CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Distress vocalizations are emitted by animals experiencing extreme physical distress, such as when caughtby a predator. These signals are emitted by numerous and phylogenetically distant vertebrate species and arecomposed of sequences of broadband and high-amplitude notes. In this study, we provide the first acous-tic characterization of distress vocalizations in four armadillo species: pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorustruncatus), greater fairy armadillo (Calyptophractus retusus), Southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutesmatacus), and Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous chacoensis). We also recharacterized the weepingcall of the screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) to compare vocalizations, discuss poten-tial homologies, and examine possible causes of structural and acoustic similarities among these species. Inthree species the vocalizations were sequences of exhaled notes that differed in their fine spectral structure(exhaled harmonic notes in C. retusus, and exhaled harsh notes in C. truncatus and T. matacus). The vocal-ization of C. chacoensis was composed of exhaled harsh and inhaled harsh notes that occurred alternately andcontinuously in a quick sequence. Based on the mode of production and acoustic similarity, we propose thatthe notes of C. retusus and C. truncatus would be homologous to the conspicuous crying notes of C. velle-rosus. The exhaled harsh notes of T. matacus and C. chacoensis may also be homologous to the crying notesof C. vellerosus, but the notes of T. matacus are quite different in various acoustic parameters. Furthermore,the inhaled and exhaled harsh notes of C. chacoensis are similar to the inhaled and exhaled sobbing notes ofC. vellerosus, making assessments of homologies uncertain in these species. Because a common motivationalstate (physical distress) underlies these vocalizations, we propose that the notable differences in body sizeand habitat preferences of the armadillos could represent potential drivers of the acoustic divergence amongtheir vocalizations.

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