Dissertation Research: Development of Signature Whistles inFree-Ranging Bottlenose Dolphins

宽吻海豚的个体特征 一种叫做“签名哨声”的声音 的主要目标 Laela Sayigh女士的博士论文研究将研究 影响签名哨声发展的因素， 海豚幼崽，并学习签名的社会功能 和非签名（变体）哨声。 有可能 口哨声的性别差异与 男性和女性在社会结构中扮演的不同角色 社会各界 被研究的海豚是在一个大约100自由的群体中- 在佛罗里达萨拉索塔附近的沃茨，一群海豚正在四处游荡。 可获得关于年龄、性别和母系关系的数据 之前对这个群体的研究。 Sayigh女士将观察并记录未受干扰的母子配对 为了直接研究哨声的发展过程， 年轻的小牛 为了测试签名-哨声识别， 母亲和年长的（独立的）后代，Sayigh女士将扮演 当海豚被暂时关在笼子里时， 在一张大网里。 这些观察结果应该揭示， 母亲对之前观察到的 雄性和雌性小牛的哨声发育。 研究 还应阐明签名的社会功能， 变体whisles，也许提供更多的见解， 海豚的社会关系

Bottlenose dolphins produce individually distinctive vocalizations called signature whistles. The main objectives of Ms. Laela Sayigh's doctoral-dissertation research are to examine factors influencing the development of the signature whistle by dolphin calves, and to learn the social functions of signature and non-signature (variant) whistles. It may be possible to correlate sex differences in whistle production with the different roles males and females play in the social structure of the community. The dolphins to be studied are in a group of about 100 free- ranging bottlenose dolphins in waters near Sarasota, Florida. Data on age, sex, and matrilineal relationships are available from previous research on this group. Ms. Sayigh will observe and record undisturbed mother-calf pairs in order to study the process of whistle development directly in young calves. To test for signature-whistle recognition between mothers and older (independent) offspring, Ms. Sayigh will play back recorded whistles while dolphins are temporarily corralled in a large net. These observations should reveal whether or not the behavior of the mother contributes to a previously-observed difference in whistle development in male and female calves. The research should also elucidate the social functions of signature and variant whisles, and perhaps provide additional insights into the social relationships of bottlenose dolphins.