Rocking gesture as communicative behavior in the wild pygmy chimpanzees in Wamba,central Zaire

The pygmy chimpanzee rocks its upper body in a variety of contexts, while the common chimpanzee rocks in only 3 situations; courtship, charging display and frustration. In the pygmy chimpanzee, behaviors involving rocking except for charging display are intentional communicative behaviors which bring about various body contact interactions. Each interaction pattern corresponds to each information set consisting of participant age-sex combination, additional signal and group situation. Rocking without any other gestures functions as a sign of tolerance or appeasement to access. This suggests that communicative behaviors involving rocking have a kind of segmentive structure, i.e., rocking represents access while other additional information sets represent the interaction pattern, the character of which is analogous to linguistic communication. Rocking in most interactions possibly derived from rocking in courtship behavior which appears to be a ritualized form of frustrated rocking, while other forms of rocking may possibly be of different origins.     

云南纳帕海越冬黑颈鹤日间行为模式与年龄和集群的关系

2006年10月—2007年5月,在云南省西北部纳帕海,采用路线调查结合瞬时扫描行为取样法,对越冬黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)种群的时间分配及其与年龄、集群和时间的关系进行了观察。结果说明,黑颈鹤越冬活动主要是以觅食为主,占日间时间的(76.81±9.1)％。越冬期间黑颈鹤日间行为的节律性较为明显,具有适应高寒气候的特点。集群形式对成鹤的行为有着显著影响,集群和家庭中活动的成鹤在觅食、警戒和争斗中存在显著差异(F1,76= 0.27、0.77, U= 279, P= 0.001—0.000)。年龄是影响鹤群行为的因素之一。幼鹤相比成鹤有较多的觅食时间和休息时间,警戒行为比例较低(F1,76= 0.04—2.59, U= 188—299, P= 0.006—0.000),且不受集群形式的影响。随着越冬期间的早、中、晚3个时期的环境变化,黑颈鹤的时间分配有显著变化(F2,36= 4.63—26.54, 22= 5.29—13.68, P= 0.0016—0.000)。不同越冬地的黑颈鹤行为存在差异。气候、食物资源和人为影响可能是造成这些差异的主要因素。     

How do communication systems emerge?

Communication involves a pair of behaviours—a signal and a response—that are functionally interdependent. Consequently, the emergence of communication involves a chicken-and-egg problem: if signals and responses are dependent on one another, then how does such a relationship emerge in the first place? The empirical literature suggests two solutions to this problem: ritualization and sensory manipulation; and instances of ritualization appear to be more common. However, it is not clear from a theoretical perspective why this should be the case, nor if there are any other routes to communication. Here, we develop an analytical model to examine how communication can emerge. We show that: (i) a state of non-interaction is evolutionarily stable, and so communication will not necessarily emerge even when it is in both parties'' interest; (ii) the conditions for sensory manipulation are more stringent than for ritualization, and hence ritualization is likely to be more common; and (iii) communication can arise by a third route, when the intention to communicate can itself be communicated, but this may be limited to humans. More generally, our results demonstrate the utility of a functional approach to communication.     

Evolution and Function of Drumming as Communication in Mammals

An amazing variety of mammals produce seismic vibrations bydrumming a part of their body on a substrate. The drumming cancommunicate multiple messages to conspecifics about territorialownership, competitive superiority, submission, readiness tomate, or presence of predators. Drumming also functions in interspecificcommunication when prey animals drum to communicate to predatorsthat they are too alert for a successful ambush. The diversityof mammals that drum in varied contexts suggest independentevolution in different lineages. Footdrumming, as with othersignals, probably originated by ritualization of older formsof behavior not associated with communication such as runningand digging. Footdrumming patterns are species specific andrange from single thumps to individual footdrum signatures.Although mammals communicate above ground with airborne drummingsignals, they can also transmit sound seismically into the burrowwhere the signals become airborne and are received with earsespecially adapted to hear low-frequency sound. Footdrumminghas been studied the most extensively in kangaroo rats, Dipodomys.A comparison of species of different body mass shows that smallersized, non-territorial species have no ritualized footdrumming;medium-sized species drum a simple pattern in limited contexts;while larger-sized species communicate territorial ownershipwith complex patterns. Future studies should examine the mechanicsand energy requirements of drumming to test hypotheses aboutbody size limitations on the evolution of footdrumming. Ourunderstanding of drumming as communication is limited untilinvestigators conduct field tests of responses to drumming signalsin the contexts in which the signals are generated.     

