The Ontogeny of the Dolphin Echolocation System

Abstract

Abstract : Recordings were obtained of the echolocation clicks produced by dolphin calves and their mothers during each calf 5 first year of life. The results demonstrate that dolphin calves begin to produce echolocation clicks within the first few months of life. Initially, the mothers' click trains may serve to prompt the calf to begin and to end click production. The results of this study demonstrated that young dolphin calves produce echolocation clicks, and suggest that the mother may influence the development of the echolocation system by modeling its use for her calf. Analyses currently being conducted will specify the nature of the relationship between the mothers' click trains and those produced by their calves. These analyses will also detail the developmental path that each calf follows as it learns to use its echolocation system. This information will provide a framework within which to investigate the developmental relationships of click production and echo comprehension, a necessary next step to determine the implications of the developmental data for designing models of echolocation systems, particularly models that can learn from their own mistakes.