From Newsgroup: sci.anthropology.paleo


https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096868

The prominent noses of male proboscis monkeys, long thought to be visual signals, play a crucial role in vocal communication, enhancing
individual identity. A new study published in the Journal of the Royal
Society Interface reveals how these unusual nasal appendages shape the monkeys' calls, offering insights into the evolution of vocal individuality.

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From Newsgroup: sci.anthropology.paleo

Op 11-09-2025 om 06:15 schreef Primum Sapienti:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096868

The prominent noses of male proboscis monkeys, long thought to be visual signals, play a crucial role in vocal communication, enhancing
individual identity. A new study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface reveals how these unusual nasal appendages shape the monkeys' calls, offering insights into the evolution of vocal
individuality.

So it has got nothing to do with snorkeling?

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From Newsgroup: sci.anthropology.paleo

Pandora wrote:

Op 11-09-2025 om 06:15 schreef Primum Sapienti:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096868

The prominent noses of male proboscis monkeys, long thought to be
visual signals, play a crucial role in vocal communication, enhancing
individual identity. A new study published in the Journal of the Royal
Society Interface reveals how these unusual nasal appendages shape the
monkeys' calls, offering insights into the evolution of vocal
individuality.

So it has got nothing to do with snorkeling?

GASP!


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From Newsgroup: sci.anthropology.paleo


Primum Sapienti <invalide@invalid.invalid> posted:

Pandora wrote:

Op 11-09-2025 om 06:15 schreef Primum Sapienti:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096868

The prominent noses of male proboscis monkeys, long thought to be
visual signals, play a crucial role in vocal communication, enhancing
individual identity. A new study published in the Journal of the Royal
Society Interface reveals how these unusual nasal appendages shape the
monkeys' calls, offering insights into the evolution of vocal
individuality.

So it has got nothing to do with snorkeling?

GASP!

The *combination of a pendulous nose and an inflatable laryngeal air sac* in the male Nasalis larvatus (the proboscis monkey) creates uniquely loud and deep vocalizations. These features are a result of sexual selection, used to signal status and attract females in the monkey's dense forest habitat.
The large nose
In adult males, the fleshy nose, which can grow to over 4 inches long, acts as a resonant chamber that modifies vocalizations.
Acoustic enhancement: The large and uniquely shaped nasal cavity of males allows them to produce lower, more resonant, and louder calls.
Vocal individuality: The precise size and shape of a male's nose affect his call's acoustic properties, creating a distinctive vocal signature that broadcasts his maturity and identity.
Visual signal: Females are drawn to males with larger noses and the resonant calls they produce, indicating health, dominance, and good genes.
The laryngeal air sac
Complementing the nose, the male proboscis monkey has a laryngeal air sac that further enhances its vocalizations.
Acoustic resonance: This sac, an out-pocketing of the larynx, helps to add resonance to calls, making them even louder and deeper.
Function in other primates: Laryngeal air sacs are a common feature in many ape and monkey species, where they are also used for vocal amplification.
Complex vocal system: The sac works with the male's specialized nasal cavity and larynx to produce a variety of vocalizations, including loud honks, roars, and snarls for social communication.
Social and environmental significance
These anatomical structures give male proboscis monkeys a communication advantage in their native Borneo habitats, which include mangrove forests and riverine swamps.
In dense foliage: The low-frequency, loud vocalizations can travel long distances through the thick rainforest, allowing males to communicate their status without direct eye contact.
For mate attraction: Females, who have smaller, upturned noses, use these amplified calls to assess the quality of a potential mate.
During competition: The loud calls, sometimes described as a cross between a pig and a goose, allow dominant males to ward off rivals with deep, nasal roars.
ai
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