鄱阳湖越冬白鹤家庭行为

2012年11月至2013年3月,采用焦点取样法,对在江西鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区内越冬的白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)家庭行为进行了研究。结果表明,以家庭为活动单位的白鹤群,成年白鹤活动时间分配比例为:取食80.9%、警戒10.5%、理羽4.0%、游走3.9%、其他0.7%;越冬早期,成年白鹤游走行为的日节律呈现早、晚高,中午低,低谷在10:30~12:30时;越冬晚期,13:00~14:00时出现明显的取食低谷及警戒、游走和理羽的高峰;而越冬早期、中期的理羽高峰出现在14:00~15:00时;成年白鹤雄性与雌性的活动时间分配比例差异不显著;越冬期早、中、晚三个时期,成年白鹤的警戒(F=3.45,P=0.040)、理羽(F=6.99, P=0.001)及游走(F=7.79, P=0.001)行为比例差异显著。幼鹤活动时间分配比例与成年白鹤差异非常显著。幼鹤活动时间分配比例为:取食66.2%、乞食14.0%、警戒3.7%、理羽5.4%、游走3.6%、其他7.1%。雄性成鹤对幼鹤的喂饲频次呈递减趋势,雌性成鹤对幼鹤的喂饲频次从11月底到12月初呈上升趋势,12月中旬以后呈递减状态。整个越冬期,雄、雌成鹤喂饲幼鹤频次无显著性别差异(P=0.340),但越冬中期(P<0.001)及晚期(P=0.005)表现出极显著差异。随着幼鹤的成长,其活动时间节律发生较大变化;幼鹤取食行为比例明显增加,同时其乞食行为的比例显著减少,警戒行为比例显著增加。本次研究从行为学的角度展示了成年白鹤性别差异、幼鹤的生长过程及成鹤对幼鹤生长的重要性。     

Why preen others? Predictors of allopreening in parrots and corvids and comparisons to grooming in great apes

Allogrooming in primates serves not only a hygienic function, but also plays a crucial role in maintaining strong affiliative bonds between group members, which in turn, underpin the emergence of cooperative behavior. In contrast, although allopreening occurs in many avian species, we know little about its social functions. Our study addresses this issue by investigating allopreening in a broad comparative data set including six corvid and nine parrot species. We assessed whether rates of allopreening initiations, proportion of time spent allopreening, and the number of grooming partners in captive group-housed birds were comparable to patterns observed in captive chimpanzees and bonobos. While parrots and corvids were found to have similar rates of social grooming to bonobos and chimpanzees, Pan species dedicated significantly more time to social grooming. Animals in larger groups had more grooming partners, but when controlling for the number of potential partners, birds tended to have fewer grooming interaction partners than Pan species. We then investigated whether allopreening in parrots and corvids was predicted by behavioral markers of affiliative social bonds (close physical proximity, active feeding, and low levels of agonistic behavior). Results revealed that providing allopreening to a partner was significantly predicted by often being in close proximity, but not engagement in active feeding or agonistic behavior. We examined the region allopreened in a subset of species and found that preening a partner's head was predicted by both close physical proximity and active feeding, while body allopreening was only predicted by close physical proximity. Head preening may confer more hygienic benefits to recipients, and thus, may be more selectively provided to valued partners. Results support the hypothesis that allopreening in corvids and parrots helps maintain social bonds with an individual's most important social partners, showing some similarities to allogrooming in primates.     

Anonymity and specificity in the chemical communication signals of social insects

Summary The chemical communication signals of social insects, like many other insect semiochemicals, are complex mixtures that exhibit considerable variation in molecular composition and in the relative proportions of components. We propose that this variation is often functional, identifying individuals and groups on a variety of organizational levels and making possible a variety of adaptive discriminatory behaviors. Signals may be characterized as anonymous which are uniform throughout a group or organizational level, identifying the signaller as a member of the group but not distinguishing it from other members. Specific signals vary, and identify the signaller as an individual or member of a particular subgroup. These terms are relative; a given semiochemical may be anonymous in one context and specific in another. Specificity may be derived from the biosynthetic noise in an anonymous signal by a process of chemical ritualization. Mechanisms for recognizing both anonymous and specific signals depend on their predictability; recognition of predictable signals may be encoded in a closed developmental program, while those that are unpredictable must be learned. These categories may be usefully applied to a broad range of interactions among social insects, including sexual communication, community structure, and nestmate and kin recognition.     

