Ultra-high foraging rates of harbor porpoises make them vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance

Wisniewska, Danuta Maria; Johnson, Mark; Teilmann, Jonas; Rojano-Doñate, Laia; Shearer, Jeanne; Sveegaard, Signe; Miller, Lee A.; Siebert, Ursula; Madsen, Peter Teglberg
Current Biology (2016)

The question of how individuals acquire and allocate resources to maximize fitness is central in evolutionary ecology. Basic information on prey selection, search effort, and capture rates are critical for…


Listening to echolocation clicks with PODs

Tregenza, Nick; Dawson, Steve; Rayment, Will; Verfuss, Ursula
Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing (2016)

Monitoring echolocation using SAMs—static acoustic monitors—such as T-PODs or, more recently, C-PODs—has provided a wealth of information on the fine-scale distribution and activity of dolphins, porpoises and other toothed whales.…


Comparative physiology of vocal musculature in two odontocetes, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Thometz, Nicole M.; Dearolf, Jennifer L.; Dunkin, Robin C.; Noren, Dawn P.; Holt, Marla M.; Sims, Olivia C.; Cathey, Brandon C.; Williams, Terrie M.
Journal of Comparative Physiology B (2017)

The mechanism by which odontocetes produce sound is unique among mammals. To gain insight into the physiological properties that support sound production in toothed whales, we examined myoglobin content ([Mb]),…


Biosonar signal propagation in the harbor porpoise’s (Phocoena phocoena) head: The role of various structures in the formation of the vertical beam

Wei, Chong; Au, Whitlow W. L.; Ketten, Darlene R.; Song, Zhongchang; Zhang, Yu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2017)

Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) use narrow band echolocation signals for detecting and locating prey and for spatial orientation. In this study, acoustic impedance values of tissues in the porpoise's head…


Comparative physiology of vocal musculature in two odontocetes, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Thometz, Nicole M.; Dearolf, Jennifer L.; Dunkin, Robin C.; Noren, Dawn P.; Holt, Marla M.; Sims, Olivia C.; Cathey, Brandon C.; Williams, Terrie M.
Journal of Comparative Physiology B (2017)

The mechanism by which odontocetes produce sound is unique among mammals. To gain insight into the physiological properties that support sound production in toothed whales, we examined myoglobin content ([Mb]),…


Don’t forget the porpoise: Acoustic monitoring reveals fine scale temporal variation between bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise in Cardigan Bay SAC

Nuuttila, Hanna K.; Courtene-Jones, Winnie; Baulch, Sarah; Simon, Malene; Evans, Peter G. H.
Marine Biology (2017)

Populations of bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise inhabit Cardigan Bay, which was designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), with bottlenose dolphin listed as a primary feature for its conservation…


Raising your voice: Evolution of narrow-band high-frequency signals in toothed whales (Odontoceti)

Galatius, Anders; Olsen, Morten Tange; Steeman, Mette Elstrup; Racicot, Rachel A.; Bradshaw, Catherine D; Kyhn, Line A.; Miller, Lee A.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (2018)

Cetaceans use sound for communication, navigation and finding prey. Most extant odontocetes produce broadband (BB) biosonar clicks covering frequency ranges from tens of kilohertz to 150–170 kHz. In contrast, the…