Nasal and Oral Calls in Juvenile Goitred Gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) and their Potential to Encode Sex and Identity

Bovids represent a convenient group for studying the acoustical variation, functions and evolution of vocal communication. Among bovids, a wide spectrum of vocal adaptations and examples of parallel evolution with cervids and humans can be found (Fitch & Reby 2001; McElligott et al. 2006; Frey et al. 2007, 2008a,b). For instance, in the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), a strong sexual dimorphism resembles the situation in humans: the ‘Adam’s apple’ of adult human males and the larynx of adult male goitred gazelles are similarly larger and rest lower in the neck than in females. This anatomical feature is very prominent (Kingswood & Blank 1996; Frey et al. unpubl. data) and was noted already in the first scientific description of this species (Güldenstaedt 1780). In addition to such interesting anatomical adaptations, bovids demonstrate variable modes of vocal production. While adult male and female saiga antilopes (Saiga tatarica) vocalize exclusively through the nose (Frey et al. 2007; Volodin et al. 2009), most African gazelles call mainly through the nose, but optionally also through the mouth (Walther et al. 1983). Adult rutting male Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) and goitred gazelles vocalize through the widely opened mouth, whilst the non-rutting males and adult females of these species produce both oral and nasal calls (Blank 1998; Frey et al. Correspondence Ilya A. Volodin, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia. E-mail: [email protected]