Speaking Their Names – Marmoset Monkeys Use Unique Calls to Identify Each Other

Recent research has uncovered that marmoset monkeys use specific vocalizations, known as “phee-calls,” to communicate in a way that suggests they use names to identify and address each other. This behavior has been observed in a study conducted by scientists at the Hebrew University and published in the journal Science. The researchers found that marmosets could recognize these vocal labels and respond more accurately when called by their specific “name” call, indicating a high level of social and cognitive complexity, similar to behaviors previously documented only in humans, dolphins, and elephants​ The Express Tribune  and Neuroscience News

A recent study published in the journal Science reveals that marmoset monkeys employ distinctive whistle-like “phee calls” to address specific individuals within their groups, drawing parallels to how humans use names. This study positions marmosets alongside a select group of animals known to use personalized calls, a trait previously thought unique to humans. Notable examples include bottlenose dolphins with their “signature whistles” and African elephants, which use variations in rumbling sounds to identify each other.

🗣️ Monkeys give each other names, scientists find

High-pitched ‘phee-calls’ of marmosets may reveal how language evolved in early humans

Read more ⬇️https://t.co/fM6VMcauYw pic.twitter.com/M6J2QkpV0R

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 29, 2024

Led by David Omer, a neuroscientist at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the research highlights the complex cognitive abilities required for such communication. These abilities include mapping social environments, distinguishing between individual animals, and mentally visualizing other members of their species. The focus of Omer’s ongoing research is to pinpoint the specific brain circuits that enable this sophisticated communication.

A new study shows marmoset monkeys assign each other names, making the diminutive species the newest member of a highly exclusive club of social animals—along with humans, bottlenose dolphins and African elephants, writes @IssamAhmed https://t.co/QXHluM6E4H

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 29, 2024

Marmosets, known for their sociability, often use chirps, trills, and phee calls to communicate within the dense rainforests of South America. Particularly, this study honed in on phee calls, which serve as long-distance localization calls that convey the caller’s sex and identity—essentially the marmoset’s way of saying, “I’m over here.” However, a deeper analysis of over 50,000 calls, recorded from 10 marmosets isolated behind curtains, revealed that these calls also contain information specific to the intended recipient, akin to calling them by name.

The researchers utilized machine learning to detect unique acoustic patterns corresponding to calls directed at different individuals, essentially uncovering that each monkey has a “name.” While the exact element of the vocalization acting as a name remains unidentified, the study noted that family members often use similar names for a particular monkey, suggesting a form of dialect.

#intelligence 👇
Monkeys give secret names to each other just like humans – and it gives them surprising advantage for surviving in wildhttps://t.co/G2h3x0DYrm @KS85613092

— Intrepid (@RuDauntless) August 30, 2024

This finding has broader implications, suggesting that such naming practices might be more common in animal species than previously known, particularly among those that cooperate in raising offspring. Judith Burkart, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Zurich, emphasized that the absence of evidence in other species doesn’t mean the phenomenon doesn’t exist—it may simply indicate that it hasn’t been adequately searched for. This study not only highlights the sophisticated vocal abilities of marmosets but also suggests a potential shift in how we understand animal communication and intelligence.

Major Points:

• Marmoset monkeys use whistle-like “phee calls” to address specific individuals, similar to how humans use names.
• The study underscores the sophisticated cognitive abilities marmosets possess, such as mapping social interactions and recognizing individual identities.
• Over 50,000 phee calls were analyzed using machine learning to detect unique acoustic patterns, revealing that each monkey has a distinct “name.”
• The findings suggest that the ability to use names may be more widespread among animals, particularly those that collaborate in raising offspring.
• The ongoing research aims to identify the brain circuits that enable marmosets to perform such complex vocal communications.

Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News