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Range-dependent flexibility in the acoustic field of view of echolocating porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

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wisniewska2015elifee05651.pdf (3.070Mb)
Date
20/03/2015
Author
Wisniewska, D.M.
Ratcliffe, J.M.
Beedholm, K.
Christensen, C.B.
Johnson, Mark
Koblitz, J.C.
Wahlberg, M.
Madsen, P.T.
Funder
European Commission
Grant ID
PCIG10-GA-2011-304132
Keywords
Biosonar
Beam
Directionality
Buzz
Prey capture
Convergent evolution
QH301 Biology
QL Zoology
DAS
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Abstract
Toothed whales use sonar to detect, locate, and track prey. They adjust emitted sound intensity, auditory sensitivity and click rate to target range, and terminate prey pursuits with high-repetition-rate, low-intensity buzzes. However, their narrow acoustic field of view (FOV) is considered stable throughout target approach, which could facilitate prey escape at close-range. Here we show that, like some bats, harbour porpoises can broaden their biosonar beam during the terminal phase of attack but, unlike bats, maintain the ability to change beamwidth within this phase. Based on video, MRI, and acoustic-tag recordings, we propose this flexibility is modulated by the melon and implemented to accommodate dynamic spatial relationships with prey and acoustic complexity of surroundings. Despite independent evolution and different means of sound generation and transmission, whales and bats adaptively change their FOV, suggesting that beamwidth flexibility has been an important driver in the evolution of echolocation for prey tracking.
Citation
Wisniewska , D M , Ratcliffe , J M , Beedholm , K , Christensen , C B , Johnson , M , Koblitz , J C , Wahlberg , M & Madsen , P T 2015 , ' Range-dependent flexibility in the acoustic field of view of echolocating porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena ) ' , eLife , vol. 4 , e05651 . https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05651
Publication
eLife
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05651
ISSN
2050-084X
Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright Wisniewska et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
Description
Funding: Det Frie Forskningsrad (MJ)
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/6646

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