Call combination patterns in Icelandic killer whales (Orcinus orca).

ABSTRACT: Acoustic sequences have been described in a range of species and in varying complexity. Cetaceans are known to produce complex song displays but these are generally limited to mysticetes; little is known about call combinations in odontocetes. Here we investigate call combinations produced by killer whales (Orcinus orca), a highly social and vocal species. Using acoustic recordings from 22 multisensor tags, we use a first order Markov model to show that transitions between call types or subtypes were significantly different from random, with repetitions and specific call combinations occurring more often than expected by chance. The mixed call combinations were composed of two or three calls and were part of three call combination clusters. Call combinations were recorded over several year

SUBMITTER: Selbmann A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10709340 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature