Hearing by whales and dolphins

Cetaceans inhabit oceans, seas, and even some rivers throughout the world. Hearing and sound production are thought to serve crucial functions in the behavior, natural history, or life cycle of all of these animals. Although difficulties in studying large aquatic animals have limited experimental auditory research on many species, knowledge about the acoustic behavior of these animals has been increasing dramatically. In this volume, experts in different areas of the field provide an overview of the bioacoustics of whales and dolphins as well as a thorough introduction to the subject for investigators of hearing in other animals. Topics covered include the structure and function of cetacean auditory systems, the unique sound production system of odontocetes, acoustic communication, psychoacoustics, echolocation, and models of sound propagation. Contents: • Hearing in Whales and Dolphins: An Overview Whitlow W.L Au • Cetacean Ears Darlene R. Ketten • In Search of Impulse Sound Sources in Odontocetes Ted W. Cranford • Communication and Acoustic Behavior of Dolphins and Whales Peter L. Tyack and Christopher W. Clark • Acoustics and Social Behavior of Wild Dolphins: Implications for a Sound Society Denise L Herzing • The Auditory Central Nervous System of Dolphins Sam H. Ridgway • Electrophysiological Measures of Auditory Processing in Odontocetes William Ford Dolphin • Psychoacoustic Studies of Dolphin and Whale Hearing Paul E. Nachtigall, David W. Lemonds, and Herbert L Roitblat • Echolocation in Dolphins Whitlow W.L. Au • Acoustic Models of Sound Production and Propagation James L. Aroyan, Mark A. McDonald, Spain C. Webb, John A. Hildebrand, David Clark, Jeffrey T. Laitman, and Joy S. Reidenberg.