Like human beings, animals have their particular way of transmitting information. Having, among the outstanding and intriguing, some well-known aquatic mammals. Find out here, how do dolphins communicate, both with their species and with other living beings.
How do Dolphins communicate?
All the animals on Planet Earth have their peculiar way of establishing communication, contact or simply transmitting what they perceive. Where the needs are also part of this item. In which, the communication is with members of the same species, as it can be, towards individuals of other species. Causing, therefore, that the information provides or causes, some type of change in who receives it.
It is that, between animals, communication is presented through signals that are captured by means of:
- Visualizations
- Acoustic (emission of sounds)
- Auditory (sound reception)
- Touch
- Chemical (by pheromones)
On the other hand, among animals, communication is also an essential field that allows them to:
- Find a partner and mate
- Demonstrate dominance or hierarchy
- broadcast warning
- Defend your territory
- Protect the young
- Maintain coordinated behavior of the species, among others.
In this sense, the way in which how do dolphins communicate has awakened complete and detailed studies. Having the one contributed by the American John C. Lilly, a neurophysiologist by profession, in 1950, executing his research in the Virgin Islands. Which comes to the conclusion that the Dolphinuses two means of communication, which are:
- A verbal communication, which is executed through the diffusion of sounds, captured as whistles. Which he performs through his nasal spiracles.
- The second is based on a kind of clicks, similar to a ship's radar.
This impressive and fascinating marine mammal has the virtue of exploring sounds, specifying their direction and as a result of them, it finally finds its way.
Ability to express yourself orally
The ability of animals to express themselves orally, according to research contributions, is found in those that have a developed brain that reaches 700 or 800 grams. Because the requirement that it demands is that it must have the ability to take information, save it, remember it and respond to it.
This is only achieved if the size is adequate, which also provides a complete development. As a result of this requirement, the dolphin has a brain, which, depending on the size of the animal, can weigh up to 2.000 grams. Where, in addition, studies have shown that it has so-called silent zones in the cerebral cortex. That they are only comparable with those existing in people or human beings.
Fun facts about communication
As curious data of communication or how do dolphins communicate, you have to:
- At the moment the dolphin is born, its mother makes whistling sounds, which are repeated insistently. This is with the aim that the calf is able to recognize the whistle of its mother, in addition to knowing how to identify it. Likewise, this act allows the dolphin to execute its own acoustic sound that the mother will be able to recognize and identify, without any mistake.
- Another curious fact is that every time an individual of the same species is found, it emits a peculiar and characteristic sound. Which reaches to be answered in the same way, being cataloged as a meeting greeting.
- On the other hand, studies have offered the data that each group of dolphins has the peculiarity of communicating with its own language, fully developed and differentiated.
- They have the attractive virtue of being able to reproduce or imitate sounds that humans or other animals hear, with very high accuracy.
How do dolphins communicate between their own species?
Establish how do dolphins communicate among its own species has generated studies and fascinating results. Of which we have, by others, that is executed by means of the following variants, which are:
acoustics
The acoustic signals, which correspond to the emission of sounds, can be carried out by means of:
- Whistles
- Clicks (pulsed sounds)
- Screeching (continuous high-pitched sound)
- Screeching (high-pitched, inarticulate sound)
- Screaming (inarticulate high volume sounds)
- Grunt (hoarse inarticulate sound)
- Twitter (singing form)
Touch
Another way of how do dolphins communicate, is by means of tactile signals, also called "non-acoustic". Which are reproduced through:
- tail blows
- exhaling
- fin strokes
- Clash of their jaws
- Shocks that occur when jumping and falling into the water
- Through bubbling, among others.
At the same time, it is capable of experiencing other means of tactile communication between individuals of the same species, such as through:
- Friction between the fins of individuals
- Massage by rubbing the bodies
Visuals
The visual cues of how do dolphins communicate they are varied. Taking as outstanding, the following:
- gestural expressions
- characteristic movements
- Color changes in the skin of the body
- Sexual dimorphism (size difference between male and female)
- Simultaneous and identical movements made by another individual
- Jumps or movements together or groupings
In this sense, although they do not have developed vocal cords like those present in human beings, they have the ability to communicate with accuracy and precision. Highlighting a mechanism that totally resembles the one executed by people with their vocal cords.
Where, in addition, the different investigations have revealed that they are capable of transmitting some event that has happened to other members of their species. Either from a nearby danger or an attack received, which in a different way may have found food. But what is certain is that each and every one is captured with total assertiveness by the receivers.
How does it produce sound and how does it capture it?
The sounds that the dolphins make originate through some air bags that are located in the lower part of their spiracle. Where the sound, is the result that comes from the shaking, oscillation or trembling of the ends of your nostril.
The way in which it captures the sounds, which are identified as echoes or resonances, begins through the arrival to what is your inner ear, through an oily conduit that it has. This is located in its lower jaw, from which it passes to the lower middle brain of the dolphin and cerebral cortex. Giving as a result that it is analyzed, deciphered and conceived.
How dolphins communicate with other living beings
Initially, the way in which dolphins communicate with other placental mammals, commonly called cetaceans, which are the same species, has to be addressed. It is through acoustic emissions of whistles or screeches.
On the other hand, the form adopted how dolphins develop, establishes the still intriguing and often disconcerting statement that these particular Sea mammals, they also manage to do it with other species of animals, as well as with human beings. Executing whistles and movements in and out of the water, which is his particular way of communicating and with which he gets interpretation and response.
Dolphin Echolocation
It should be noted that echolocation corresponds to the peculiar way of how do dolphins communicate to locate either objects, obstacles or individuals.
Of which the dolphins have the virtue that when they make a sound, which of course will travel through the water. When encountering something that stops it or changes its course, the dolphin will be able to capture the echo it produces and determine what caused it. Where he also perceives the dimensions, shape and proximity of it.
That is why, indisputably, the way in which dolphins communicate and the emissions they execute, makes it easier for them to know if there is an appetizing school of sardines, rocks or simply a boat near them. Bearing in mind that echolocation simply allows them to know, explore and react to their environment.
Where this wonderful way of locating is highly useful when you are in deep water, as well as in those where visibility is poor due to turbidity. In which it is possible to get a predatory enemy that is better to avoid and evade in a timely manner.
How is the socialization of dolphins?
The way to how do dolphins communicate along with what is socialization is what allows them the connection between individuals. Because they are characterized by being highly pleasant, funny, friendly, sociable and cordial. Both with individuals of the same species, as those of other species, without leaving aside human beings.
Apart from another great virtue that allows them to communicate, it is their powerful intelligence and development of curiosity. That is why, for a long time, humans have established ways to connect with them. Where the most common is through swimming that provides them apart from knowing them, the fact of interacting, learning their customs, what worries them, what they like. In itself, a host of experiences that never cease to amaze and never cease to be scarce.
