Statistical Analysis of the Signature Whistle of an Atlantic Bottlenosed Dolphin with Correlations Between Vocal Changes and Level of Arousal

摘要

A total of 1156 whistles, emitted under a wide variety of conditions over a 15-month period by a juvenile male Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, were analysed for variations in form and pattern of emission. The form of each contour loop did not change under these circumstances, but the number of loops emitted without break in one series did vary with the apparent emotional state of the animal. Whistles showed a 2-factor correlation with the previous whistle. These were (1) a high probability of a repetition of the previously-emitted whistle but affected by (2) a high probability of a shift of one loop toward the modal value of number of loops for a given animal. The data strongly suggest that the message content of a dolphin whistle is simple and redundant rather than complex and specific. No evidence was found indicating a 'song patterning' or 'language.' (Author)