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Roar
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<h2 id="definition">Definition</h2> <p>The definition of "roar" has varied between species.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> However Weissengruber et al. (2002) has given a more general description of roars as consisting of both a low <a href="/facts/Fundamental_frequency/TJBJKHow">pitch</a> and low <a href="/facts/Formant/hCS6VoR3">formant</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> They have used the roars of <a href="/facts/Lion/3L22xFhB">lions</a> and <a href="/facts/Red_deer/qbPuqt3o">red deer</a> as quintessential examples of the sound.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Other researchers have mentioned similar "roar-like" vocalizations where either the pitch or formant is still higher than in true roars.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="roaring-anatomy">Roaring anatomy</h2> <p>Roaring mammals have evolved various means to achieve their vocalizations. A proportionally large <a href="/facts/Larynx/0bhtXI3Q">larynx</a> contributes to a deeper pitch. The male hammer-headed bat has a larynx that takes up most of his thoracic cavity and is half the size of his backbone. A larger larynx also has enlarged <a href="/facts/Vocal_cord/H1K7NPo2">vocal cords</a> which contributes to a deeper pitch and more massive folds leads to slower <a href="/facts/Oscillation/6vSrm84a">oscillation</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> In addition, the big cats (<a href="/facts/Lion/3L22xFhB">lion</a>, <a href="/facts/Tiger/d2Ln1yoG">tiger</a>, <a href="/facts/Jaguar/7I665Dny">jaguar</a> and <a href="/facts/Leopard/nXn20qBa">leopard</a>, referred to as the "roaring cats"), have vocal cords that are square-shaped as opposed to the triangle-shaped cords of other <a href="/facts/Felid/Fryfw7gm">felids</a>; this allows them to produce a louder call with less lung pressure.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> The elasticity of the larynx and the length of the <a href="/facts/Vocal_tract/RgjPanbg">vocal tract</a> affect the formant or resonance of a sound. In big cats and some male deer, specialized musculature and ligaments pull the larynx deeper in the vocal tract when roaring, lowering the vocal tract resonance.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <p>Other species have evolved internal inflatable air spaces connected to the vocal tract, which play a role in <a href="/facts/Vocal_resonance/Eoulvr5M">vocal resonance</a>. The male <a href="/facts/Mongolian_gazelle/gdSRlS5S">Mongolian gazelle</a> and <a href="/facts/Musk_ox/l3KEoRVB">musk ox</a> possess an air space (paired and two-chambered in the former) attached to the larynx,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> while bears have such spaces connected to the <a href="/facts/Pharynx/51F3eVms">pharynx</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Male howler monkeys have an unpaired rostroventral laryngeal air sac within the hyoid bulla (extension of the <a href="/facts/Hyoid_bone/yAa2Vatb">hyoid bone</a>) and a pair of ventral laryngeal air spaces outside.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The hammer-headed bat has a pouch in the <a href="/facts/Palatine_bone/H8VBCeA1">palatine</a> that connects to an enlarged <a href="/facts/Nasopharynx/51F3eVms">nasopharynx</a> region, in addition to paired cheek pouches which extend to the <a href="/facts/Rostrum_(anatomy)/bJMbbnxw">rostrum</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> Elephants possess a pharyngeal pouch associated with their larynx and hyoid apparatus, and their roars can also be modified by the nostrils in their trunks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> Male <a href="/facts/Elephant_seal/gCuVaHzW">elephant seals</a> and <a href="/facts/Saiga_antelope/emLRY7uu">saiga antelopes</a> have an enlarged and inflated <a href="/facts/Proboscis/Ym7nscSW">proboscis</a>, which also affects resonance. Saiga nevertheless roar with their mouths closed and produce a "nasal roar".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p><p>The structure of the hyoid bone can play a role in an animal's ability to roar. The hyoid of the big cats is less ossified and more flexible than in other cats. The <a href="/facts/Snow_leopard/8UG3fcRq">snow leopard</a> also has this property, but cannot roar, as its shorter vocal folds provide little resistance to airflow.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> In howler monkeys, the hyoid bone is relatively large and cup-shaped, contributing to the depth and resonance of the call.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> Though usually airborne, some roars are emitted underwater, as in the case of the male <a href="/facts/Harbor_seal/A7o4lzpB">harbor seal</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="biological-function">Biological function</h2> <p>In some species, roars evolved due to <a href="/facts/Sexual_selection/AjDd8Tam">sexual selection</a>, and only one sex roars.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> For example, in <a href="/facts/Gorilla/akNvDd3d">gorillas</a> only the adult male (silverback) has a larynx large enough and vocal cords lengthened enough to produce a full roar.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> Nonetheless, in other species both sexes can produce these vocalizations. In lions, where both sexes roar, the vocalization plays a role in social spacing and territorial defense. The roars ward off other lions from mistakenly entering another lion's territory. The roar of a lion is audible for up to five miles in human hearing and probably further for lions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="in-popular-culture">In popular culture</h2> <p>The lion's roar is familiar to many through <a href="/facts/Leo_the_Lion_(MGM)/8YfXpg35">Leo the Lion</a>, the iconic <a href="/facts/Logo/nUlH9REj">logo</a> seen during the opening sequence of <a href="/facts/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/sQdE9Kg2">MGM</a> <a href="/facts/Film/wM3b9Kk3">films</a>. Leo's current roar, recreated by <a href="/facts/Mark_Mangini/37pyX0rz">Mark Mangini</a> in 1982 and redone in 1994 and 1995, consists of tiger growls and lion growls instead of actual roars. As Mangini later stated, "lions don't make that kind of ferocious noises [sic], and the logo needed to be ferocious and majestic".