Save

Geographic Variation in South Pacific Humpback Whale Songs

In: Behaviour
Authors:
David Helweg Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, New Zealand, SPAWAR SYSCEN SAN DIEGO, Code D35l, 49620 Beluga Road, San Diego, CA 92152-6506, USA;, Email: helweg@spawar.navy.mil

Search for other papers by David Helweg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Douglas Cato Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Pyrmont, NSW, Australia

Search for other papers by Douglas Cato in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Peter Jenkins School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Peter Jenkins in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Claire Garrigue 0RSTOM, Noumea, New Caledonia

Search for other papers by Claire Garrigue in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Robert McCauley Department of Marine Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia) (Acc. 4-VIII-1997)

Search for other papers by Robert McCauley in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Online Publication Date:
01 Jan 1998
Download Citation Get Permissions

Access options

Get access to the full article by using one of the access options below.

Institutional Login

Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials

Login via Institution

Purchase

Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

$40.00
Add to Cart

Other access options

Rent on DeepDyve
Redeem Access Token

Abstract

Every winter, (male) humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) produce long complex songs. Song content is dynamic and singers incorporate changes as they occur, thus song is shared through cultural transmission. We compared songs recorded in winter migratory termini in Tonga, New Caledonia, Eastern Australia, and on migration paths off Eastern Australia and New Zealand, in the winter of 1994. Seven themes were shared by all regions, with an additional two themes shared by all but Tonga. Differences in regional variants were most pronounced between Tongan and Eastern Australian song. New Caledonian and Kaikouran song were more similar to songs from Eastern Australia rather than Tonga. These regional differences were stable across the season. The results suggest some migratory exchange among widely separate wintering regions of Area V, consistent with tag recovery data, but the time and location at which song sharing occurs remains speculative.

Title:
Geographic Variation in South Pacific Humpback Whale Songs
Article Type:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/156853998793066438
Language:
English
Pages:
1–27
In:
Behaviour
In:
Volume 135: Issue 1
Publisher:
Brill
E-ISSN:
1568-539X
Print ISSN:
0005-7959
Subjects:
Biology & Environmental Sciences, Biology

Content Metrics

All Time Past 365 days Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 1971 272 31
Full Text Views 267 10 2
PDF Views & Downloads 204 15 0