Complex Communication System among Sperm Whales

Scientists using artificial intelligence (AI) uncover a complex communication system among sperm whales, identifying phonetic building blocks. Project CETI leads the analysis and links vocal patterns with observed physical behaviours. The finding highlights a distinct regional dialect among sperm whales in the eastern Mediterranean Sea compared with populations in the west.

Sperm Whales: AI-Based Findings on Communication (Project CETI)

Dimension	Key Details
Species characteristics	Sperm whales are highly social, deep-diving marine mammals that live in close family units.
Analysis led by	Analysis is led by Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative).
Project CETI approach	Project CETI is to cross-reference newly discovered phonetic building blocks with observed physical behaviours.
Acoustic labels (codas)	While hunting for prey like giant squid thousands of feet below the surface, sperm whales maintain constant contact by emitting rapid bursts of clicks called codas.
Earlier scientific view	Historically, scientists view these sounds as basic acoustic labels.
AI-identified vocal adjustments	Computer models identify that sperm whales alter vocalizations through specific structural adjustments.
Rubato	Whales deliberately manipulate tempo and rhythm, a feature researchers call rubato.
Ornamentation	Whales frequently append an extra click to the end of a sequence, termed ornamentation.
3+1 coda (identical vocal signature)	The 3+1 coda comprises 3 rapid clicks, a brief pause, and a final 4th click.
Western Mediterranean pattern	Whales living in the western Mediterranean, near Spain's Balearic Islands, strictly maintain the traditional 3+1 pattern.
Eastern Mediterranean dialect	The population residing in the eastern Mediterranean, near the Hellenic Trench off Crete, utilises a sped-up version of the same 3+1 sequence.
Regional dialect finding	Sperm whales living in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have developed a distinct regional dialect that separates them from populations living in the west.
Unknowns (current limitation)	The precise meaning of the 156 Caribbean codas and the underlying purpose of the Mediterranean dialect shift remain unknown.
Modern threats	Modern threats comprise hunting, ship strikes, entanglement in heavy commercial fishing gear, rising ocean noise levels, and changing marine ecosystems driven by climate change.
Conservation linkage	Unlocking their communication system could alter how human conservation programs protect these vulnerable populations.