Recent research has unveiled a fascinating aspect of marmoset behavior: these small primates appear to use specific vocalizations to address each other, similar to how humans use names.
This discovery could shed light on the evolution of language. In a study published in Science, researchers observed that marmosets use distinctive calls known as “phee-calls” to communicate with specific individuals.
By recording interactions among pairs of marmosets and between marmosets and a computer, scientists found that these calls serve as a form of vocal labeling.
The monkeys not only used these calls to address one another but also responded when they heard their own call, indicating an understanding of who the caller was.
Marmosets, which live in small, close-knit family groups, have a rich array of social calls.
In the study, ten marmosets were placed in enclosures with a visual barrier and recorded interacting with both familiar and unfamiliar group members.
The results showed that marmosets use these calls not only for self-localization but also for labeling and addressing individuals within their groups.
This behavior resembles human dialects and suggests that marmosets, like humans, can learn and adapt vocal labels.
David Omer from the Safra Center for Brain Sciences highlighted that this ability might have evolved to help marmosets coordinate and stay connected in their dense rainforest habitat.
The findings also propose that the evolution of vocal communication in marmosets may offer insights into the development of language in early human ancestors.
This article by Trinity Sparke was first published by One Green Planet on 16 September 2024. Image Credit :Dino-chaichai/Shutterstock.
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