Vocal plasticity in manatees

Team: Angela Stoeger, Anton Baotic, Jana-Maria Schminke

Description:
We aim to investigate vocal learning in Sirenia, a clade of fully aquatic mammals comprising the three extant species of manatees and the dugong. We want to investigate, whether manatees are capable of vocal learning and to what extent.  So far as we know, humans share the capacity for VPL with songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds, bats, cetaceans, pinnipeds, and elephants. Sirenia are the closest living relatives to elephants. In order to understand evolutionary pressures that favoured the development of vocal learning, it is seems critical to investigate whether and to what extent learned vocal behaviour is apparent in species phylogenetically close to a recognized vocal learner.

Through this work, we may be able to add a new taxon to the list of known vocal learners and add information to the critical question of which species, other than humans, are capable of vocal learning and to what extent.

Collaboration partners:
Beth Brady, Mote Marine Laboratory, USA
Eric Angel Ramos, University of Vermont, USA
Andrea Ravignani, Dept. of Human Neurosciences Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Lorezo von Fersen, Curator for research and conservation, Nuremberg Zoo, Germany