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Evaluation of ultrasonic vocalizations in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) as a potential indicator of welfare

Lab Animal volume 43, pages 313–320 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The vocal repertoire in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) has been assumed to consist not only of vocalizations audible to humans but also of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). The use of USVs to socially indicate distress has not been evaluated in this species, however. The authors analyzed the ultrasonic vocal repertoire of the common marmoset under normal housing conditions, under various experimental manipulations intended to elicit positive or negative emotional responses and during stressful experiences including blood draw and exposure to a perceived predator. Analysis of the recordings showed that marmosets produced vocalizations with ultrasonic components as part of their normal vocal repertoire, but these vocalizations all have audible components as well. Only 4 of the 13 types of vocalizations had ultrasonic components. These ultrasonic components were not reliably associated with responses to different experimental manipulations, suggesting that they are not used to indicate pain, discomfort or distress.

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Figure 1: Typical audiograms of four defined audible vocalizations, with extension into the ultrasonic range (left) or without extension into the ultrasonic range (right).
Figure 2: Vocalization production rate of male marmosets in their home cages during various experimental manipulations.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Herma van der Wiel for critical reading of the manuscript and Donna Devine and Thea de Koning for editing the manuscript. We also thank Henk van Westbroek for optimizing the graphs and figures. This study was funded in part by a grant from the EUPRIM-Net Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, the Netherlands

    Jaco Bakker, Annet L. Louwerse &  Jan A.M. Langermans

  2. University of Applied Sciences HAS, Den Bosch, the Netherlands

    Tessa J.M. van Nijnatten & Guus Baarends

  3. Department of Immunobiology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, the Netherlands

    Guus Baarends

  4. Department of Animals in Science & Society, Division of Animal Welfare & Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands

    Saskia S. Arndt

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  1. Jaco Bakker
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Correspondence to Jaco Bakker.

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Bakker, J., van Nijnatten, T., Louwerse, A. et al. Evaluation of ultrasonic vocalizations in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) as a potential indicator of welfare. Lab Anim 43, 313–320 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.568

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