Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).

In this study we aimed to examine whether the 'redundancy' (a backup function to ensure the signal transmission) or 'multiple messages' (sensory communication system in combination) hypothesis would explain the function of multimodal communication of white-lipped peccaries (Tayas...

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Main Authors: Raimundo N Alencar, Sérgio L G Nogueira-Filho, Selene S C Nogueira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280728
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author Raimundo N Alencar
Sérgio L G Nogueira-Filho
Selene S C Nogueira
author_facet Raimundo N Alencar
Sérgio L G Nogueira-Filho
Selene S C Nogueira
author_sort Raimundo N Alencar
collection DOAJ
description In this study we aimed to examine whether the 'redundancy' (a backup function to ensure the signal transmission) or 'multiple messages' (sensory communication system in combination) hypothesis would explain the function of multimodal communication of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari-WLPs). We also aimed to assess the individual factors (the social rank and sex of the sender) influencing the production of, and responses to unimodal and multimodal signals. We determined the social rank of 21 WLPs living in two captive groups and quantified the production of unimodal and multimodal signals when displaying threatening and submissive behaviors. WLPs most often produce multimodal signals independent of a previous unimodal signal failure, which suggests that they were adding more information, such as the sender's size, rather than merely increasing efficacy by engaging a different receiver's sensory channel. There was no effect of the sender's sex in the production of, and responses to, multimodal signals. However, the higher the sender's social rank, the greater the production of multimodal signals when WLPs were displaying threatening behaviors; whereas the lower the sender's social rank, the greater the production of multimodal signals when displaying submission behaviors. Multimodal signals elicited more non-aggressive responses than did the unimodal signals when displaying a threat. Moreover, the higher the sender's social rank, the greater the occurrence of non-aggressive responses to multimodal signals when displaying a threat; whereas the opposite occurred when displaying submission. Our findings support the 'multiple messages' hypothesis to explain the function of multimodal signaling during agonistic interactions in WLPs. Additionally, both the production of, and responses to, multimodal signals are related to the sender's social rank. These results allow us to suggest that the production of multimodal signals may have a key role in mitigating conflict and thus promoting group cohesion among white-lipped peccaries.
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spelling doaj.art-d3818530e91d49c885a23b3db30b7d992023-03-02T05:32:03ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01182e028072810.1371/journal.pone.0280728Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).Raimundo N AlencarSérgio L G Nogueira-FilhoSelene S C NogueiraIn this study we aimed to examine whether the 'redundancy' (a backup function to ensure the signal transmission) or 'multiple messages' (sensory communication system in combination) hypothesis would explain the function of multimodal communication of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari-WLPs). We also aimed to assess the individual factors (the social rank and sex of the sender) influencing the production of, and responses to unimodal and multimodal signals. We determined the social rank of 21 WLPs living in two captive groups and quantified the production of unimodal and multimodal signals when displaying threatening and submissive behaviors. WLPs most often produce multimodal signals independent of a previous unimodal signal failure, which suggests that they were adding more information, such as the sender's size, rather than merely increasing efficacy by engaging a different receiver's sensory channel. There was no effect of the sender's sex in the production of, and responses to, multimodal signals. However, the higher the sender's social rank, the greater the production of multimodal signals when WLPs were displaying threatening behaviors; whereas the lower the sender's social rank, the greater the production of multimodal signals when displaying submission behaviors. Multimodal signals elicited more non-aggressive responses than did the unimodal signals when displaying a threat. Moreover, the higher the sender's social rank, the greater the occurrence of non-aggressive responses to multimodal signals when displaying a threat; whereas the opposite occurred when displaying submission. Our findings support the 'multiple messages' hypothesis to explain the function of multimodal signaling during agonistic interactions in WLPs. Additionally, both the production of, and responses to, multimodal signals are related to the sender's social rank. These results allow us to suggest that the production of multimodal signals may have a key role in mitigating conflict and thus promoting group cohesion among white-lipped peccaries.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280728
spellingShingle Raimundo N Alencar
Sérgio L G Nogueira-Filho
Selene S C Nogueira
Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
PLoS ONE
title Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
title_full Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
title_fullStr Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
title_full_unstemmed Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
title_short Production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).
title_sort production of multimodal signals to assert social dominance in white lipped peccary tayassu pecari
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280728
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