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Animal_language/K7vz8UDw">Animal language</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Growling/yfoTjq86">Growling</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Howling/RGv3RFFG">Howling</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Rumble_(noise)/lhCsoYYJ">Rumble (noise)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Snarl/bI5byht5">Snarl</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Look up <i>roar</i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. <ul><li>Eklund, Robert, Gustav Peters, Gopal Ananthakrishnan & Evans Mabiza. 2011. <a href="http://roberteklund.info/pdf/Eklund_et_al_2011_LionRoars.pdf">An acoustic analysis of lion roars. I: Data collection and spectrogram and waveform analyses</a>. In: Quarterly Progress and Status Report TMH-QPSR, Volume 51, 2011. Proceedings from Fonetik 2011. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, 8–10 June 2010, pp. 1–4. Download PDF from <a href="http://roberteklund.info">http://roberteklund.info</a>.</li> <li>Ananthakrishnan, Gopal, Robert Eklund, Gustav Peters, Gopal & Evans Mabiza. 2011. <a href="http://roberteklund.info/pdf/Ananthakrishnan_et_al_2011_LionRoars.pdf">An acoustic analysis of lion roars. II: Vocal tract characteristics</a>. In: Quarterly Progress and Status Report TMH-QPSR, Volume 51, 2011. Proceedings from Fonetik 2011. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, 8–10 June 2010, pp. 5–8.Download PDF from <a href="http://roberteklund.info">http://roberteklund.info</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Weissengruber, G. E.; Forstenpointner, G.; Peters, G.; Kübber-Heiss, A.; Fitch, W. T. (2002). "Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger (Panthera tigris), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus)". Journal of Anatomy. 201 (3): 195–209. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00088.x. PMC 1570911. PMID 12363272. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Weissengruber, G. E.; Forstenpointner, G.; Peters, G.; Kübber-Heiss, A.; Fitch, W. T. (2002). "Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger (Panthera tigris), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus)". Journal of Anatomy. 201 (3): 195–209. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00088.x. PMC 1570911. PMID 12363272. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Weissengruber, G. E.; Forstenpointner, G.; Peters, G.; Kübber-Heiss, A.; Fitch, W. T. (2002). "Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger (Panthera tigris), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus)". Journal of Anatomy. 201 (3): 195–209. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00088.x. PMC 1570911. PMID 12363272. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Weissengruber, G. E.; Forstenpointner, G.; Kübber-Heiss, A.; Riedelberger, K.; Schwammer, H.; Ganzberger, K. (2001). "Occurrence and structure of epipharyngeal pouches in bears (Ursidae)". Journal of Anatomy. 198 (3): 309–14. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2001.19830309.x. PMC 1468220. PMID 11322723. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1468220" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1468220</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Kelemen, G.; Sade, J. (1960). "The vocal organ of the Howling monkey (Alouatta palliata)". Journal of Morphology. 107 (2): 123–140. doi:10.1002/jmor.1051070202. PMID 13752246. S2CID 30539292. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Elephant". Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/elephant-mammal" target="_blank">https://www.britannica.com/animal/elephant-mammal</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Weissengruber, G. E.; Forstenpointner, G.; Peters, G.; Kübber-Heiss, A.; Fitch, W. T. (2002). "Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger (Panthera tigris), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus)". Journal of Anatomy. 201 (3): 195–209. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00088.x. PMC 1570911. PMID 12363272. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570911</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9. <a href="0-8018-5789-9" target="_blank">0-8018-5789-9</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Kelemen, G.; Sade, J. (1960). "The vocal organ of the Howling monkey (Alouatta palliata)". Journal of Morphology. 107 (2): 123–140. doi:10.1002/jmor.1051070202. PMID 13752246. S2CID 30539292. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Frey, Roland; Gebler, Alban (2010). "Chapter 10.3 – Mechanisms and evolution of roaring-like vocalization in mammals". In Brudzynski, Stefan M. (ed.). Handbook of Mammalian Vocalization — An Integrative Neuroscience Approach. Elsevier Science. pp. 439–450. ISBN 9780123745934. <a href="9780123745934" target="_blank">9780123745934</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Dixson, Alan F. (15 May 2009). Sexual Selection and the Origins of Human Mating Systems. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780191569739. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016. <a href="9780191569739" target="_blank">9780191569739</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Mel Sunquist; Fiona Sunquist (15 August 2002). Wild Cats of the World. University of Chicago Press. p. 294. ISBN 978-0-226-77999-7. <a href="978-0-226-77999-7" target="_blank">978-0-226-77999-7</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>J.A. Rudnai (6 December 2012). The Social Life of the Lion: A study of the behaviour of wild lions (Panthera leo massaica [Newmann]) in the Nairobi National Park, Kenya. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 55–9. ISBN 978-94-011-7140-3. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. <a href="978-94-011-7140-3" target="_blank">978-94-011-7140-3</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>Richard Estes (1991). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates. University of California Press. p. 374. ISBN 978-0-520-08085-0. <a href="978-0-520-08085-0" target="_blank">978-0-520-08085-0</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>"'Sound helps filmmakers achieve narrative value for their films'". 23 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-07-10. <a href="http://www.navhindtimes.in/sound-helps-filmmakers-achieve-narrative-value-for-their-films/" target="_blank">http://www.navhindtimes.in/sound-helps-filmmakers-achieve-narrative-value-for-their-films/</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>