Lateralized behavior in two captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Marino, Lori; Stowe, Jennifer

doi:10.1002/(sici)1098-2361(1997)16:2<173::aid-zoo7>3.0.co;2-7

Cited by 31 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Behavioral asymmetries have also been identified in other cetaceans (Kasuya and Rice 1970, Hoese 1971, Caldwell and the Dolphin Project 1993, Clapham et al . 1995, Marino and Stowe 1997). This study finds a left‐side bias in the apparent suckling attempts in sperm whales in both study areas; however, the duration of a given suckling attempt did not differ between sides.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suckling Behavior in Sperm Whale Calves: Observations and Hypotheses

Gero

Whitehead

2007

Marine Mammal Science

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This study is the first to describe quantitatively the apparent suckling behavior of sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), calves using observations from both above and below the surface. Peduncle dives are short (mean 14 s) dives made by sperm whale calves beside the peduncle of an adult female, which were previously assumed to be indicative of suckling. Photo‐identification and focal calf‐follows were used to collect data during 177 peduncle dive bouts from 22 different calves (11 calves from the Caribbean Sea, 11 from the Sargasso Sea), one of which was followed on forty different days. We found that peduncle diving in sperm whale calves is laterally asymmetrical with a bias to the left side of the escorting adult (69.8% of peduncle dives) and that calves generally do not switch sides during a bout of peduncle dives (switches occurred in only 10.8% of bouts). Further subsurface observations gave insight into potential alternative functions of peduncle diving. These alternative hypotheses, including nasal suckling, and the existing supporting evidence for each are discussed. It is likely that peduncle diving is related to suckling but that the exact function of the dives and manner in which sperm whale calves ingest milk remains unclear.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suckling Behavior in Sperm Whale Calves: Observations and Hypotheses

Gero

Whitehead

2007

Marine Mammal Science

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“…A number of lateralization studies have been conducted on a wide range of cetacean species based on visual observations of both captive and wild animals. Swimming direction of captive cetaceans circling their tanks has been reported to be both clockwise (CW) and counter clockwise (CCW) (Kellogg and Kohler 1952; Caldwell et al 1965; Ridgway 1986, 1990; Marino and Stowe 1997 a , b ). Genera studied include Tursiops , Kogia , Lagenorhynchus , Ornicus , Pseudorca , Cephalorhynchus , and Delphinapterus .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Apparent Lateralized Behavior in Gray Whales Feeding Off the Central British Columbia Coast

Woodward¹,

Winn

2006

Marine Mammal Science

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A digital acoustic recording tag was used to examine the 3‐D orientation of gray whales feeding along the central British Columbia coast. A total of 96 feeding dives were recorded from six different whales. More than half (53.1%) of the whales' bottom time was spent rolled at an angle greater than 45°. Whales rolled an average of 2.9 times per feeding dive, and rolling behavior was often accompanied by a negative pitch angle. Out of 282 recorded rolls, 274 (97.2%) were to the right. Likewise, 98.5% of the total time spent rolled at an angle greater than 45° was spent rolled to the right. The gray whales in this study showed a significant right‐side bias on both an individual (P≤ 0.009) and group level (P < 0.001). Based on the findings of this study and previous reports of uneven baleen wear (Kasuya and Rice 1970), it is proposed that gray whales exhibit a population‐wide right‐side rolling bias similar in character to the 90/10 split of right handedness in humans.

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“…In aquaria, stereotypic slow swimming (also called ''resting swimming'') along the enclosure perimeter may occupy a significant portion of time in bottlenose dolphins (Lilly, 1964;Flanigan, 1974a;Marino and Stowe, 1997;Lyamin, 1994, 1997;Gnone et al, 2001;Sekiguchi and Kohshima, 2003) and in other cetacean species (e.g., Flanigan, 1975a,b,c;Mukhametov, 1984;Goley, 1999;Shpak et al, in press). Most studies report the prevalence of a counter-clockwise swimming bias in bottlenose dolphins (e.g., Flanigan, 1974a;Ridgway, 1990;Sobel et al, 1994; however, see also, Stafne and Manger, 2004 showing a clockwise bias in Southern hemisphere dolphins).…”

Section: Rest While Swimming Slowlymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cetacean sleep: An unusual form of mammalian sleep

Lyamin

Manger

Ridgway

et al. 2008

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

266

269

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Our knowledge of the form of lateralized sleep behavior, known as unihemispheric slow wave sleep (USWS), seen in all members of the order Cetacea examined to date, is described. We trace the discovery of this phenotypically unusual form of mammalian sleep and highlight specific aspects that are different from sleep in terrestrial mammals. We find that for cetaceans sleep is characterized by USWS, a negligible amount or complete absence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and a varying degree of movement during sleep associated with body size, and an asymmetrical eye state. We then compare the anatomy of the mammalian somnogenic system with what is known in cetaceans, highlighting areas where additional knowledge is needed to understand cetacean sleep. Three suggested functions of USWS (facilitation of movement, more efficient sensory processing and control of breathing) are discussed. Lastly, the possible selection pressures leading to this form of sleep are examined, leading us to the suggestion that the selection pressure necessitating the evolution of cetacean sleep was most likely the need to offset heat loss to the water from birth and throughout life. Aspects such as sentinel functions and breathing are likely to be proximate evolutionary phenomenon of this form of sleep.

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Lateralized behavior in two captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Cited by 31 publications

References 5 publications

Suckling Behavior in Sperm Whale Calves: Observations and Hypotheses

Suckling Behavior in Sperm Whale Calves: Observations and Hypotheses

Apparent Lateralized Behavior in Gray Whales Feeding Off the Central British Columbia Coast

Cetacean sleep: An unusual form of mammalian sleep

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