Sound - Marine Mammals

How do cetaceans hear?

Through their mandible

• hollow and filled with fat

• the acoustic window is in the back right before inner ear

How do cetaceans make sounds?

• they dont have vocal cords

• push air by tissue changing pressures and frequencies

What is the tissue area called where cetaceans push air to make sound?

Monkey Lips

• near airsacs and blowhole

What area is forward of the blowhole?

Melon

What is the melon in cetaceans?

Area in front of monkey lips that sound passes through

Who uses echolocation?

Delphinids and Sperm Whales

Why do we think they use echolocation?

to locate and follow prey

What are high frequency whistles?

• they go up and down

How do high frequency whistles compare in bottlenose dolphins?

they have signature whistles they get from their mom and will change them a little

• can use them to indicate behavior or communicate

Who produces low frequency tones?

Baleen whales

What do whales use low frequency tones for?

communication and finding mates

• spend most time solitary unless looking for mate or raising calve

Who has mid range frequency songs?

Humpback whales

What are mid-range low frequency songs?

• used by humpback whales

• change from year to year

• songs are o

What is special about killer whales sounds?

they have acoustic clans

What are acoustic clans?

• have very specific sounds

• SRKW have three clans

How do pinnipeds produce sounds?

use vocal chords and larynx

Who uses vocal chord and larynx to produce sounds?

• Polar bears

• Pinnipeds

• sea otters

What sounds do sirenians make?

high frequency chirp-like sounds

Who uses mimicry?

Dolphins and pinnipeds

How do dolphins mimicry?