Pattern, Distribution, and Function of Greeting Behavior Among Black-and-White Colobus

Various species of primates engage in greeting, a ritualized pattern of nonaggressive behavior that usually occurs during a reunion. Black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza) perform overhead mounting, mounting, and embracing behavior soon after an aggressive act and in nonagonistic situations. We studied the pattern, distribution, and function of the greeting behavior in 2 captive groups of black-and-white colobus. Overhead mounting was the most frequent pattern, accounting for >60% of all greetings (N=333). In nonagonistic situations, younger subordinate individuals greeted an older dominant individual more frequently than vice versa. A dominant male in a small multimale group frequently initiated contacts with adult females, though he was the oldest in the group. Conversely, the dominant male in a large 1-male group never greeted group members. Immediately after performing the greeting, the greeter groomed the recipient in more than half the cases. In the large group, greeting frequency correlates positively with the age difference between the pair; however, there is no correlation between the relatedness, affiliation frequency, or aggression frequency of a pair in either the small or large group. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that greeting behavior functions as a tension-reducing mechanism in nonagonistic situations. There is no evidence, however, that greeting functions to express social status or to attract a mate. In addition, the frequent greeting by the adult male in the small multimale group may indicate that individuals affirm social bonds via greeting behavior.     

The distinction between the extinct Pleistocene European Crane,Grus primigenia,and the extant Asian Sarus Crane,G. antigone

In contradiction with the conclusions of some previousworkers, the extant Sarus Crane, Grus antigone (L.), and the extinct large Crane, Grus primigeniaMilne-Edwards, from the Pleistocene of Europe, cannot be considered as conspecific. In fact, the tibiotarsal epicondyles, particularly the medial epicondyle, the distal end of the humerus, its ventral epicondyle and the adjoining process, are comparatively smaller in Grus primigenia. These findings indicate differences in locomotion.     

Male–Female Communication in the Crayfish Orconectes rusticus: The Use of Urinary Signals in Reproductive and Non-Reproductive Pairings

Animals use sensory communication to locate conspecifics, food, shelter, and avoid predators. Using urine visualization techniques as well as Digital Particle Illumination Velocimetry, we examined the role of urinary signals and current generations during social interactions of male and female crayfish. Both reproductive and non‐reproductive crayfish were paired to gain a better understanding of how reproductive state influences communication. Analyses of agonistic and mating events were paired in time with recorded urine release and current generation, illustrating a correlation of chemical communication with ritualized social behavior. Four treatment groups were run with specific combinations of different reproductive status: (1) both opponents reproductively active, (2) only the male in reproductive, (3) only the female reproductive, or (4) both opponents non‐reproductive. Results showed differences between treatment groups in urine release, current generation, and social behavior. Within reproductive pairings, both the male and female crayfish generated currents and released urine at higher rates than those in other treatment groups. Urine was released most often when opponents were in chelae contact with each other and these releases were often accompanied by anterior current generation. In addition, communication was different in reproductive trials where mating occurred. Overall, the results indicate that the use of hydrodynamic and chemical signals changes as a function of reproductive state and that this change in communication probably indicates readiness to mate.     

Chafing in fishes: occurrence,ontogeny, function and evolution

Synopsis Modal action patterns used in maintenance behavior have often been included in animals' communication repertoires during evolution, yet for fish neither the occurrence nor subsequent ritualization of maintenance behavior has been demonstrated. We review the literature and show that one maintenance behavior, the chafe, occurs in at least 30 families of fish. The chafe thus appears to offer a fruitful tool for the phylogenetic analysis of behavior of fish. We show that chafing in Etroplus maculatus and Xiphophorus helleri functions to remove sources of irritation from their skin. We also show that during ontogeny and when in social groups the frequency of chafing does not change with age in E. maculatus and E. suratensis. Etroplus suratensis have about twice the body surface and chafe twice as often as E. maculatus. Chafe-like behavior in Etroplus is observed during ontogeny when young glance on their parents' body. Young E. maculatus without parents present chafe more frequently than young with parents present suggesting that chafing on the substrate may substitute for parent contacting. Chafing is also included in adult behavior where it occurs during pair-formation, nest relief behavior and as an interspecific signal performed by the cleaner E. maculatus upon the host E. suratensis. The maintenance chafe and glance upon the parent both occur rapidly while the chafe performed during pair-formation is slow suggesting a degree of ritualization.     

