title: Auditory evoked potentials in two short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus).
abstract: The hearing sensitivities of two short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) were investigated by measuring auditory evoked potentials generated in response to clicks and sinusoidal amplitude modulated (SAM) tones. The first whale tested, an adult female, was a long-time resident at SeaWorld San Diego with a known health history. Click-evoked responses in this animal were similar to those measured in other echolocating odontocetes. Auditory thresholds were comparable to dolphins of similar age determined with similar evoked potential methods. The region of best sensitivity was near 40 kHz and the upper limit of functional hearing was between 80 and 100 kHz. The second whale tested, a juvenile male, was recently stranded and deemed non-releasable. Click-evoked potentials were not detected in this animal and testing with SAM tones suggested severe hearing loss above 10 kHz.
authors.affiliation: ITT Corporation, 3276 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, California 92110, USA. Carolyn.Melka@itt.com
authors.forename: Carolyn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Schlundt
authors.forename: Randall L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Dear
authors.forename: Dorian S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Houser
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bowles
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reidarson
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Finneran
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D050686:Whales, Pilot / Q000502:physiology*