THE CLICKS OF THE NEWBORN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS TRUNCATES)

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

Toothed whales and dolphins produce complex acoustic signals. However, how they develop and function is unclear. In this study, the sounds of a newborn (NB) bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) were recorded by a dual-channel recording system in the frequency band 0.4–220 kHz with a dynamic range of 81 dB and a sampling frequency of 1 MHz, simultaneously with video recording of its position relative to hydrophones, 22, 46, 46.5 and 47 h after birth. The results of the analysis of the recordings indicate that the NB produced 20 series containing 1640 echolocation clicks. In doing so, it varied the duration of series in the range of 0.8–7 s, the number of clicks in a series from 20 to 280 and the interpulse intervals from 6 to 220 ms. When moving along the pool, it shifted the position of the maximum of the click radiation direction in space, and each subsequent click was produced after receiving an echo from the previous one and a time delay (tens of ms) for echo processing. The spectral and temporal characteristics of its clicks differ slightly from those of adult dolphins. The apparent sours level of clicks (ASL) at a distance of 1 m from the NB was 188–164 dB relative to 1 μPa. Consequently, the abilities of the NB of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) to echolocate, considered for the first time for toothed whales in this paper, are innate, while physiological, social and cognitive aspects of echolocation, not considered in this paper apparently still have to develop.

About the authors

V. A. Ryabov

Vyazemsky Karadag Scientific Station — Nature Reserve of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: ryabofff@inbox.ru
Branch of the Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences Feodosia, Russia

