Subject: Re: What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization? From: Jazz <jazz_bailey@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 05:24:02 -0800 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>Guinea pigs are highly vocal animals with around a dozen distinct calls that are produced in different social contexts. They provide a good model for human because they have a very similar audiogram to human and half of there calls are in the frequency range of human speech. However, these animals are not known to be vocal learners. Their is no prefect model, just choose the one that best allows you address the question of interest. ----- Original Message ---- From: Kenneth Kragh Jensen <kkj@xxxxxxxx> To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Sent: Wed, 2 March, 2011 7:41:18 Subject: Re: [AUDITORY] What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization? Dear Peter, In what specific way do you need the vocalizations to be similar? As I'm sure you know, parrots can learn and produce vocalizations very close to humans. Zebra finches, mynah birds, crows, and any other species have broad band vocalizations that resembles that of human vocalizations in many ways. In all species the vocalizations are learned. The audition of birds is not too different from that of humans either, but again, it depends on what you meant with a close match. Best, Kenneth -----Original Message----- From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception [mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Pete Howell Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2011 3:33 AM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Subject: What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization? Birds and mice have been used in studies intended to establish how genetic mutations affect vocalization. It seems to me that neither of these produce sounds that are close to those that humans produce. I wondered whether members of the list have suggestions about what animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization and audition. In terms of vocalization, primates or whales/porpoises seem contenders, but few labs can provide facilities for these. Peter Howell ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Psychology and Language Sciences University College London 26 Bedford Way London WC1H 0AP Direct line: 020 7 679 7566 Fax 020 7436 4276 ----------------------------------------------------------------------