Acoustically Derived Estimate of the Size Distribution for a Sample of Sperm Whales ( Physeter catodon) in the Western North Atlantic
Acoustic determination of sperm whale length based on measurement of the interpulse interval (IPI) of the characteristic multipulse sound click was used on a sample of 4000 clicks in 193 click series recorded in the North Atlantic. The analysis of IPI could be done with reasonable reproducibility us...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | French |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1980
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f80-283 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f80-283 |
| Summary: | Acoustic determination of sperm whale length based on measurement of the interpulse interval (IPI) of the characteristic multipulse sound click was used on a sample of 4000 clicks in 193 click series recorded in the North Atlantic. The analysis of IPI could be done with reasonable reproducibility using a minimum of equipment: a tape recorder, filter, and oscilloscope. Criteria were developed to choose suitable clicks for analysis. In the click sample, 11% met the criteria for analysis, and were contained in 41 click series, of which 22 had a unique IPI. The IPIs in the 41 series ranged between 1.6 and 8.0 ms, and corresponded to a predicted size range of 7–22 m. This is consistent for the size range reported for the western North Atlantic.Key words: bioacoustics, sperm whale, Physeter catodon, size determination, click, interpulse interval |
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