A study of the vocal repertoire of the banded mongoose, Mungos mungo (Gmelin)

Abstract

Spectrographic analyses of the vocal repertoire of viverrids are scarce, and lacking altogether for the banded mongoose, Mungos mungo (Gmelin), a species whose acoustic communication is rich and which displays an interesting social behaviour. In this study we give a spectrographic and quantitative description, by means of a Kay Elemetrics 7800 Sonagraph, of the more frequent vocalizations in a captive group of banded mongoose, with a description of the related behaviours. A series of playback experiments of the recorded vocalizations allowed us to study the responses elicited by the different signals and the relevance of the context in which the call is given. We report here on (1) contact call type A and B; (2) alarm call; (3) distress call; (4) young call; (5) rally call, type A and B; (6) threat call; (7) aggression call; (8) «grooming» call; (9) «water» call. The importance of the physical variables of the environment in which the banded mongoose lives is also discussed in relation to sound transmission. © 1987 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.