#primate communication

Researchers have successfully adapted a standardized system for analyzing facial expressions to include bonobos, our closest living relatives, alongside chimpanzees. The study, led by an international team of scientists from multiple institutions including Leipzig University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, extends the Chimpanzee Facial Action Coding System (ChimpFACS) to another species closely related to humans and chimpanzees, bonobos. The research has been published in PeerJ. The research confirms that bonobos possess a repertoire of 28 distinct facial movements, including 22 specific muscle actions, demonstrating facial expression capabilities comparable to their chimpanzee cousins. This finding provides new tools for understanding how these endangered great apes communicate and express themselves. "This adaptation of ChimpFACS for bonobos fills an important gap in our ability to study facial expressions across different primate species," explains lead researcher Dr. Catia Correia-Caeiro. "We can now systematically compare facial movements between humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos, offering insights into the evolution of facial communication."

Well the fun thing about science and this being the year 2023 is that if you can think of a question, someone is probably looking into it. Primate communication is popular because it's so interesting, and humans love the idea that animals think the way we do but lack the voice to express these thoughts. That's why apes being taught lexigram or sign language communication is so well known: we love to relate, and what could be more exciting than an animal possessing the same internal vocabulary as us? For laypeople uninterested in the deeper inquiries of primate cognition, that area of study is a goldmine of fun facts.

But just because you haven't heard about it, doesn't mean there aren't very interesting developments in learning the language of primates! Those who work in close proximity to primates commonly adopt their mannerisms and vocalizations, often without even intending to, so it was only a matter of time (and funding) until it was scientifically documented.

Female chimpanzees are more "negative" when communicating with other females, research has found.

The study analysed the different gesturing strategies used by a group of females at Chester Zoo.

In female-female interactions, the chimps used more aggressive signals and "apologised" less often with gestures of reassurance.

But they employed a more positive strategy around males, with more expressions of greeting and submission.

As I am interested in primate communication, this study stood out to me as one that my blog-readers would appreciate and enjoy. While male chimpanzees are definitely more aggressive in terms of their actions and relationships, it appears that female chimps can get quite 'mean girl' with their fellow females through a more subtle way - gestural communication with each other.

Read more on BBC Nature or dive into the scientific article.