Abstract
A sperm whale neonate, Physeter spp., was stranded near Sabine Pass, Texas in September of 1989. The Marine Mammal Stranding Network of Texas A&M University removed the animal to Sea-Arama Marineworld, Galveston, Texas where it was kept in a large tank for 8 days in an attempt at rehabilitation. During this period, the auditory brainstem response (ABR) was recorded from suction cup sensors on the surface of the head in response to pulses presented (20 and 40 pps) underwater near the right external auditory meatus and lower jaw. These are the first ABR records from a great whale and the first recordings from a neonate of any cetacean species. The ABR waves of this Physeter, in response to pulses ranging in peak frequency from 2.5 to 60 kHz, were similar in appearance to those seen in other mammals, and very similar to those previously observed in other odontocetes [S. H. Ridgway et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 1943–1947 (1981)]. The ABRs of highest amplitude were those to frequencies of 5, 10, and 20 kHz. Responses to 60 kHz were much weaker but definitely present. Latencies were prolonged compared with ABRs of other juvenile and adult odontocetes.
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