Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Wild Lemurs Mimic Opera Singers by Widening Mouths for High Notes, Study Finds

A new study suggests that indris, a type of lemur, use a vocal technique similar to opera singers to amplify their calls. This adaptation likely helps them communicate over long distances in their dense forest habitat.

Researchers analyzed video recordings of wild indris, comparing their mouth shapes to their singing pitches. They found that as the indris sang higher notes, they opened their mouths wider, a technique known as formant tuning, which professional singers use to amplify their voices.

This ability is thought to help indris, which are the only known singing lemur species, maintain territorial spacing in the rainforests of Madagascar. Their songs can last for extended periods, sometimes leading to physical confrontations.

The study suggests this adaptation likely evolved independently in indris and humans, a phenomenon called convergent evolution, as both species face the challenge of sending acoustic signals over long distances.

Indris also exhibit rhythmic singing patterns similar to human music, which is believed to have evolved independently. This adds to a growing list of animals known to adjust their vocal tracts for communication.

Indris are critically endangered, with populations estimated between 1,000 and 10,000 individuals. Their decline is attributed to hunting, climate change, and deforestation, which has fragmented their habitat and hindered reproduction.

Conservationists emphasize that the survival of indris depends on protecting them in the wild, as they are difficult to maintain and reproduce in captivity. The study aims to raise awareness about the precarious future of these unique primates.

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