André, M., Supin, A., Delory, E., Kamminga, C., Degollada, E., Alonso, J.M.
Evidence of deafness in a striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
Aquatic Mammals, vol 29, issue 1, p.3-8, 2003

Resum:
The cetacean auditory system is characterized by a series of unique morphological adaptations, one of the most interesting being the capacity to select frequencies for the . ne discrimination of acoustic images through auditory canals, which act like frequency . lters. In a healthy organism, this frequency selectivity of the hearing system is directly, and evolutively, related with the habitat use, and thus characterizes every cetacean species. Noninvasive electrophysiological methods allow assessing the hearing system functionality of any particular individual and to determine through the analysis of the audiogram its capacities to correctly use its habitat. Here, we demonstrate the evidence of deafness in a young stranded female striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, which cancelled her possibility to process correctly any acoustic information.

Projecte: Étude de la mortalité des cétacés échoués sur les côtes des Iles Canaries: Impact de la pêche artisanale