Overview

• CT scans of preserved specimens enabled detailed 3D models of the nasal passages used to analyze sound flow.
• Computational transfer‑function simulations showed the enlarged external nose shifts formant structure to create distinct vocal signatures.
• Acoustic measurements on physical replicas validated the simulation results linking nasal anatomy to call characteristics.
• The research, led by teams from Osaka, Ritsumeikan, and Kyoto universities with Yokohama Zoo Zoorasia, appears in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
• The authors say the mechanistic link between anatomy and individuality informs the evolution of communication across species, including potential relevance to humans.