Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Beaked whale auditory evoked potential hearing measurements

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Several mass strandings of beaked whales have recently been correlated with military exercises involving mid-frequency sonar highlighting unknowns regarding hearing sensitivity in these species. We report the hearing abilities of a stranded juvenile beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) measured with auditory evoked potentials. The beaked whale’s modulation rate transfer function (MRTF) measured with a 40-kHz carrier showed responses up to an 1,800 Hz amplitude modulation (AM) rate. The MRTF was strongest at the 1,000 and 1,200 Hz AM rates. The envelope following response (EFR) input–output functions were non-linear. The beaked whale was most sensitive to high frequency signals between 40 and 80 kHz, but produced smaller evoked potentials to 5 kHz, the lowest frequency tested. The beaked whale hearing range and sensitivity are similar to other odontocetes that have been measured.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AM:

Amplitude modulation

AEP:

Auditory evoked potential

EFR:

Envelope following response

EP:

Evoked potential

FFT:

Fast Fourier transform

MRTF:

Modulation rate transfer function

SPL:

Sound pressure level

References

  • Balcomb III KC, Claridge DE (2001) A mass stranding of cetaceans caused by naval sonar in the Bahamas. Bahamas J Sci 8:2–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Brill RL, Sevenich ML, Sullivan TJ, Sustman JD, Witt RE (1988) Behavioral evidence for hearing through the lower jaw by an echolocating dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Mar Mammal Sci 4:223–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brill RL, Moore PWB, Dankiewicz LA (2001) Assessment of dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) auditory sensitivity and hearing loss using jawphones. J Acoust Soc Am 109:1717–1722

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bullock TH, Grinnell AD, Ikezono E, Kameda K, Katsuki Y, Nomoto M, Sato O, Suga N, Yanagisawa K (1968) Electrophysiological studies of central auditory mechanisms in cetaceans. Z vergleichende Physiol 59:117–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Corwin JT, Bullock TH, Schweitzer J (1982) The auditory brain stem response in five vertebrate classes. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 54:629–641

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dolphin WF (1996) Auditory evoked responses to amplitude modulated stimuli consisting of multiple envelope components. J Comp Physiol A 179:113–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolphin WF (1997) The envelope following response to multiple tone pair stimuli. Hear Res 110:1–14

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dolphin WF, Au WWL, Nachtigall PE, Pawloski J (1995) Modulation rate transfer functions to low-frequency carriers in three species of cetaceans. J Comp Physiol A 177:235–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández A, Arbelo M, Deaville R, Patterson IAP, Castro P, Baker JR, Degollada E, Ross HM, Herráez P, Pocknell AM, Rodríguez E, Howie FE, Espinosa A, Reid RJ, Jaber JR, Martin V, Cunningham AA, Jepson PD (2004) Pathology: whales, sonar and decompression sickness (reply). Nature 428:1–2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferraro JA, Durrant JD (1994) Auditory evoked potentials: overview and basic principles. In: Katz J (ed) Handbook of clinical audiology. Williams & Wilkins, London, pp 317–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Finneran JJ, Carder DA, Schlundt CE, Ridgway SH (2005) Temporary threshold shift in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) exposed to mid-frequency tones. J Acoust Soc Am 118:2696–2705

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frantzis A (1998) Does acoustic testing strand whales? Nature 392:29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houser DS, Finneran JJ (2005) AEP methods for population-level assessment of hearing sensitivity in bottlenose dolphins. J Acoust Soc Am 117:2408(A)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houser DS, Finneran JJ, Carder DA, Ridgway SH, Moore PW (2004) Relationship between auditory evoked potential (AEP) and behavioral audiograms in odontocete cetaceans. J Acoust Soc Am 116:2503(A)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jepson PD, Arbelo M, Deaville R, Patterson IAP, Castro P, Baker JR, Degollada E, Ross HM, Herráez P, Pocknell AM, Rodríguez R, Howie FE, Espinosa A, Reid RJ, Jaber JR, Martin V, Cunningham AA, Fernández A (2003) Gas-bubble lesions in stranded cetaceans: was sonar responsible for a spate of whale deaths after an Atlantic military exercise? Nature 425:575–576

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson CS (1966) Auditory thresholds of the bottlenosed porpoise (Tursiops truncatus, Montagu). US Naval Ordinance Test Station (NOTS) TP 4178, 22 pp

  • Johnson M, Madsen PT, Zimmer WMX, Aguilar de Soto N, Tyack PL (2004) Beaked whales echolocate on prey. Proc R Soc Lond B (Suppl) 271:S383–S386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas JR, Freeberg TM, Krishnan A, Long GR (2002) A comparative study of avian auditory brainstem responses: correlations with phylogeny and vocal complexity, and seasonal effects. J Comp Physiol A 188:981–992

