Seismic communication in the blind subterranean mole-rat: patterns of head thumping and of their detection in the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies in Israel |
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| Authors: | G. Heth E. Frankenberg H. Pratt E. Nevo |
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| Affiliation: | *Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel;**Nature Reserves Authority, 78 Yirmeyahu St., Jerusalem 94467, Israel;***Evoked Potentials Laboratory, Behavioural Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel |
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| Abstract: | Patterns of seismic communication and somatosensory responses were studied in four chromosomal species (2n= 52, 54, 58, 60) of blind subterranean mole-rats, belonging to the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies in Israel. The patterns involved head thumping signals and surface-recorded cerebral potentials evoked by vibrational signals. The patterns correspond to the differences in territory size and population density which characterize the four species. It is suggested that this correspondence is related to the adaptive significance of the seismic communication. |
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