扎龙湿地白鹤春季停歇地昼间行为时间分配及活动规律

在2004年4～5月,采用瞬时扫描取样法对扎龙国家级自然保护区林甸芦苇沼泽区的野生白鹤(Grusleucogeranus)在春季迁徙停歇地的昼间各种行为进行了研究。结果表明,在整个观察时期内白鹤各种行为具有较强的规律性,活动时间分配比例为:觅食31%、游走27%、静栖19%、警戒17%、修饰6%。白鹤觅食行为在一天中有两个高峰,分别为早晨和黄昏;游走行为基本上与觅食行为呈正相变化,并且几乎每个游走高峰及低潮相应地伴随着觅食的高峰和低潮;由于渔民清晨下苇塘收鱼和放牧,在5:30～6:30和6:30～7:30两个时间段警戒行为比例最高;静栖行为基本与游走及觅食行为呈负相关,对比发现,静栖行为比例低于觅食行为,与笼养鹤类的情况存在一定的差异,原因可能是食物丰富度影响了野生状态下行为的时间分配;修饰行为所占比例较小,是由于修饰行为是非主要行为,其发生是随机的。天气状况对白鹤数量变化有一定影响,阴雨和大风天气,白鹤数量明显减少,鹤群转移。与正常天气情况相比,阴雨和大风对白鹤觅食、静栖和游走行为时间分配影响显著(P阴雨=0·000<0·05,P大风=0·000<0·05),觅食时间缩短,游走行为减少,静栖时间变长。     

The regulation of social recognition, social communication and aggression: vasopressin in the social behavior neural network

Neuropeptides in the arginine vasotocin/arginine vasopressin (AVT/AVP) family play a major role in the regulation of social behavior by their actions in the brain. In mammals, AVP is found within a circuit of recriprocally connected limbic structures that form the social behavior neural network. This review examines the role played by AVP within this network in controlling social processes that are critical for the formation and maintenance of social relationships: social recognition, social communication and aggression. Studies in a number of mammalian species indicate that AVP and AVP V1a receptors are ideally suited to regulate the expression of social processes because of their plasticity in response to factors that influence social behavior. The pattern of AVP innervation and V1a receptors across the social behavior neural network may determine the potential range and intensity of social responses that individuals display in different social situations. Although fundamental information on how social behavior is wired in the brain is still lacking, it is clear that different social behaviors can be influenced by the actions of AVP in the same region of the network and that AVP can act within multiple regions of this network to regulate the expression of individual social behaviors. The existing data suggest that AVP can influence social behavior by modulating the interpretation of sensory information, by influencing decision making and by triggering complex motor outputs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.     

Manipulation of the oxytocin system alters social behavior and attraction in pair-bonding primates, Callithrix penicillata

The establishment and maintenance of stable, long-term male-female relationships, or pair-bonds, are marked by high levels of mutual attraction, selective preference for the partner, and high rates of sociosexual behavior. Central oxytocin (OT) affects social preference and partner-directed social behavior in rodents, but the role of this neuropeptide has yet to be studied in heterosexual primate relationships. The present study evaluated whether the OT system plays a role in the dynamics of social behavior and partner preference during the first 3 weeks of cohabitation in male and female marmosets, Callithrix penicillata. OT activity was stimulated by intranasal administration of OT, and inhibited by oral administration of a non-peptide OT-receptor antagonist (L-368,899; Merck). Social behavior throughout the pairing varied as a function of OT treatment. Compared to controls, marmosets initiated huddling with their social partner more often after OT treatments but reduced proximity and huddling after OT antagonist treatments. OT antagonist treatment also eliminated food sharing between partners. During the 24-h preference test, all marmosets interacted more with an opposite-sex stranger than with the partner. By the third-week preference test, marmosets interacted with the partner and stranger equally with the exception that intranasal-OT treatments facilitated initial partner-seeking behavior over initial contact with the stranger. Our findings demonstrate that pharmacological manipulations of OT activity alter partner-directed social behavior during pair interactions, suggesting that central OT may facilitate the process of pair-bond formation and social relationships in marmoset monkeys.     

