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Flow sensing by pinniped whiskers.

L Miersch1, W Hanke, S Wieskotten

  • 1Biosciences, Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|October 5, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Harbour seal whiskers offer superior hydrodynamic detection with less noise compared to sea lion whiskers. Sea lion whiskers may use a carrier frequency for sensing despite higher noise levels.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Sensory Physiology
  • Hydrodynamics

Background:

  • Vibrissae in seals are crucial for both tactile and hydrodynamic sensing.
  • Significant structural differences exist between harbour seal (Phocidae) and California sea lion (Otariidae) whiskers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify and compare the hydrodynamic sensory performance of harbour seal and sea lion whiskers.
  • To investigate the mechanisms behind hydrodynamic detection in different pinniped vibrissae.

Main Methods:

  • Isolated single whiskers from both species were tested in a rotational flow tank.
  • Vortex shedding frequencies generated by a cylinder were measured to assess whisker sensitivity.
  • Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was analyzed for each whisker type.

Main Results:

  • Both seal and sea lion whiskers detected vortex shedding frequencies.
  • Harbour seal whiskers exhibited a higher SNR with significantly reduced noise.
  • Sea lion whiskers showed higher noise but contained a dominant frequency potentially acting as a carrier signal.

Conclusions:

  • The unique surface structure of harbour seal whiskers contributes to their high sensitivity and SNR.
  • Sea lion whiskers may utilize a modulated carrier frequency for hydrodynamic sensing, compensating for higher noise levels.
  • Pinniped vibrissae demonstrate diverse adaptations for effective hydrodynamic reception.