Whistle Production Rates in a Group of Male Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Over Changes in Composition

Julia H. Orth

Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

Second Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Harley, Heidi

Keywords

Dolphins, Vocalizations, Whistles, Cetacea, Animal Behavior

Area of Concentration

Biopsychology

Abstract

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are highly social animals with finetuned abilities in sound reception and production. Interesting aspects of their vocal behaviors such as signature whistles and vocal mimicry have been studied in detail. Little is known about their vocal behavior in general. Information such as normal vocal repertoire, or the conditions in which vocal behavior is most likely to occur, is absent from the literature. This study examines the whistle production rates of a group of male dolphins across changes in composition. One dolphin was present throughout the study. Whistle rates were analyzed before and after the death of one individual, following the introduction of another individual, after both animals were allowed mutual access, and following the introduction of yet another dolphin. Whistles were almost absent with one animal present and most common in the condition with three animals present. The latter effect seems to be partly attributable to the extensive vocalization rate of the newly introduced animal. These results suggest that there is individual variation in whistle production rate between individual animals and that dolphins are more likely to vocalize in the presence of conspecifics.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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