Riesch Rüdiger, Ford John K B, Thomsen Frank
Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
J Acoust Soc Am. 2008 Sep;124(3):1822-9. doi: 10.1121/1.2956467.
Combining different stereotyped vocal signals into specific sequences increases the range of information that can be transferred between individuals. The temporal emission pattern and the behavioral context of vocal sequences have been described in detail for a variety of birds and mammals. Yet, in cetaceans, the study of vocal sequences is just in its infancy. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of sequences of stereotyped whistles in killer whales off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. A total of 1140 whistle transitions in 192 whistle sequences recorded from resident killer whales were analyzed using common spectrographic analysis techniques. In addition to the stereotyped whistles described by Riesch et al., [(2006). "Stability and group specificity of stereotyped whistles in resident killer whales, Orcinus orca, off British Columbia," Anim. Behav. 71, 79-91.] We found a new and rare stereotyped whistle (W7) as well as two whistle elements, which are closely linked to whistle sequences: (1) stammers and (2) bridge elements. Furthermore, the frequency of occurrence of 12 different stereotyped whistle types within the sequences was not randomly distributed and the transition patterns between whistles were also nonrandom. Finally, whistle sequences were closely tied to close-range behavioral interactions (in particular among males). Hence, we conclude that whistle sequences in wild killer whales are complex signal series and propose that they are most likely emitted by single individuals.
将不同的定型发声信号组合成特定序列，可以增加个体之间能够传递的信息范围。对于各种鸟类和哺乳动物，发声序列的时间发射模式和行为背景已经得到了详细描述。然而，在鲸类动物中，发声序列的研究尚处于起步阶段。在此，我们对不列颠哥伦比亚省温哥华岛附近虎鲸的定型哨声序列进行了详细分析。使用常见的光谱分析技术，对从常驻虎鲸记录的192个哨声序列中的总共1140次哨声转换进行了分析。除了里施等人[(2006年)。《不列颠哥伦比亚省附近常驻虎鲸（逆戟鲸）定型哨声的稳定性和群体特异性》，《动物行为》71卷，第79 - 91页]所描述的定型哨声外，我们还发现了一种新的罕见定型哨声（W7）以及两个与哨声序列密切相关的哨声元素：(1)结巴声和(2)过渡元素。此外，序列中12种不同定型哨声类型的出现频率并非随机分布，哨声之间的转换模式也不是随机的。最后，哨声序列与近距离行为互动（特别是雄性之间）密切相关。因此，我们得出结论，野生虎鲸的哨声序列是复杂的信号系列，并提出它们很可能是由单个个体发出的。
