Monkeys use the ‘accent’ of other species when entering their territory to help them understand each other better and avoid potential conflicts. This is the conclusion reached by an investigation from Anglia Ruskin University (England). Furthermore, the research results have been published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Investigation Development
The study has analyzed the behavior of 15 groups of tamarins of various colors ( Saguinus bicolor ) and red-handed tamarins ( Saguinus midas ) in the Brazilian Amazon.
The researchers found that when red-handed tamarins entered territory shared with marmosets (critically endangered primates), the tamarins reproduced the ‘so-called’ longs that marmosets use. That is, they imitated his call to communicate with them.
Marmosets have greater vocal flexibility and use calls more often than multi-colored tamarins, so scientists believe they could alter their calls to avoid territorial disputes over resources.
According to the study’s lead author, Tainara Sobroza, when groups of tamarins move rapidly around the Amazon rainforest, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the species. However, in this research they were able to show that they sound exactly the same in the areas where both species coexist.
Evolution of the species
Jacob Dunn, associate professor of evolutionary biology at Anglia Ruskin University, argued that it has long been known that when several species coexist in a geographic area, they exhibit very interesting evolutionary patterns. For example, Darwin’s finches have different beaks because they evolved to specialize in different foods, thus avoiding competition.
In some cases, instead of diverging to become different from each other, some closely related species converge to display similar traits. Thus, this study is the first to show a convergence of calls in primates, and the call of one species becomes the ‘lingua franca’ in shared habitats.
In addition, because these species depend on similar resources, slightly modifying their accents is likely to help them identify each other more easily in forests, avoiding potential conflicts.
