Multimodal pair‐bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair‐bonded nonhuman primates. Issue 3 (3rd February 2020) - Singletary, Britt
Abstract: Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair‐bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair‐bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra‐pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair‐bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair‐bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds. Abstract : Wild Eulemur rubriventer pair in a huddle (adult female: Christie and adult male: Tolstoy of Authors Group in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar). Photo by Velontsara Jeanne Baptiste. Research Highlights: Multimodal signals may improve communication efficacy. Components may provide either redundant or nonredundant information. Multimodal signals may improve communication among pair‐bonds.