Abstract
Ranging throughout central America, Alston’s singing mice (Scotinomys teguina) are known for their long songs, which consist of rapidly repeated, frequency-modulated notes. Singing mice are the first rodents shown to exchange calls at rates resembling human conversation, which are used in mate attraction and male-male competition. Despite being researched in laboratory settings, few studies have examined the impact of the vocalizations in a natural environment. Unlike singing mice, most small rodents make high-frequency sounds at nighttime, to avoid attracting predators. We aim to observe why singing mice can produce long-distance, low-frequency songs, despite the predation risk. To do so, we developed a Raspberry Pi-based system to generate artificial mouse vocalizations at regularly scheduled intervals and record audio data of approaching predators and singing mice. This device was designed to be powered with a standard car battery and a backup lithium-ion battery to function for approximately two weeks in the field without interruption. An Adam A3X studio monitor was deconstructed and retrofitted with a USB microphone, two-terabyte hard drive, backup battery, and amplifier. This presentation will describe the construction of the device and issues with functionality addressed during the design process. [Work supported by UT Integrative Biology Dept., SWAN Howard-McCarley Award.]
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call