A recent study has revealed that Philippine tarsiers are capable of communicating with each other via ultrasonic sounds, which are inaudible to most animal species including humans. This type of communication might have developed in order to compensate for the inefficient nocturnal vision of tarsiers and may serve as an alarm call mechanism.
It was not understood why tarsiers sometimes seemed to be yawning, as their mouths were opening but no sound was audible. By recording sounds using an ultrasonic microphone, it was discovered that tarsiers were emitting sounds ultrasonically, at a sound-level far from the range of the human ear.
The Philippine Tarsiers, which was the study species, is a near-threatened species due to extensive habitat destruction with a decreasing population trend
Study Abstract
more information:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/02/08/tiny-tree-dwelling-primate-called-tarsier-sends-and-receives-ultrasonic-calls/
article website: http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2012/01/27/rsbl.2011.1149
references:
Dartmouth College (2012, February 8). Tiny primate is ultrasonic communicator.ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 9, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220210.htm
M. A. Ramsier, A. J. Cunningham, G. L. Moritz, J. J. Finneran, C. V. Williams, P. S. Ong, S. L. Gursky-Doyen, N. J. Dominy. Primate communication in the pure ultrasound. Biology Letters, 2012; DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2011.1149
Shekelle, M. & Arboleda, I. 2008. Tarsius syrichta. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on09 February 2012.
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