Department of Psychology

Audiogram of the white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus)

 

Data from: Heffner, R.S., Heffner, H.E., Contos, C., and Kearns, D. (1994) Hearing in prairie dogs: Transition between surface and subterranean rodents. Hearing Research, 73, 185-189.

 

Absolute thresholds (in dB re 20 µN/m2) for one white-tailed prairie dog

 

Frequency

(in kHz)

 

Threshold

(in dB)

 
 

.032

75

 

.063

44

 

.125

35

 

.250

29

 

.500

24.7

 

1

26

 

2

33

 

4

28

 

8

24

 

16

39

 

22.4

39

 

32

86

 


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

.036

28

60

.044

26

50

.054

24.3

40

.084

22.7

30

.220

10.5


Additional Parameters:

Body weight = 900 g

Functional interaural distance= 120 µs

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

 

Comments: Threshold values taken from original data

Last Updated: 6/27/22