Re: What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization?

[Jazz <jazz_bailey@xxxxxxxxx>]

Guinea pigs are highly vocal animals with around a dozen distinct calls  that 
are produced in different social contexts. They provide a good  model for human 
because they have a very similar audiogram to human and  half of there calls are 
in the frequency range of human speech. However,  these animals are not known to 
be vocal learners. Their is no prefect model, just choose the one that best 
allows you address the question of interest.




----- Original Message ----
From: Kenneth Kragh Jensen <kkj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, 2 March, 2011 7:41:18
Subject: Re: [AUDITORY] What animal model provides the closest match to human 
vocalization?

Dear Peter,

In what specific way do you need the vocalizations to be similar? As I'm
sure you know, parrots can learn and produce vocalizations very close to
humans. Zebra finches, mynah birds, crows, and any other species have broad
band vocalizations that resembles that of human vocalizations in many ways.
In all species the vocalizations are learned. The audition of birds is not
too different from that of humans either, but again, it depends on what you
meant with a close match.

Best,
Kenneth

-----Original Message-----
From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception
[mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Pete Howell
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2011 3:33 AM
To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization?

Birds and mice have been used in studies intended to establish how genetic
mutations affect vocalization. It seems to me that neither of these produce
sounds that are close to those that humans produce. I wondered whether
members of the list have suggestions about what  animal model provides the
closest match to human vocalization and audition. In terms of vocalization,
primates or whales/porpoises seem contenders, but few labs can provide
facilities for these.
Peter Howell



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