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SOUNDS OF A PYGMY RIGHT WHALE ( CAPEREA MARGINATA )
Author(s) -
Dawbin William H.,
Cato Douglas H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
marine mammal science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.723
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1748-7692
pISSN - 0824-0469
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-7692.1992.tb00405.x
Subject(s) - right whale , whale , human echolocation , sound (geography) , range (aeronautics) , cetacea , acoustics , biology , zoology , fishery , physics , materials science , composite material
This is the first report of recordings of sounds from the pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata . The recordings were obtained in the presence of a juvenile in the harbor at Portland, on the southeastern corner of the Australian continent. Only one type of sound was heard‐a short thump‐like pulse or tone burst with a downsweep in frequency and decaying amplitude, with most energy between 60 and 120 Hz. The pulses occurred predominantly in pairs and once in a trio. The sounds are simpler than those of most baleen whales, but they show some similarity in characteristics. Source levels are in the lower end of the range determined for other species. There was no evidence to indicate the purpose of these sounds.