Communication among bottlenose dolphins has always been complex. Similar to humans, dolphins are now known to communicate with loved ones using specific names.
Dolphins tend to have a close social network within their pods which includes mothers, calves, fathers, aunts, uncles and brothers. They also have relationships with other dolphins that are casual in nature.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society finds that bottlenose dolphins have a way of calling out to certain other dolphins using a name. "Animals produced copies when they were separated from a close associate and this supports our belief that dolphins copy another animal's signature whistle when they want to reunite with that specific individual," said lead author Stephanie King of the University of St. Andrews Sea Mammal Research Unit to Discovery News.
The study involved analyzing the vocalizations of four captive adult male dolphins at the Seas Aquarium, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Special scientific equipment enabled the researchers to determine and record the frequency responses of the dolphins' vocals.
"A dolphin emits its signature whistle to broadcast its identity and announce its presence, allowing animals to identify one another over large distances and for animals to recognize one another and to join up with each other," said King.
Researchers found that the signature whistles of loved ones are copied when the dolphins get separated from one another or their group (or pod) just as humans do. Theses specific "name" whistles were only meant for the loved ones and not used in aggressive situations.
"Interestingly, captive dolphins can learn new signals and refer to objects and it may be that dolphins can use signature whistle copies to label or refer to an individual, which is a skill inherent in human language," said King.
Every bottlenose dolphin develops a distinct high-pitched whistle known as a "signature whistle," according to scientists. Like a name, among bottlenose dolphins, the whistle serves as an individual identification. Dolphins are the only animals found to communicate in this manner, other than humans; whereas humans use words to communicate, dolphins use whistles.