Development and functions of signature whistles of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis presents data on the development and functions of individually distinctive signature whistles of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops tnmcatus. Research was conducted at a study site near Sarasota, Florida, where a resident community of bottlenose dolphins have been the focus of a long-term, ongoing study. Through observations and censuses, researchers have gained information on home ranges and association patterns among individuals. A temporary capture and release program has provided opportunities to collect basic information regarding age, sex, genetic relationships, and life history of individuals, as well as to record vocalizations of known individuals. During the periods 1975-1976 and 1984-1992, 134 different individuals were recorded during temporary capture. More than half of these were recorded on two or more (up to 10) different occasions. These recordings demonstrate that free-ranging dolphins produce individually distinctive signature whistles, as was previously documented for captive dolphins. Each dolphin produced a distinctive frequency contour, or pattern of frequency changes over time, and this whistle comprised a large portion of all whistles produced. Comparisons of whistles recorded from the same individuals over periods of more than a decade indicate that these signature whistle contours are markedly stable. This extensive database of recordings of signature whistles produced by known individuals formed the basis for much of the work described in this thesis. Playback experiments conducted during temporary capture-release projects indicated that free-ranging dolphins were able to discriminate among signature whistles of familiar individuals. When these results are taken in the context of what is known about dolphin societies, which are characterized by stable individual associations intermixed with fluid patterns of association among many individuals, it appears highly likely that dolphins use signature whistles to recognize on…
abstract: This thesis presents data on the development and functions of individually distinctive signature whistles of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops tnmcatus. Research was conducted at a study site near Sarasota, Florida, where a resident community of bottlenose dolphins have been the focus of a long-term, ongoing study. Through observations and censuses, researchers have gained information on home ranges and association patterns among individuals. A temporary capture and release program has provided opportunities to collect basic information regarding age, sex, genetic relationships, and life history of individuals, as well as to record vocalizations of known individuals. During the periods 1975-1976 and 1984-1992, 134 different individuals were recorded during temporary capture. More than half of these were recorded on two or more (up to 10) different occasions. These recordings demonstrate that free-ranging dolphins produce individually distinctive signature whistles, as was previously documented for captive dolphins. Each dolphin produced a distinctive frequency contour, or pattern of frequency changes over time, and this whistle comprised a large portion of all whistles produced. Comparisons of whistles recorded from the same individuals over periods of more than a decade indicate that these signature whistle contours are markedly stable. This extensive database of recordings of signature whistles produced by known individuals formed the basis for much of the work described in this thesis. Playback experiments conducted during temporary capture-release projects indicated that free-ranging dolphins were able to discriminate among signature whistles of familiar individuals. When these results are taken in the context of what is known about dolphin societies, which are characterized by stable individual associations intermixed with fluid patterns of association among many individuals, it appears highly likely that dolphins use signature whistles to recognize on…
author: Sayigh, Laela S.
language: en_US
keywords: Bottlenose dolphin, Animal communication, Animal sounds
date published: 1992-09
date modified: 2026-07-27T22:05:18Z
provider: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/1912/5489

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.1575/1912/5489