Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Lateralized behaviour refers to a preference for using a specific limb or direction of movement that is consistent across events. We investigated apparent lateralized behaviour in North Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine using digital acoustic tag (‘DTAG’...
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ftuninhampshire:oai:scholars.unh.edu:ccom-2069 2023-05-15T16:36:07+02:00 Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) Canning, Claire Crain, Danielle Eaton, T Scott, Jr. Nuesslya, Kathryn Friedlaender, Ari S Hurst, T Parks, Susan E Ware, Colin Wiley, David N Weinrich, Mason 2011-10-01T07:00:00Z https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom/1069 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 unknown University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom/1069 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 Copyright © 2011 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping DTAG feeding behaviour handedness index humpback whale jaw scuffing lateralized behaviour Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic Marine Biology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology text 2011 ftuninhampshire https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 2023-01-30T21:33:29Z Lateralized behaviour refers to a preference for using a specific limb or direction of movement that is consistent across events. We investigated apparent lateralized behaviour in North Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine using digital acoustic tag (‘DTAG’) technology to analyse feeding behaviours during 2004–2009. An ideal tool to examine lateralized behaviours, DTAGs allowed continuous measurements of whale depth, heading, pitch and roll throughout the attachment period (less than 24 h). Side preference (right or left) in rolling behaviours (e.g. bottom rolling and side lunging) and directional preference (clockwise or anticlockwise) in feeding behaviours such as looping and spiraling were determined from visual examination of DTAG data. A ‘handedness index’ (HI) was used to quantify side bias and strength of preference. We found a population-level right-side bias similar to the 90/10 right-hand bias in humans. Furthermore, photos of jaw scuffing and direct tag data on rolling behaviour were used to assign a bottom-rolling side preference for 11 individuals for whom both of these data were available, 10 (90.9%) of which demonstrated a right-side bias. Consistent laterality was observed between individuals that performed bottom rolling and directional feeding behaviours, which was biased in the right/clockwise direction. Younger individuals tended to show weaker lateralization scores than older individuals, even among adults (P = 0.048), suggesting that lateralization develops, and continues to do so, beyond sexual maturity. Text Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic University of New Hampshire: Scholars Repository Animal Behaviour 82 4 901 909 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of New Hampshire: Scholars Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftuninhampshire |
language |
unknown |
topic |
DTAG feeding behaviour handedness index humpback whale jaw scuffing lateralized behaviour Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic Marine Biology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology |
spellingShingle |
DTAG feeding behaviour handedness index humpback whale jaw scuffing lateralized behaviour Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic Marine Biology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Canning, Claire Crain, Danielle Eaton, T Scott, Jr. Nuesslya, Kathryn Friedlaender, Ari S Hurst, T Parks, Susan E Ware, Colin Wiley, David N Weinrich, Mason Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
topic_facet |
DTAG feeding behaviour handedness index humpback whale jaw scuffing lateralized behaviour Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic Marine Biology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology |
description |
Lateralized behaviour refers to a preference for using a specific limb or direction of movement that is consistent across events. We investigated apparent lateralized behaviour in North Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine using digital acoustic tag (‘DTAG’) technology to analyse feeding behaviours during 2004–2009. An ideal tool to examine lateralized behaviours, DTAGs allowed continuous measurements of whale depth, heading, pitch and roll throughout the attachment period (less than 24 h). Side preference (right or left) in rolling behaviours (e.g. bottom rolling and side lunging) and directional preference (clockwise or anticlockwise) in feeding behaviours such as looping and spiraling were determined from visual examination of DTAG data. A ‘handedness index’ (HI) was used to quantify side bias and strength of preference. We found a population-level right-side bias similar to the 90/10 right-hand bias in humans. Furthermore, photos of jaw scuffing and direct tag data on rolling behaviour were used to assign a bottom-rolling side preference for 11 individuals for whom both of these data were available, 10 (90.9%) of which demonstrated a right-side bias. Consistent laterality was observed between individuals that performed bottom rolling and directional feeding behaviours, which was biased in the right/clockwise direction. Younger individuals tended to show weaker lateralization scores than older individuals, even among adults (P = 0.048), suggesting that lateralization develops, and continues to do so, beyond sexual maturity. |
format |
Text |
author |
Canning, Claire Crain, Danielle Eaton, T Scott, Jr. Nuesslya, Kathryn Friedlaender, Ari S Hurst, T Parks, Susan E Ware, Colin Wiley, David N Weinrich, Mason |
author_facet |
Canning, Claire Crain, Danielle Eaton, T Scott, Jr. Nuesslya, Kathryn Friedlaender, Ari S Hurst, T Parks, Susan E Ware, Colin Wiley, David N Weinrich, Mason |
author_sort |
Canning, Claire |
title |
Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_short |
Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_full |
Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_fullStr |
Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Population-Level Lateralized Feeding Behaviour in North Atlantic Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_sort |
population-level lateralized feeding behaviour in north atlantic humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) |
publisher |
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom/1069 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae North Atlantic |
op_source |
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping |
op_relation |
https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom/1069 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 |
op_rights |
Copyright © 2011 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.031 |
container_title |
Animal Behaviour |
container_volume |
82 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
901 |
op_container_end_page |
909 |
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1766026419527221248 |