Captive common marmosets, as exhibited at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, are renowned for their verbality.
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal eLife, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) have discovered that fetal common marmosets begin making cry-like facial expressions nearly two months before birth. These expressions, which were observed through regular ultrasounds from the 95th day of pregnancy until birth at 146 days, are thought to be practice cries, even though the animals weren't yet capable of making sounds. The study, conducted by researcher Andrea Ravignani, separates these expressions from other mouth movements and matches them to the face shapes made after birth when the infants begin calling out to their parents. The study's focus on the building blocks of spoken language is 'extremely compelling,' according to Ravignani. Marmosets, he believes, could offer more insights than chimpanzees in certain vocal characteristics due to their developmental flexibility. Marmosets, like human infants, are relatively helpless when they're born and both male and female parents raise their offspring together. They are primates and are more closely related to humans than more common research subjects like lab mice. In fact, common marmosets are among the smallest of monkey species, with adults weighing just 8 to 9 ounces. To train the marmosets to sit still for the ultrasounds, the researchers used marshmallows as treats. The number of practice cries made by fetal marmosets increased over time, suggesting a developmental process similar to that seen in human babies. Despite the fact that marmosets never reach the level of language possible in humans, their communication improves over time. Ravignani, who has previously discovered hidden rhythms in lemur vocalizations, believes that marmosets could provide valuable insights into the development of vocal characteristics. However, it's important to note that research on marmosets may not always be instructive for humans. For the vocal characteristics examined in this study, Ravignani thinks they're an excellent fit. The study on the practice cries of baby macaques was conducted at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung, IZW), which is affiliated with the Leibniz Association, not directly with a university. Interestingly, marmosets often give birth to twins, triplets, or quadruplets, but the scientists were unable to distinguish between the individual babies during pregnancy. Practice cries in fetal marmosets were initially coordinated with head movements, but over time, these movements were decoupled. This study provides a fascinating insight into the early development of vocal characteristics in primates and could pave the way for further research into the building blocks of spoken language.
Read also:
- Application solicitations for PhD in Law at DAU School of Law for the academic year 2025-26 are now open
- Must-see eco-friendly exhibitions to check out this summer in London for nature enthusiasts
- Tobacco Sensitivity: Recognizing Signs, Identification, and Avoidance Strategies
- AI's environmental footprint unveiled by Mistral's latest sustainability tool, painting a grim picture
