Predation by killer whales (Orcinus orca) and the evolution of whistle loss and narrow-band high frequency clicks in odontocetes Article

Morisaka, T, Connor, RC. (2007). Predation by killer whales (Orcinus orca) and the evolution of whistle loss and narrow-band high frequency clicks in odontocetes . Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 20(4), 1439-1458. 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2007.01336.x

cited authors

  • Morisaka, T; Connor, RC

abstract

  • A disparate selection of toothed whales (Odontoceti) share striking features of their acoustic repertoires including the absence of whistles and high frequency but weak (low peak-to-peak source level) clicks that have a relatively long duration and a narrow bandwidth. The non-whistling, high frequency click species include members of the family Phocoenidae, members of one genus of delphinids, Cephalorhynchus, the pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps, and apparently the sole member of the family Pontoporiidae. Our review supports the 'acoustic crypsis' hypothesis that killer whale predation risk was the primary selective factor favouring an echolocation and communication system in cephalorhynchids, phocoenids and possibly Pontoporiidae and Kogiidae restricted to sounds that killer whales hear poorly or not at all (< 2 and > 100 kHz). © 2007 The Authors.

authors

publication date

  • July 1, 2007

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 1439

end page

  • 1458

volume

  • 20

issue

  • 4