After elephants, monkeys show ability to 'name' each other, reveals new study
marmoset monkeys, native to South America, use specific vocal calls, known as «phee-calls,» to identify and communicate with each other. The study, which adds to existing knowledge of animal communication, was conducted by a team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and published in the journal Science. This finding follows earlier research that showed wild African elephants also use name-like calls to address individuals.
David Omer, lead researcher from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, explained that the study recorded natural conversations between pairs of marmosets and interactions between monkeys and a computer system. The researchers found that marmosets specifically used «phee-calls» to address individual members of their group, and these calls were correctly perceived and responded to by the intended recipients.
«They (the monkeys) also perceived and responded correctly to calls that were specifically directed at them,» the authors wrote.
Until recently, the ability to name others through vocal calls had only been observed in humans, dolphins, and elephants. The new study indicates that marmosets also possess this advanced cognitive ability, shedding light on the evolution of human language.
«Marmosets live in small monogamous family groups and take care of their young together, much like humans do. These similarities suggest that they faced comparable evolutionary social challenges to our early pre-linguistic ancestors, which might have led them to develop similar communicating methods,» Omer
