title: Detection of Complex Sounds in Quiet Conditions by Seals and Sea Lions.
abstract: To test how accurately baseline audiometric data predict detection of complex stimuli, absolute detection thresholds for frequency-modulated (FM), amplitude-modulated (AM), and harmonic stimuli were obtained for one Phoca vitulina (harbor seal) and one Zalophus californianus (California sea lion) at frequencies spanning the functional range of hearing. These thresholds were then compared with a priori predictions based on the tonal audiograms of these subjects. Predicted thresholds were accurate for most FM signals and for AM signals for the California sea lion. Predictions were unreliable for harmonic signals for both species and for AM signals for the harbor seal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA. kaacunni@ucsc.edu.
authors.forename: Kane A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Southall Environmental Associates, Aptos, CA, 95003, USA. brandon.southall@sea-inc.net.
authors.forename: Brandon L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Southall
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA. coll@ucsc.edu.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reichmuth
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D046049:Phoca / Q000502:physiology*; D046070:Sea Lions / Q000502:physiology*; D013016:Sound
keywords: California sea lion; Harbor seal; Hearing; Pinniped; Threshold