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Content with tag alarm calls .

The effect of body size and habitat on the evolution of alarm vocalizations in rodents

When confronted with a predator, many mammalian species emit vocalizations known as alarm calls. Vocal structure variation results from the interactive effects of different selective pressures. Body size is an important morphological constraint influencing the lowest frequencies that an organism can produce. The acoustic environment influences signal degradation. Such hypotheses have been mainly examined in birds, whereas the proximate and ultimate factors affecting vocalizations in...