近日，南丹麦大学Coen P. H. Elemans及其研究组发现，齿鲸使用不同的音域进行回声定位和交流。2023年3月3日出版的《科学》杂志发表了这项成果。

研究人员表明，齿鲸拥有一个基于空气驱动的声音生产系统，该系统在功能上类似于喉部和注射器的声音生产。不同音域的组织振动产生不同的回声定位和交流信号，跨越所有主要的齿鲸类群，从而为分类它们的发声曲目提供了生理基础。从鼠海豚到抹香鲸的物种都使用声带，从而产生强有力的、高空气效率的回声定位点击声。

据悉，回声定位齿鲸（odontocetes）在黑暗的海洋环境中捕捉快速移动的猎物，这关键取决于它们产生强大的超声波点击声的能力。它们被认为是空气驱动的声源如何能在>1000米的深度产生生物声纳点击，同时也产生丰富的声乐曲目来调解复杂的社会交流，这仍然是未知的。

附：英文原文

Title: Toothed whales use distinct vocal registers for echolocation and communication

Author: Peter T. Madsen, Ursula Siebert, Coen P. H. Elemans

Issue&Volume: 2023-03-03

Abstract: Echolocating toothed whales (odontocetes) capture fast-moving prey in dark marine environments, which critically depends on their ability to generate powerful, ultrasonic clicks. How their supposedly air-driven sound source can produce biosonar clicks at depths of >1000 meters, while also producing rich vocal repertoires to mediate complex social communication, remains unknown. We show that odontocetes possess a sound production system based on air driven through nasal passages that is functionally analogous to laryngeal and syringeal sound production. Tissue vibration in different registers produces distinct echolocation and communication signals across all major odontocete clades, and thus provides a physiological basis for classifying their vocal repertoires. The vocal fry register is used by species from porpoises to sperm whales for generating powerful, highly air-efficient echolocation clicks.

DOI: adc9570

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adc9570