Hearing in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) and goats (Capra hircus).
Behavioral audiograms were determined for three pigs and two goats. The hearing of the pigs ranged from 42 Hz to 40.5 kHz with a region of best sensitivity from 250 Hz to 16 kHz. Hearing in goats ranged from 78 Hz to 37 kHz with a well-defined point of best sensitivity at 2 kHz. Because these animals are unable to localize high-frequency tones, it seems unlikely that selective pressure to use the interaural spectral-difference cue for sound localization is behind their high-frequency hearing. Instead, we suggest that these and other hoofed mammals evolved high-frequency hearing in order to use monaural locus cues which prevent front/back locus reversals.
Heffner
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Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Ohio 43606.
Heffner
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HE
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001299:Audiometry; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*