Extreme ecological constraints lead to high degree of individual stereotypy in the vocal repertoire of the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus)

The ability to recognize the identity of conspecifics is a key component for survival many animal species and fundamental social interactions such as parental care, intra-sexual competition or mate recognition. In group-living species, simultaneous co-existence individuals increases number reinforces need individual Acoustic signals are widely used by birds mammals communicate convey information about identity, but their use in very dense colonies becomes challenging due high level background noise risk confusion among individuals. Cape fur seal (CFS) most colonial pinniped one world, with up 210,000 during breeding season. Here, we investigated stereotypy vocalizations produced pups, females male CFS using Random Forests index vocal (IVS). We thus compared IVS values other species. Within identified individuality all call types degree varies regard function: affiliative calls mother–pup reunion context territorial mature bulls holding harem were more individualized than involved agonistic interactions. Our inter-species comparisons pinnipeds showed that displayed higher degrees similar lower ecological constraints (colony density structure). Individual recognition primordial establishment notably occurs through acoustic mammalian Understanding role complexity development improves our general knowledge on communication system. This study (CFS), an extreme illustration complexity. this results selective pressure reunions behaviour. By comparing contained can assess how (environmental social) drive systems vertebrates.