02239nas a2200229   4500008004100000245012100041210006900162520144700231653003501678653003601713653002701749653002201776653002201798100002201820700001701842700001801859700001601877700002201893700001601915700002201931856005601953       2021                        eng d00aAllometric escape and acoustic signal features facilitate high-frequency communication in an endemic Chinese primate0 aAllometric escape and acoustic signal features facilitate highfr3 a<p>The principle of acoustic allometry&mdash;the larger the animal, the lower its calls&#39; fundamental frequency&mdash;is generally observed across terrestrial mammals. Moreover, according to the Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis, open habitats favor the propagation of high-frequency calls compared to habitats with complex vegetational structures. We carried out playback experiments in which the calls of the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus brelichi) were used as stimuli in sound attenuation and degradation experiments to test the hypothesis that propagation of Guizhou snub-nosed monkey calls is favored above vs through the forest floor vegetation. We found that low-pitched Guizhou snub-nosed monkey vocalizations suffered less attenuation than its high-pitched calls. Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys were observed emitting high-pitched calls from 1.5 to 5.0 m above the ground. The use of high-pitched calls from these heights coupled with the concomitant behavior of moving about above the understory may provide a signal for receivers which maximizes potential transmission and efficacy. Our results support the Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis and suggest that by uncoupling its vocal output from its size, this monkey can produce a high-pitched call with a broad spectral bandwidth, thereby increasing both its saliency and the frequency range over which the animal may more effectively communicate in its natural habitat.</p>
10aacoustic adaptation hypothesis10aPrinciple of acoustic allometry10aRhinopithecus brelichi10aSnub-nosed monkey10aSound propagation1 aRiondato, Isidoro1 aGamba, Marco1 aTan, Chia, L.1 aNiu, Kefeng1 aNarins, Peter, M.1 aYang, Yeqin1 aGiacoma, Cristina  uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00359-021-01465-7