Article: Intra-Species Communication

Sat, Oct 25th, 2008  |   Articles, Environment 2 Comments

This is an editorial (168 kB) that appeared recently in ultraMARINE magazine, a bi-monthly publication in the UK for aquarists.

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  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    Recent research on the songs of/singing by humpback whales has documented the wide dispersal of some members of various populations such that northern hemisphere songs are being incorporated into southern hemisphere songs and vice versa. Your photo ID of ‘non-native’ whales in Tonga would seem to be independent confirmation of this phenomenon.

    BTW, as you point out in your editorial, the whaling polices of the Japanese government do NOT reflect the will or practices of the Japanese populace. Hopefully, more and more people will quickly come to understand this were they to (1) be willing to shed their preconceived notions and (2) spend any time in Japan.

    Also, I enjoyed your nudi shots of the Thecacera sp. from Ambon. As you are undoubtedly aware, the rhinophores are an integral part of their sensory apparatus. So, it is to be expected that they would wave them around while sensing the world around them in order to eat, or find a mate, or avoid being eaten.

    Did you make it to the Twilight Zone while in Ambon?

    Ron

  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    Recent research on the songs of/singing by humpback whales has documented the wide dispersal of some members of various populations such that northern hemisphere songs are being incorporated into southern hemisphere songs and vice versa. Your photo ID of ‘non-native’ whales in Tonga would seem to be independent confirmation of this phenomenon.

    BTW, as you point out in your editorial, the whaling polices of the Japanese government do NOT reflect the will or practices of the Japanese populace. Hopefully, more and more people will quickly come to understand this were they to (1) be willing to shed their preconceived notions and (2) spend any time in Japan.

    Also, I enjoyed your nudi shots of the Thecacera sp. from Ambon. As you are undoubtedly aware, the rhinophores are an integral part of their sensory apparatus. So, it is to be expected that they would wave them around while sensing the world around them in order to eat, or find a mate, or avoid being eaten.

    Did you make it to the Twilight Zone while in Ambon?

    Ron