References

  1. Au W.W.L. Sonar of Dolphins. New York: Springer, 1993.
  2. Бабушина Е.С. Звуковая рецепция морских млекопитающих в зависимости от параметров и путей проведения звука // Биофизика. 2000. Т. 45. Вып. 5. С. 927–934.
  3. Рябов В.А., Заславский Г.Л. Помехозащищенность эхолокатора дельфина // Сенсорные системы. 1998. Т. 12. № 2. С. 202–209.
  4. Белькович В.М., Борисов В.И. Локационное распознавание дельфинами фигур сложной конфигурации // Тр. Акуст. инст. М., 1971. Т. 17. С. 19–23.
  5. Au W.W.L. Echolocation signals of Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in open waters // Animal sonar systems. Eds. Busnel R., Fish J. New York: Plenum press, 1980. P. 251–282.
  6. Bibikov N.G. Auditory brainstem responses in the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) // Marine mammal sensory systems. Eds. Thomas J., Kastelein R., Supin A. New York: Plenum Press, 1992. P. 197–211.
  7. Madsen P.T., Wahlberg M., Møhl B. Male sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) acoustics in a high-latitude habitat: implications for echolocation and communication // Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2002. V. 53. P. 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-002-0548-1
  8. Wahlberg M., Jensen F.H., Aguilar de Soto N., Beedholm K., Bejder L., Oliveira C., Rasmussen M., Simon M., Villadsgaard A., Madsen P.T. Source parameters of echolocation clicks from wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus and T. aduncus) // J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 2011. V. 130. No. 4. P. 2263–2274. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3624822
  9. Айрапетьянц Э.Ш., Константинов А.И. Эхолокация в природе. Л.: Наука, 1974. 512 c.
  10. Белькович В.М., Дубровский Н.А. Сенсорные основы ориентации китообразных. Л.: Наука, 1976. 204 с.
  11. Голубков А.Г. Гидролокатор дельфина. Л.: Судостроение, 1977. 96 с.
  12. Заславский Г.Л., Титов А.А., Лекомцев В.М. Исследование гидролокационных способностей дельфина азовки // Тр. Акуст. инст. М., 1969. № 8. С. 134–138.
  13. Au W.W.L., Pawloski J.L. Cylinder wall thickness difference discrimination by an echolocating atlantic bottlenose dolphin // J. Comp. Physiol. A. 1992. № 72. Р. 41–47.
  14. Evans W.W., Powell B.A. Discrimination of different metallic plates by an echolocating delphinid // Animal Sonar Systems: Biology and Bionics. Ed. Busnel R.G. Laboratoire de Physiologie Acoustique, Jouy-en-Josas, 1967. V. 1. P. 363–382.
  15. Nachtigall P.E. Odontocete echolocation performance on object size, shape and material // Animal Sonar Systems. Eds. Busnel R.G., Fish J.F. New York: Plenum Press, 1980. P. 71–95.
  16. Ryabov V.A. Some aspects of analysis of dolphins’ acoustical signals // Open J. of Acoustics. 2011. V. 1. P. 41–54. https://doi.org/10.4236/oja.2011.12006
  17. Ryabov V.A. Acoustic signals and echolocation system of the dolphin // Biophysics. 2014. V. 59(1). P. 135–147. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006350914010199
  18. Caldwell M.C., Caldwell D.K., Tyack P.L. A review of the signature whistle hypothesis for the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncates / The bottlenose dolphin: Recent progress in research. Eds. Leatherwood S., Reeves R. San Diego: Academic Press, 1990. P. 199–234.
  19. Tyack P.L., Sayigh L.S. (1997). Vocal learning in cetaceans / Social influences on vocal development. Eds. Snowden C., Hausberger M. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997. P. 208–233.
  20. Morisaka T., Shinohara M., Taki M. Underwater sounds produced by neonatal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): I. Acoustic characteristics // Aquatic Mammals. 2005. V. 31(2). P. 248–257. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.31.2.2005.248
  21. Bebus S.E., Herzing D.L. Mother-Offspring Signature Whistle Similarity and Patterns of Association in Atlantic Spotted Dolphins (Stenella frontalis) // Animal Behavior and Cognition. 2015. V. 2(1). P. 71–87. https://doi.org/10.12966/abc.02.06.2015
  22. Reiss D. Observations on the development of echolocation in young bottlenose dolphins / Animal Sonar: Processes and performance. Eds. Nachtigall P.E., Moore P.W.B. New York, NY: Plenum Press, 1988. P. 121–127.
  23. Killebrew D.E., Mercado III E., Herman L.M., Pack A.A. Sound production of a neonate bottlenose dolphin // Aquatic Mammals. 2001. V. 27. P. 34–44.
  24. Fripp D. Bubblestream whistles are not representative of a bottlenose dolphin’s whistle repertoire // Marine Mammal Science. 2005. V. 21. P. 29–44.
  25. Finneran J.J., Branstetter B.K., Houser D.S., Moore P.W., Mulsow J., Martin C., Perisho S. High-resolution measurement of a bottlenose dolphin’s (Tursiops truncatus) biosonar transmission beam pattern in the horizontal plane // J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 2014. V. 136. P. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4895682
  26. Рябов В.А. Некоторые особенности ЧМ-сигналов (свистов) новорожденной Черноморской афалины (Tursiops Truncatus) // Акуст. журн. 2022. Т. 68. № 3. С. 336–346.
  27. Branstetter B.K., Moore P.W., Finneran J.J., Tormey M.N., Aihara H. Directional properties of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) clicks, burst-pulse, and whistle sounds // J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 2012. V. 131(2). P. 1613–1621. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3676694
  28. Gregg J.D., Dudzinski K.M., Smith H.V. Do Dolphins Eavesdrop on the Echolocation Signals of Conspecifics? // Int. J. Comparative Psychology. 2007. V. 20(1). P. 65–88. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/20s5h7h9
  29. Gnone G., Moriconi T. Use and function of distinctive whistle-like signals in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mother-calf pair / Dolphins: Anatomy, behavior and threats. Animal science, issues and professions. Eds. Perace A.G., Corea L.M. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2010. P. 149–167.
  30. Castellote M., Vergara V., Barrett-Lennard L.G., Esteban J.A. Sound production of neonate captive beluga whales. Proc. of the 21st Conf. of the European Cetacean Society. San Sebastian, Spain, 2007.
  31. Harder J.H., Hill H.M., Dudzinski K.M., Sanabria K.T., Guarino S., Kuczaj S.A. II. The development of echolocation in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) // Int. J. Comparative Psychology. 2016. V. 29. P. 1–19.
  32. Giardino G.V., Cosentino M., Macchi A.C., Loureiro J.P., Heredia S.R., Alvarez K.C., Moron S.G., Rodriguez D.H. Detailed Comparison of Acoustic Signals from Rehabilitated and Wild Franciscanas (Pontoporia blainvillei) Dolphins // Animals. 2024. V. 14(16). P. 2436. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14162436

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download

Copyright (c) 2025 Russian Academy of Sciences

Согласие на обработку персональных данных

 

Используя сайт https://journals.rcsi.science, я (далее – «Пользователь» или «Субъект персональных данных») даю согласие на обработку персональных данных на этом сайте (текст Согласия) и на обработку персональных данных с помощью сервиса «Яндекс.Метрика» (текст Согласия).