Overview
- Sperm whale codas, the short click sequences whales trade at close range, show five phonology-like features in a Proceedings of the Royal Society B study led by Gašper Beguš published Tuesday.
- They identify two coda types—“a” with one resonant peak (formant) and “i” with two—that differ in length and show neighbor effects like coarticulation seen in human speech.
- The analysis draws on 3,948 codas from 15 females and juveniles recorded off Dominica between 2014 and 2018 by the Dominica Sperm Whale Project.
- The authors describe a complex communication system rather than a proven language because meanings are unverified, and Project CETI is using machine learning to work toward mapping patterns to context.
- The team also reports individual pacing differences and regional “accents” in codas, suggesting social and geographic variation within sperm whale communities.