By: Courtney Kneipp

1
Killer Whale Calf Vocalization Development
Understanding Cultural Transmission Through
Acoustics

• By Courtney Kneipp
• BeamReach Marine Science and Sustainability
  School
• Fall 2005
• Hendrix College 06
• Conway, AR

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Introduction

• Killer whale endangered species
• distinct cultural archetypes are both
  irreplaceable
• Motivation for Investigation
• each pod has a unique acoustic culture
• may offer insight into the development of their
  vocal repertoire and acoustic cultural
  transmission process.
• Cultural Debate
• Boweles et al. (1988), calf develops repertoire
  until puberty
• Deeckes(1999) gene-culture coevolution

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Vocalization Development Studies

• Luna supports Deeckes gene-culture
  coevolution theory
• Enggist-Dueblin and Pfister(2001), cultural
  transmission in ravens
• Subsong, plastic song, crystallized song
• Fripp et al(2004), dolphins ability to learn
  signature whistles of pod through members whom
  they associate rarely.
• Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute
• calf can vocalize within days of birth, but sound
  production is shaped with age
• first vocalizations loud, high pitched calls that
  bear no resemblance to adult-type calls
• Boweles(1988)
• vocalization may begin with shorter pulsed calls
  occurring at a higher frequency.

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Methods

• Materials for Acoustic Observation
• - Ears
• -Elephant Ears
• - High impedance amplifier
• - Marantz PMD660 recorder, used
  to record sound files
• digitizing rate of 44100
• -Range
• 90- 150 dB

• Materials for Visual Observation
• - Data Sheet
• - Spotter with camera
• special thanks to my fellow crew mates!
• - Video

The Ishmael Journey a series of unfortunate
events
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Data Analysis Procedure
Sonogram of an S19 call, depicting where I
measured the fundamental frequency of the tone.
.
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S1 Call
Sonogram of an S1 call, depicting how I measured
the call duration. Black lines indicate start and
end points of my measurement.
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Results
My S19 fundamental frequencies shown varying
around Fords(1990) S19 average fundamental
frequency for the beginning of the tone. Yellow
line depicts my S19s average in comparison to
Fords average, in red.
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S1 Fundamental Frequency
My measured S1 fundamental frequencies compared
to Fords average fundamental frequency for an
adult S1 call.
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S1 Call Duration
Call duration of my S1s compared to average call
duration of Fords S1s.
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Good news for Ishmael!
Ishmael located call at 173 and 187 degrees.
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How well do Ishmaels bearings match mine?
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Results Revisited

• Overall, my S19 and S1 fundamental frequencies
  were higher than Ford(1990)s fundamental
  frequencies average for those calls.
• My S1s durations were not significantly longer
  than Ford(1990)s S1s duration for adult calls.
• Ishmael can localize underwater sound
  sourcesfuture study!

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Discussion

• Higher S1 and S19 fundamental frequencies could
  indicate that a calf was present
• Higher fundamental frequencies could also mean
  change in adult call frequency over the past 20
  years.
• Further studying vocal development to better
  understand the acoustic cultural transmission
  process.
• interesting L-pod calve making a J/K-pod call?

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I dedicate this experience to CoachEd, my
grandfather, who lived a life of
Patience, Endurance, And Compassion Every day Of
His Life.
I Will Miss You.