Some species of male land mammals are capable of exaggerating their vocal sounds to attract a potential mate . Thus, man is not the only animal in which evolution has exaggerated the masculinity of his voice.
Lions, African elephants or red deer have developed physical characteristics that allow them to vary the tone and frequency of their vocal signals to make their body size appear larger , in order to attract potential sexual partners and deter rivals, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.
The researchers, from the University of Dublin (Ireland) and Sussex (England), analyzed the voice of 72 species of terrestrial mammals (including lions, chimpanzees and humans), concluding that those that were considered more attractive by females, they had extremely low voices. And it is that certain animals have developed physical adaptations that allow them to make low-frequency vocal sounds that, in general, only mammals with a considerable body size can make, being perceived, therefore, larger by females.
Experts believe that this pressure on body size – both to cope with rivals and to attract females – is a key factor that has led to the evolution of physical adaptations in some male mammals , allowing them to exaggerate their size through of vocal signals.
Vocal exaggeration does not occur between species in which sexual selection is based on sperm competition. In addition, we also know that in other species, males are, for example, capable of developing showy colors, long feathered tails or performing exotic courtship dances.
