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

宽吻海豚发出独特的叫声，称为标志性口哨。Laela Sayigh女士博士论文研究的主要目的是研究影响海豚幼崽发出签名哨子的因素，并了解签名哨子和非签名(变体)哨子的社会功能。也许可以将口哨生产中的性别差异与男性和女性在社会结构中扮演的不同角色联系起来。将被研究的海豚是佛罗里达州萨拉索塔附近水域约100只自由活动的宽吻海豚中的一员。关于年龄、性别和母系关系的数据可以从以前对这一群体的研究中获得。Sayigh女士将观察和记录未受干扰的母牛对，以便直接研究小牛犊的口哨发育过程。为了测试母亲和年长的(独立的)后代之间对签名哨声的识别能力，Sayigh女士会播放录制的哨声，而海豚则暂时被关在一个大网里。这些观察应该揭示母牛的行为是否有助于先前观察到的雄性和雌性小牛口哨发育的差异。这项研究还应该阐明签名和变异耳语的社会功能，或许还能为宽吻海豚的社会关系提供更多的见解。

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.