(ORDO NEWS) — Dolphins are one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet, this has long been known. However, their linguistic development also does not lag behind (from human). However, why are dialects needed in underwater life?
Scientists from the Italian University of Sassari (UNISS), after analyzing 188 hours of recordings of dolphin whistles, found that the language of underwater mammals has many different dialects depending on the habitat. The authors of the study compared the pitch changes and the length of the audio signal.
So, they concluded that in bottlenose dolphins (a type of dolphin) these characteristics depend on the place of residence: like dialects in humanity.
Underwater chaps
For example, the dolphin whistle is affected by the amount of algae: it will be higher and shorter where the ocean has a less muddy bottom. In addition, in small populations, the signal height changes more significantly than in large ones.
This indicates that bottlenose dolphins change their language (whistling), adjusting it to the immediate circumstances of the environment – the place of residence.
The new work by Italian scientists is consistent with the acoustic adaptation hypothesis, which states that animals change their voice for maximum distinguishability in certain environmental conditions.
“I would like people to think about the importance of the acoustic environment in which dolphins live. This is important for developing and maintaining their communication,” said Dr. La Manna.
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