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Note-, phrase- and song-specific acoustic variables contributing to the individuality of male duet song in the Bornean southern gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis)

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Abstract

In this study, we examine acoustic individuality in male duet songs of wild, non-habituated Bornean southern gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) and identify contributing acoustic variables. We recorded 174 male duet songs from nine groups in a rainforest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Each male portion of the duet was analysed for 14 acoustic variables at three levels of variation, including six note-specific variables (start frequency, end frequency, minimum frequency, maximum frequency, average frequency and duration), four phrase-specific variables (minimum frequency, maximum frequency, duration and number of syllables) and four song-specific variables (minimum frequency, maximum frequency, duration and number of syllables). Principal component analysis was performed to summarise each of these sets of variables into a total of six principal components (PCs). Strong acoustic individuality was found in all PCs and at all three levels: note, phrase and song (all p < 0.001). Furthermore, a particularly high magnitude of individuality was found in PC 1 of the song-specific analysis, defined by the acoustic variables of duration and number of syllables. Due to the high levels of individuality, we suggest that these acoustic variables may be used by Bornean southern gibbons for individual discrimination. As well as furthering our biological understanding of male gibbon song with regards to individuality and associated conspecific recognition, these findings also have the potential to help improve population survey methods, such as the acoustic sampling method using listening points, by offering a more accurate method of individual recognition.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out with the OuTrop-CIMTROP multi-disciplinary research project in the Bawan Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Special thanks go to all OuTrop volunteers and organisers for their help in this project. Thanks to Science Oxford for kindly hosting our fundraising event and to BBC Radio Oxford for their help publicising it. Funding was provided by a St. John’s College Special Grant, the Mike Soper Bursary Fund and through private donations. We would especially like to thank A & B Ekert for their considerable private donation. Finally, we thank Professor Simon Bearder and others who helped to review this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK

    Klara M. Wanelik

  2. Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatland (CIMTROP), University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, Indonesia

    Abdul Azis & Susan M. Cheyne

  3. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, OX13 5QL, UK

    Susan M. Cheyne

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  1. Klara M. Wanelik
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  2. Abdul Azis
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Correspondence to Klara M. Wanelik.

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Wanelik, K.M., Azis, A. & Cheyne, S.M. Note-, phrase- and song-specific acoustic variables contributing to the individuality of male duet song in the Bornean southern gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis). Primates 54, 159–170 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-012-0338-y

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