 Rhesus Monkeys Match Sounds
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June 25, 2003 — Babies match vocal sounds with the expression on their parents' faces — an essential phase in mastering speech — thanks to a genetic legacy shared by our primate relatives, biologists suggest. Researchers in Germany say they have spotted a similar matching ability among rhesus monkeys.
They placed monkeys in front of two video monitors, each of which played a silent loop of another rhesus making facial expressions.
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On one screen, the monkey made the distinctive expression for a long, friendly "coo" sound. On other, it made a different face, used to make a sharp, angry "threat" sound.
The scientists then placed loudspeakers that played either the "coo" or "threat" sound, and watched to see how the monkeys responded.
The monkeys swiftly linked the auditory cue with the visual one — they turned to the appropriate screen, looking at the right expression for the right sound.
They also looked longer when the match face was articulating the welcoming "coo" call rather than when it was making the aggressive "threat" call.
The findings, said the researchers, suggest that monkeys — like humans — have an inherent ability to match vocal patterns with facial expressions, and that this faculty seems to come from a common "evolutionary precursor."
Monkeys and apes shared a common ancestry with humans before primates diverged into humans and simians millions of years ago.
Among babies, matching skills are vital for learning how to communicate. By doing so, the infant associates speech with meaning.
Asif Ghazanfar and Nikos Logothetis of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tuebingen wrote the study, which appears on Thursday in the British science journal Nature.
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Name: Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)
Primary Classification: Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys and Baboons) Location: Afghanistan, India, Thailand and southern China. Habitat: A wide range, including forests, flatlands, mountains and urban areas. Diet: Insects, shoots, fruits and seeds, as well as cultivated crops and small animals. Size: Up to 2 ft in length and 26 lbs in weight. Description: Olive brown body with orange-red fur on the loins and rump; thick build Cool Facts: It has cheek pouches that it uses to store food for eating later. It lives in groups of up to 200 individuals. It is a very good swimmer and enjoys the water. It has adapted to life in the city in India, where it is considered a sacred animal. Conservation Status: Lower Risk (Near Threatened) Major Threat: Habitat loss and hunting. What Can I Do?: Visit the Primate Conservation and Welfare Society for information on how you can help. |
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