Coccidial infection does not influence preening behavior in American goldfinches

Preening behavior in birds is important for the maintenance of thermoregulatory and ornamental functions of plumage. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that birds trade off time between plumage maintenance and other activities. However, the condition-dependent constraints of preening remain virtually unstudied. Here, we present the first experimental test of the hypothesis that intestinal parasite infection impairs preening activity. We studied male American goldfinches (Spinus tristis), a species with carotenoid-based plumage coloration. Following pre-alternate (spring) molt, we manipulated the health of males by infecting some birds with Isospora spp. coccidia and keeping others free of the infection. Although the goldfinches increased preening throughout the captive period, we found no significant effect of coccidial treatment on preening behavior. The effect of coccidia on plumage maintenance may be more pronounced under natural conditions where birds have limited access to food and engage in more activities that might limit time available for preening.     

丹顶鹤与白枕鹤的领域比较

有７种濒危鹤类受到现代人的威胁［２０］,丹顶鹤（Ｇｒｕｓｊａｐｏｎｅｎｓｉｓ）和白枕鹤（Ｇｒｕｓｖｉｐｉｏ）是其中两种,分别为我国的Ⅰ、Ⅱ级保护动物。在中国丹顶鹤主要在黑龙江省的乌裕尔河下游和三江平原等地繁殖,数量在４８２～５０２之间［７］。吉林省的向海也有４０余只繁殖鹤［８,９］。它们在长江中下游的江苏盐城、高邮湖、洪泽湖,安徽省的城东湖、石臼湖、菜子湖越冬［５］。白枕鹤繁殖区在中国东北的乌裕尔河下游、向海、达里诺尔湖以及乌苏里江以东俄罗斯的沿海边区［２０］。我国已知的繁殖区内数量不多［１］,…     

Ceremonial Dialogues in South America

In native South America, ceremonial dialogue is a widespread and prominent, yet simultaneously enigmatic, form of ritualized language use. This paper examines the ceremonial dialogic complex through the interpretive lens of a semiotic hypothesis, namely, that ritualized dialogic form is a sign vehicle, a "model of and for" linguistic and more generally social solidarity. A comparative correlational study confirms this semiotic interpretation, showing that the ceremonial dialogue is used in situations of potential conflict—the maximally distant social relations within a given society. This paper also raises a broader theoretical issue concerning the role of metacommunicative devices in social action, suggesting that it is the "meta-signal" itself that enables actors to formulate an image of action—thereby regulating it—simultaneously as it occurs.     

北戴河朱鹮野化种群非繁殖期日间活动时间分配和行为节律

于2019年7月-2020年1月对北戴河朱鹮野化种群非繁殖期的日间活动时间分配和行为节律进行了分析。结果表明,休息（41.8%）、觅食（39.7%）和理羽（13.3%）是北戴河朱鹮非繁殖期的主要行为。在行为节律上,有3个觅食高峰、2个休息高峰和2个理羽高峰。成鸟和幼鸟行为分配相似,但成鸟的警戒和社群等其他行为比例显著较高。与野生种群相比,北戴河野化种群的觅食时间显著较少,主要原因是野生个体需要花费较多时间搜寻食物,且飞行等活动的能耗较高。朱鹮在冬季的休息和理羽行为比例高于夏秋季,觅食行为则相反,这样可以在低温和大风天气降低能耗,是对北戴河气候环境的有效适应。为了提高朱鹮对多种气候环境的适应能力,为今后北戴河朱鹮的再引入奠定基础,我们建议在冬季要确保朱鹮有充足的适宜觅食地,同时在野化网笼中进行必要的环境丰容,如在网笼内增加常绿树种和阔叶树种,部分侧网上安装防风板,或在网笼中设置防风避寒的伞棚等设施,以供朱鹮进行选择。     

越冬期黑颈鹤个体行为生态的研究

越冬期黑颈鹤的个体行为可分为：取食、保养、争斗、警戒、运动行为、种间关系及领域性。随着冬季食物资源的逐渐减少,在取食行为中幼鹤由乞食、被成鹤供食转为向成鹤抢食。有些家族鹤为保证食物资源而建立领域,领域大小与家族内成员数无关,且在冬季（甚至１天内）是变化的。为获得食物和保卫领域,黑颈鹤之间（或与灰鹤之间）常发生争斗,争斗的主要形式是仪式化威胁。