Animal Sciences Commons^™

A Comparison Of Prairie Vole Audible And Ultrasonic Pup Calls And Attraction To Them By Adults Of Each Sex, Thomas A. Terleph

Biology Faculty Publications

Rodent pups of many species emit both ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and calls spanning into a lower frequency range, audible to humans (AUDs), yet there has been little systematic comparison of these different call types, or analyses of how they might differ in signal function. Here the spectral and temporal characteristics of USV and AUD pup calls are described for the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), a model used in studies of monogamous mating and biparental care, and a species with an unusually large functional and anatomical representation of auditory cortex. Findings provide a detailed description of each call type, …