behavioral...
Show moreBetween August 2005 and December 2006, 139 boat surveys were conducted in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil to sample behavioral patterns and environmental parameters during the occurrence of marine tucuxi groups and aggregations. Aggregations were defined as several groups gathered in an area totaling more than 100 animals, usually engaged in a specific behavior. A total of 65 aggregations (x=177) and 192 groups (x=18) were recorded. Marine tucuxi groups and aggregations differed regarding behavioral activity, geographical location and age composition. Aggregations were temporal associations of several marine tucuxi groups performing foraging/feeding activities probably in response to prey species, abundance, and distribution. Aggregations were primarily located at the interior of the Bay where local topography may aid dolphins in pursuing and herding schools of prey. Presence of neonates and calves was highly correlated with aggregations, reflecting the potential importance aggregations have in the protection, developmental and learning processes of younger animals.
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Date Issued
2007
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000744
Subject Headings
Tucuxi--Habitat--Brazil--Sepetiba Bay, River dolphins--Brazil--Sepetiba Bay, Animal communication, River dolphins--Behavior--Brazil--Sepetiba Bay
Format
Document (PDF)
From the horse's mouth
Title
From the horse's mouth: speech and speciesism in Cordwainer Smith and Sheri S. Tepper.
Creator
Cox, Jennifer K., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
Abstract/Description
This thesis challenges dualistic human and animal ontologies by interpreting science fiction (sf) literature, and argues that whereas words can equivocate and obscure meaning, bodies do not lie. Linguistics and semiology extend the definition of "language" to include human and nonhuman gestures and movement, and posthumanist theory expands definitions of "human" and "animal" to explore species boundaries. Scrutinizing opposing dualisms ultimately questions Western epistemology and authority,...
Show moreThis thesis challenges dualistic human and animal ontologies by interpreting science fiction (sf) literature, and argues that whereas words can equivocate and obscure meaning, bodies do not lie. Linguistics and semiology extend the definition of "language" to include human and nonhuman gestures and movement, and posthumanist theory expands definitions of "human" and "animal" to explore species boundaries. Scrutinizing opposing dualisms ultimately questions Western epistemology and authority, allowing for an exploration of embodied animal communications within the larger discourse on species and speciesism. This perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of the interdependence of all species: human, animal, and "other." Although the fictional texts I employ use fantastic elements to posit hypothetical realities, current scientific research reveals that communication with nonhuman animals is indeed possible.
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Date Issued
2013
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360775
Subject Headings
Criticism and enterpretation, Criticism and enterpretation, Human-animal relationships, Interpersonal communication, Animal communication, Language and emotions, Emotive (Linguistics)
Format
Document (PDF)