Abstract

Acoustic recordings were used to investigate the cardiac responses of a captive dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus) to sound playback stimuli. A suction-cup hydrophone placed on the ventral midline of the
dolphin produced a continuous heartbeat signal while the dolphin was submerged. Heartbeats were timed
by applying a matched-filter to the phonocardiogram. Significant heart rate accelerations were observed
in response to playback stimuli involving conspecific vocalizations compared with baseline rates or tank
noise playbacks. This method documents that objective psychophysiological measures can be obtained
for physically unrestrained cetaceans. In addition, the results are the 1st to show cardiac responses to
acoustic stimuli from a cetacean at depth. Preliminary evidence suggests that the cardiac response
patterns of dolphins are consistent with the physiological defense and startle responses in terrestrial
mammals and birds.