神农架川金丝猴叫声曲目及其对叫声信号认知能力的研究

Primates live in societies with various structures, and use vocalizations as a primary mode for communication. The investigations on their vocal behaviors, therefore, are important to understand their social organizations and cognitive capability. Primates utter various call types to realize multiple functions. Understanding how vocal signals deliver functional information is a central topic in the studies of primate vocal communication. The Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an endangered primate endemic to China. Vocal communication should be particularly important for this species, which lives in forest habitats and forms multilevel complex societies. However, only few studies have focused on its vocal behavior. This project would conduct a systematic study on the vocal behavior of the Shennongjia population, on the basis of individual identification and known kinship. First, the project would determine how many call types the monkeys are able to emit and what functions these call types have. Then, the project would examine the monkeys' capability to signal and perceive kinship, social membership, and predator type. This project would improve our understanding of how Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys use vocal signals to maintain their unusual social system.

灵长类动物生活在结构多样的社会系统中，声音通讯行为是其信息交流的主要手段之一，因而声音通讯行为是研究灵长类的社会系统和认知能力的重要内容。灵长类通过发出各种类型的叫声，实现多方面的重要功能。灵长类声音通讯行为研究的一个核心内容是理解叫声信号如何准确传递功能信息。川金丝猴（Rhinopithecus roxellana）是我国特有的濒危物种，由于社群庞大并呈特殊的重层结构，再加上林栖生活，视觉交流受限，声音通讯行为对其社会组织的维持和协调尤为重要，但相关研究很少。本申请将在识别个体和掌握个体间亲缘关系的基础上，对神农架川金丝猴种群的声音通讯行为进行系统研究。首先，明确川金丝猴的所有叫声类型及其功能；在这基础上，检验叫声信号能否传递亲属关系、社会隶属以及天敌类型等信息。通过本项目的实施，将对川金丝猴如何使用叫声信号维持其特殊的社会系统有较为深入的理解。

我国是灵长类多样性最丰富的国家之一，声音通讯行为在灵长类的社会生活中起着特别重要的作用，但国内现状相对滞后。川金丝猴是我国特有的国家一级重点保护动物，具有异常复杂的社会系统，声音通讯行为在维持其社会结构中有重要功能。因此本项目的主要内容包括：明确该物种的声音曲目（vocal repertoire），在这基础上研究某些叫声类型能否传递特定信息。现有数据分析表明，该物种相对很多灵长类物种可发出较多的叫声类型，这可能与其复杂的社会系统有关。该物种的某些叫声类型的声学结构在不同的情形下的变化，可能传递了重要信息，包括天敌类型、个体身份、社会隶属关系等。本项目的成果可为深入研究该物种的声音通讯行为如何维持其复杂的社会奠定基础，也有望促进我国其他灵长类动物的声音通讯研究。