Alston's brown mice, also called Alston's singing mice are capable of singing an operatic duet that scientists believe may offer clues about our own speech. Studies have identified a brain circuit that is capable of allowing quick back and forth of human conversation.
Described by the University of Texas-Austin, "When two male Alston's singing mice meet – one on his home turf and the other from outside – they sing a kind of duet like two opera performers staking their claim on territory or vying for the attention of a maiden. But the outsider, called a recruit, starts singing only when the resident male has finished his song and then immediately stops if the resident starts up again."
Watch the video to learn more about the back-and-forth songs of Alston’s singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina)!
