Synchronous and Rhythmic Vocalizations and Correlated Underwater Behavior of Free-ranging Atlantic Spotted Dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Bahamas

Abstract

Citation - Herzing, D. L. (2015). Synchronous and rhythmic vocalizations and correlated underwater behavior of free-ranging Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Bahamas.

Variation in the emission rate of sounds in a captive group of false killer whales Pseudorca crassidens during feedings: possible food anticipatory vocal activity?

“…Although sound rates may not give detailed information regarding referential aspects of animals' communication (Clay et al, 2012), it might still shed light about the general arousal levels of the individuals during diff erent conditions (Weary and Fraser, 1995;Grandin, 1998;Frohoff et al, 2004;Monticelli et al, 2004). Among mammals, dolphins possess a very complex communication system (Caldwell and Caldwell, 1968;Puente and Dewbury, 1976;Sjare and Smith, 1986;Dawson and Thorpe, 1990;Weilgart and Whitehead, 1990 ;Norris et al, 1994;BarrettLennard et al, 1996;Herzing, 1996) and like primates (Owing and Virginia, 1978;Mitami and Nishida, 1993 ;Rendall et al, 2000), they can convey information regarding behavioral or environmental changes either by producing particular types of calls (Esch et al, 2009;Hawkins and Gardside, 2010) or with the variations of their rates. Therefore, acoustic monitoring should represent a tool to gather information on activity patterns, health conditions of captive cetaceans in order to improve the quality of their life (Castellote and Fossa, 2006;Akiyama and Ohta, 2007;Therrien et al, 2012).…”

“…This hypothesis could be supported by the overall increase of the rates of all sound classes during the pre-feeding intervals. Higher rates of whistles and burst pulses have been reported in dolphins during diff erent behavioral contexts characterized by high arousal levels (Busnel and Dziedzic, 1966;Smolker et al, 1993;Norris et al, 1994;Herzing, 1996;Acevedo-Gutiérrez and Stienessen, 2004;dos Santos et al, 2005). Moreover, clicks are normally used by dolphins during inquisitive behaviors (Supin et al, 2004(Supin et al, , 2005Nachtigall and Supin, 2008).…”

“…During feeding, part of the fi sh was tossed in the water to feed the mother and calf, a method which might have triggered a heightened production of clicks by the whales (Dreher, 1966;dos Santos and Almada, 2004) that used the fi sh as a target. Moreover, the fi sh tossed into the tank might have developed competition among the animals with an increase in production of burst pulses (Overstrom, 1983;Connor and Smolker, 1996;Herzing, 1996;Lammers et al, 2003;Nowacek, 2005). Moreover, Ridgway et al (2014) suggested that burst pulses produced during feeding sessions might be considered as food calls with emotional content.…”

“…In fact dolphins, like the complex primates (Manser et al, 2002;Seyfarth and Cheney, 2003a, b), can modify the rate of specifi c sounds in order to transmit information related to behavioral events (dos Santos et al, 2005;Gardside, 2009a, b, 2010). Even though there is no indication of the presence of referential signals in dolphins' sounds as has been reported in primates (Cheney and Seyfarth, 1982), previous studies have suggested that the variations in the acoustic characteristics (rate and type of call) of the vocalizations of dolphins might be related to emotional states and specifi c events (Tavolga, 1983;Johnson, 1993;Herzing, 1996). For example, modifi cations of the rate of the whistles have been observed in diff erent dolphin species during distinct behavioral contexts such as excitement and stress in Hawaiian spinner dolphins ( Stenella longirostris : Norris et al, 1994), during bow riding and feeding in common dolphins ( Delphinus delphis : Busnel and Dziedzic, 1966), feeding in pilot whales ( Globicephala sp.…”

Maternal and Alloparental Discipline in Atlantic Spotted Dolphins (Stenalla frontalis) in the Bahamas

“…Factors such as sex, age, and kinship have been observed to influence how punishment/discipline is executed (Clutton-Brock & Parker, 1995). Discipline has been examined in animal behavior studies as a facet of maternal behavior (Herzing, 1996;Hill, Greer, Solangi, & Kuczaj, 2007;Hill, 2009;McCowan & Reiss, 1995). This suggests disciplinary behavior may function to increase the fitness of an individual or group by reducing the frequency of behaviors that decrease survival or reproduction (Clutton-Brock, 1991;Clutton-Brock & Parker, 1995;Hill, 2009).…”