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCormick JG, Wever EG, Palin J (1970) Sound conduction in the dolphin ear. J Acoust Soc Am 48:1418–1428

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCormick JG, Wever EG, Ridgway SH, Palin J (1979) Sound reception in the porpoise as it relates to echolocation. In: Busnel RG, Fish JF (eds) Animal sonar systems. Plenum, New York, pp 449–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Møhl B, Au WWL, Pawloski J, Nachtigall PE (1999) Dolphin hearing: relative sensitivity as a function of point of application of a contact sound source in the jaw and head region. J Acoust Soc Am 105:3421–3424

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moore PWB, Pawloski DA (1993) Interaural time discrimination in the bottlenose dolphin. J Acoust Soc Am 94:1829(A)–1830(A)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nachtigall PE, Lemonds DW, Roitblat HL (2000) Psychoacoustic studies of dolphin and whale hearing. In: Au WWL, Popper AN, Fay RR (eds) Hearing by whales and dolphins. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 330–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris KS (1964) Some problems of echolocation in cetaceans. In: Tavolga WN (ed) Marine bioacoustics. Pergamon, New York, pp 317–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris KS (1968) The evolution of acoustic mechanisms in odontocete cetaceans. In: Drake ET (ed) Evolution and environment. Yale University Press, London, pp 297–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Popov VV, Supin AY (1990) Auditory brain stem responses in characterization of dolphin hearing. J Comp Physiol A 166:385–393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ridgway SH, Bullock TH, Carder DA, Seeley RL, Woods D, Galambos R (1981) Auditory brainstem response in dolphins. Neurobiology 78:1943–1947

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds MP, Lopez-Jurado LF (1991) Whales and the military. Nature 351:448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Supin AY, Popov VV, Mass AM (2001) The sensory physiology of aquatic mammals. Kluwer, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Szymanski MD, Bain DE, Kiehl K, Pennington S, Wong S, Henry KR (1999) Killer whale (Orcinus orca) hearing: auditory brainstem response and behavioral audiograms. J Acoust Soc Am 106:1134–1141

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Commerce and US Navy (2001) Joint interim report: Bahamas marine mammal stranding event of 15–16 March 2000 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/overview/Interim_Bahamas_Report.pdf

  • Yuen MML, Nachtigall PE, Breese M, Supin AY (2005) Behavioral and auditory evoked potential audiograms of a false killer whale (Pseucorca crassidens). J Acoust Soc Am 118:2688–2695

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer WMX, Johnson MP, Madsen PT, Tyack PL (2005) Echolocation clicks of free-ranging Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). J Acoust Soc Am 117:3919–3927

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Teri Rowles, Trevor Spradlin, Brandon Southall, Kyle Baker, Dr. Janet Whaley, Blair Mase-Guthrie, Laura Engleby, David Bernhardt, Steve Leathery, and Roger Gentry for assistance with permitting. We thank Butch Rommel for assistance with beaked whale anatomy, and Peter Tyack for sharing data on beaked whale echolocation frequencies. We thank Patricia Rosel for DNA identification of the species from a skin sample. We thank Elisabeth Howells, Brandon Paquin, Kenny Kroell, and the entire volunteer staff at HBOI for the care of this animal. Funding for the rescue and rehabilitative care of this whale was possible with the Protect Florida Whales License Plate Fund. We thank Randy Dear, Linda Green, and Carolyn Schlundt for bottlenose dolphin training and other valuable assistance at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program. This project was funded in part by a grant awarded from Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. from proceeds collected from the sale of Protect Wild Dolphins License Plate as authorized by Florida Statute 320.08058(20). The experiments comply with the “Principles of animal care”, publication no. 86-03, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and also with the current laws of the US.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701-5016, USA

    Mandy L. H. Cook & David A. Mann

  2. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc., 5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA

    René A. Varela, Juli D. Goldstein, Stephen D. McCulloch & Gregory D. Bossart

  3. US Navy Marine Mammal Program, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Code 2351, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, CA, 92152-5001, USA

    James J. Finneran

  4. Biomimetica, 7951 Shantung Dr., Santee, CA, 92071-3432, USA

    Dorian Houser

Authors
  1. Mandy L. H. Cook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. René A. Varela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Juli D. Goldstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stephen D. McCulloch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gregory D. Bossart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. James J. Finneran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Dorian Houser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. David A. Mann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mandy L. H. Cook.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cook, M.L.H., Varela, R.A., Goldstein, J.D. et al. Beaked whale auditory evoked potential hearing measurements. J Comp Physiol A 192, 489–495 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-005-0086-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-005-0086-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation