Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning
The sperm whale carries a hypertrophied nose that generates powerful clicks for long-range echolocation. However, it remains a conundrum how this bizarrely shaped apex predator catches its prey. Several hypotheses have been advanced to propose both active and passive means to acquire prey, including...
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ftmurdochuniv:oai:researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au:32082 2023-05-15T18:26:39+02:00 Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning Fais, A. Johnson, M. Wilson, M. Aguilar Soto, N. Madsen, P.T. 2016 https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32082/ eng eng https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32082/ full_text_status:public Fais, A., Johnson, M., Wilson, M., Aguilar Soto, N. and Madsen, P.T. <https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/view/author/Madsen, Peter.html> (2016) Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning. Scientific Reports, 6 . Article number 28562. Journal Article 2016 ftmurdochuniv 2020-01-05T18:56:51Z The sperm whale carries a hypertrophied nose that generates powerful clicks for long-range echolocation. However, it remains a conundrum how this bizarrely shaped apex predator catches its prey. Several hypotheses have been advanced to propose both active and passive means to acquire prey, including acoustic debilitation of prey with very powerful clicks. Here we test these hypotheses by using sound and movement recording tags in a fine-scale study of buzz sequences to relate the acoustic behaviour of sperm whales with changes in acceleration in their head region during prey capture attempts. We show that in the terminal buzz phase, sperm whales reduce inter-click intervals and estimated source levels by 1-2 orders of magnitude. As a result, received levels at the prey are more than an order of magnitude below levels required for debilitation, precluding acoustic stunning to facilitate prey capture. Rather, buzzing involves high-frequency, low amplitude clicks well suited to provide high-resolution biosonar updates during the last stages of capture. The high temporal resolution helps to guide motor patterns during occasionally prolonged chases in which prey are eventually subdued with the aid of fast jaw movements and/or buccal suction as indicated by acceleration transients (jerks) near the end of buzzes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Sperm whale Murdoch University: Murdoch Research Repository |
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Murdoch University: Murdoch Research Repository |
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English |
description |
The sperm whale carries a hypertrophied nose that generates powerful clicks for long-range echolocation. However, it remains a conundrum how this bizarrely shaped apex predator catches its prey. Several hypotheses have been advanced to propose both active and passive means to acquire prey, including acoustic debilitation of prey with very powerful clicks. Here we test these hypotheses by using sound and movement recording tags in a fine-scale study of buzz sequences to relate the acoustic behaviour of sperm whales with changes in acceleration in their head region during prey capture attempts. We show that in the terminal buzz phase, sperm whales reduce inter-click intervals and estimated source levels by 1-2 orders of magnitude. As a result, received levels at the prey are more than an order of magnitude below levels required for debilitation, precluding acoustic stunning to facilitate prey capture. Rather, buzzing involves high-frequency, low amplitude clicks well suited to provide high-resolution biosonar updates during the last stages of capture. The high temporal resolution helps to guide motor patterns during occasionally prolonged chases in which prey are eventually subdued with the aid of fast jaw movements and/or buccal suction as indicated by acceleration transients (jerks) near the end of buzzes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Fais, A. Johnson, M. Wilson, M. Aguilar Soto, N. Madsen, P.T. |
spellingShingle |
Fais, A. Johnson, M. Wilson, M. Aguilar Soto, N. Madsen, P.T. Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
author_facet |
Fais, A. Johnson, M. Wilson, M. Aguilar Soto, N. Madsen, P.T. |
author_sort |
Fais, A. |
title |
Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
title_short |
Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
title_full |
Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
title_fullStr |
Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
title_sort |
sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32082/ |
genre |
Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Sperm whale |
op_source |
Fais, A., Johnson, M., Wilson, M., Aguilar Soto, N. and Madsen, P.T. <https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/view/author/Madsen, Peter.html> (2016) Sperm whale predator-prey interactions involve chasing and buzzing, but no acoustic stunning. Scientific Reports, 6 . Article number 28562. |
op_relation |
https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32082/ full_text_status:public |
_version_ |
1766208625235197952 |