Transmission of sound to dolphins during electrophysiological hearing screening is conducted out of water in certain cases (e.g., strandings). This necessitates that sound be delivered using a contact transducer either pressed against the skin or affixed to the jaw using a suction cup (i.e., “jawphones”). This study examined how bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus, n = 3) auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) varied with electrode and jawphone location during aerial testing. Stimuli were tone bursts with center frequencies of 28 to 160 kHz. Regression-based thresholds were lowest with the jawphone on the posterior and middle parts of the mandible. Thresholds based on later ABR peaks—recorded using an electrode immediately behind the blowhole—suggested more similarity between the thresholds for the anterior tip of the rostrum and the posterior/middle mandible than those based on earlier monaural waves recorded near the meatus. This was likely a result of a summation of responses from both ears as opposed to a more efficient acoustic pathway to the ear. These patterns were independent of frequency. These findings provide guidance for jawphone and electrode locations when examining dolphin hearing and when interpreting relative acoustic sensitivity of the head in similar testing situations.
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April 2020
April 23 2020
Auditory brainstem responses during aerial testing with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): Effects of electrode and jawphone locations
Jason Mulsow;
Jason Mulsow
a)
1
National Marine Mammal Foundation
, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
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James J. Finneran;
James J. Finneran
b)
2
U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
, Code 56710, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, California 92152, USA
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Alyssa W. Accomando;
Alyssa W. Accomando
1
National Marine Mammal Foundation
, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
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Robert F. Burkard
Robert F. Burkard
3
Department of Rehabilitation Science, State University of New York, University at Buffalo
, 626 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA
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a)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
b)
ORCID: 0000-0002-0969-8033.
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147, 2525–2533 (2020)
Article history
Received:
December 23 2019
Accepted:
April 01 2020
Citation
Jason Mulsow, James J. Finneran, Alyssa W. Accomando, Robert F. Burkard; Auditory brainstem responses during aerial testing with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): Effects of electrode and jawphone locations. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 April 2020; 147 (4): 2525–2533. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001123
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