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How animals produce rhythm : an overview of ethological mechanisms for rhythmic communication

Sauciuc, Gabriela-Alina LU and Schneider, Jennifer N. (2025) In Fascinating Life Sciences
Abstract
Animals communicate with a staggering diversity of rhythmic signals, yet behind all this diversity lies a small number of ethological mechanisms. In this chapter, we provide a quick review of how animal produce rhythmic signals based on these mechanisms, which span tremulation, percussion, bodily displays, stridulation, tymbalation, aerodynamic sound production (including vocalisation), as well as the production of luminescent, chromogenic and electric rhythms. We point out that these ethological mechanisms which underlie the production of communicative rhythms appear to be derived from rhythmic praxic behaviours that initially evolved to implement vital functions such as breathing, feeding, locomotion, defense or procreation. Based on the... (More)
Animals communicate with a staggering diversity of rhythmic signals, yet behind all this diversity lies a small number of ethological mechanisms. In this chapter, we provide a quick review of how animal produce rhythmic signals based on these mechanisms, which span tremulation, percussion, bodily displays, stridulation, tymbalation, aerodynamic sound production (including vocalisation), as well as the production of luminescent, chromogenic and electric rhythms. We point out that these ethological mechanisms which underlie the production of communicative rhythms appear to be derived from rhythmic praxic behaviours that initially evolved to implement vital functions such as breathing, feeding, locomotion, defense or procreation. Based on the findings reviewed by the chapter, we identify three important areas for future research for advancing our understanding of the evolution of rhythmic communication. First, there is a massive research gap when it comes to quantifying how rhythmic signals unfold and interact across perceptual and behavioural modalities. Second, there is a need to understand how behavioural rhythms relate to — and are constrained by — their underlying neuromuscular substrates. Third, very little is known about the relationship between communicative rhythms and the praxic behaviours in which they putatively originated. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
submitted
subject
in
Fascinating Life Sciences
publisher
Springer
DOI
10.17605/OSF.IO/Z85JP
project
Where does human cooperation come from? The evolutionary origins of the ability to infer shared goals and motivations
The evolution of musicality: synchronisation behaviours and rhythm perception in chimpanzees
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Preprint of chapter in: Sauciuc, G.-A., Lameira, A., Madsen, E. A., & Persson, T. (Eds.) (2025). Nature Beats: The What, Why and How of Animal Rhythmic Behaviours. (Fascinating Life Sciences). Springer.
id
f093ba5c-5edc-43c7-bdfa-bd177a7e8576
date added to LUP
2025-04-07 13:17:39
date last changed
2025-04-07 13:17:39
@misc{f093ba5c-5edc-43c7-bdfa-bd177a7e8576,
  abstract     = {{Animals communicate with a staggering diversity of rhythmic signals, yet behind all this diversity lies a small number of ethological mechanisms. In this chapter, we provide a quick review of how animal produce rhythmic signals based on these mechanisms, which span tremulation, percussion, bodily displays, stridulation, tymbalation, aerodynamic sound production (including vocalisation), as well as the production of luminescent, chromogenic and electric rhythms. We point out that these ethological mechanisms which underlie the production of communicative rhythms appear to be derived from rhythmic praxic behaviours that initially evolved to implement vital functions such as breathing, feeding, locomotion, defense or procreation. Based on the findings reviewed by the chapter, we identify three important areas for future research for advancing our understanding of the evolution of rhythmic communication. First, there is a massive research gap when it comes to quantifying how rhythmic signals unfold and interact across perceptual and behavioural modalities. Second, there is a need to understand how behavioural rhythms relate to — and are constrained by — their underlying neuromuscular substrates. Third, very little is known about the relationship between communicative rhythms and the praxic behaviours in which they putatively originated.}},
  author       = {{Sauciuc, Gabriela-Alina and Schneider, Jennifer N.}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Preprint}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Fascinating Life Sciences}},
  title        = {{How animals produce rhythm : an overview of ethological mechanisms for rhythmic communication}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z85JP}},
  doi          = {{10.17605/OSF.IO/Z85JP}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}