Non‐song acoustic communication in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

摘要: Humpback whales are renowned for the complex structured songs produced by males. A second, relatively understudied area of humpback acoustic communication concerns un-patterned sounds known as "social sounds," both males and females. These include vocalizations well at surface water a result behaviors (e.g., breaching, pectoral slapping). This study describes portion non-song social sound repertoire southward migrating humpbacks in Australian waters, explores relevance these sounds. On migration, travel groups varying compositions. not stable that continually change group composition splitting from, or joining with, other groups. The results this suggest "breaching" "slapping" have communicative function. Other such "underwater blows" "cries" were heard mainly competitive while low-frequency "grumbles,""snorts,""thwops," "wops" may function intra- inter-group communication. Particular ("grunts,""groans," "barks") almost exclusive to pods suggesting role integration. Social specific behavioral functions relating composition, mediation interactions between