Abstract
A large part of the literature on sensory perception and behavior in dolphins is devoted to its well-developed vocal and echolocation abilities. In this review, we aim to augment current knowledge by examining the literature on dolphins’ entire “Merkwelt” (which refers to everything a subject perceives, creating a crucial part of the subject’s Umwelt). We will show that despite extensive knowledge on audition, aspects such as context relatedness, the social function of vocalizations or socio-sexual recognition, remain poorly understood. Therefore, we propose areas for further lines of investigation. Recent studies have shown that the sensory world of dolphins might well be much more diverse than initially thought. Indeed, although underwater and aerial visual systems differ in dolphins, they have both been shown to be important. Much debated electro- and magnetoreception appear to be functional senses according to recent studies. Finally, another neglected area is chemoreception. We will summarize neuroanatomical and physiological data on olfaction and taste, as well as corresponding behavioral evidence. Taken together, we will identify a number of technical and conceptual reasons for why chemosensory data appear contradictory, which is much debated in the literature. In summary, this article aims to provide both an overview of the current knowledge on dolphin perception, but also offer a basis for further discussion and potential new lines of research.
Highlights
Dorothee Kremers 1, Aurélie Célérier 2, Benoist Schaal 3, Sylvie Campagna 2, 4, Marie Trabalon 1, 5, Martin Böye 6, Martine Hausberger 5 and Alban Lemasson 1*
Precise data refer to the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), but for a broader view other members of the family of Delphinidae are included, as well as information that are true for Delphinidae or Odontoceti in general
Knowing which opsin-based photopigments are expressed in the cetacean retina and their corresponding spectral sensitivities only suggest the potential for color vision
Summary
The perception of an organism’s local environment is one part of a living being’s Umwelt (von Uexküll, 1909). When it comes to sensory perception, cetaceans are informative because they underwent a drastic change in lifestyle in the course of evolution This mammalian order is currently considered as having evolved about 47 million years ago (MYA) from a small deer-like ancestor (Thewissen et al, 2009), moving from a terrestrial lifestyle back to an aquatic environment. Precise data refer to the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), but for a broader view other members of the family of Delphinidae are included, as well as information that are true for Delphinidae or Odontoceti in general For those sensory modalities where little literature is available for dolphins, this review includes other cetacean species
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