Department of Psychology

Audiogram of the False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens)

 

Data from:

Thomas, J., Chun, N., and Au, W. (1988)

Yuen, M.M.L., Nachtigall, P.E., and Breese, M. (2005) Behavioral and auditory evoked potential audiograms of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens). Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 118, 2688-2695. This is the same individual tested by Tomas et al.; authors state that “this animal probably suffered some hearing loss associated with age or presbycusis”.

 

Average behavioral absolute thresholds for false killer whales

 

Frequency

(in kHz)

Thomas et al.

Yuen et al.

Thomas et al.

dB re 1 μPa

dB re 1 μPa

dB re 20 μPa*

2

99

 

73

4

80

99.5

54

5

 

94.4

 

7

 

89.3

 

8

64

82.7

38

10

 

84.5

 

14

 

87.3

 

15

 

78.6

 

16

49

79.7

23

19

 

71.6

 

20

 

69.5

 

22.5

 

76.1

 

24

 

71.3

 

27

 

80.2

 

32

45

104.2

19

38

 

112.3

 

45

 

122.1

 

64

39.5

 

13.5

85

76

 

50

105

81

 

55

110

94

 

68

115

116

 

90

 

Lowest and highest frequencies audible at sound

pressure levels (SPL) ranging from 30 to 70 dB SPL

 

SPL

(in dB)

Lowest audible frequency (in kHz)

Highest audible frequency (in kHz)

70

2.4

111

60

3.4

104

50

4.8

85

40

7.4

79

30

12

77

 

Additional Parameters:

Body weight = 18 year old animal was 700 kg (species grows to 1300 kg)

Functional interaural distance = ?? µs

(Time required for sound in water to travel through the head from one auditory meatus to the other.)

 

Comments: Threshold values taken from published article.

*conversion from reference level of 1 μPa used in underwater hearing to 20 μPa used in air hearing by subtracting 26 dB

 

Last Updated: 6/27/22