Record Details

Acoutstic basis for fish prey discrimination by echolocating dolphins and porpoises

ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University

Field Value
Title Acoutstic basis for fish prey discrimination by echolocating dolphins and porpoises
Names Au, Whitlow W. L. (creator)
Branstetter, Brian K. (creator)
Benoit-Bird, Kelly (creator)
Kastelein, Ronald A. (creator)
Date Issued 2009 (iso8601)
Abstract The biosonar system of dolphins and porpoises has been studied for about 5 decades and much has
been learned [Au,W.W. L. )1993). The Sonar of Dolphins (Springer, New York)]. Most experiments
have involved human-made targets; little is known about odontocetes’ echolocation of prey. To
address this issue, acoustic backscatter from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), gray mullet (Chelon
labrosus), pollack, (Pollachius pollachius), and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) was measured
using simulated biosonar signals of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin and harbor porpoise. The fish
specimens were rotated so that the effects of the fish orientation on the echoes could be determined.
Echoes had the highest amplitude and simplest structure when the incident angle was perpendicular
to the longitudinal axis of the fish. The complexity of the echoes increased as the aspect angle of the
fish moved away from the normal aspect. The echoes in both the time and frequency domains were
easily distinguishable among the four species of fish and were generally consistent within species.
A cochlear model consisting of a bank of band-passed filters was also used to analyze the echoes.
The overall results suggest that there are sufficient acoustic cues available to discriminate between
the four species of fish based on the echoes received, independent of aspect angle.
Genre Article
Identifier Au, W. W. L., Branstetter, B. K., & Benoit-Bird, K. J., and Kastelein, R. A. (2009). Acoustic basis for fish prey discrimination by echolocating dolphins and porpoises. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 126(1), 460-467.

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