Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins

M. Krützen; J. Mann; M.R. Heithaus; R.C. Connor; L. Bejder; W.B. Sherwin

doi:10.1073/pnas.0500232102

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Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins

M. Krützen, J. Mann, M.R. Heithaus, R.C. Connor, L. Bejder and W.B. Sherwin

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol.102(25), pp.8939-8943

2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0500232102

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Abstract

In Shark Bay, wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) apparently use marine sponges as foraging tools. We demonstrate that genetic and ecological explanations for this behavior are inadequate; thus, “sponging” classifies as the first case of an existing material culture in a marine mammal species. Using mitochondrial DNA analyses, we show that sponging shows an almost exclusive vertical social transmission within a single matriline from mother to female offspring. Moreover, significant genetic relatedness among all adult spongers at the nuclear level indicates very recent coancestry, suggesting that all spongers are descendents of one recent “Sponging Eve.” Unlike in apes, tool use in this population is almost exclusively limited to a single matriline that is part of a large albeit open social network of frequently interacting individuals, adding a new dimension to charting cultural phenomena among animals.

Details

Title: Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins
Authors/Creators: M. Krützen (Author/Creator) - UNSW Sydney
J. Mann (Author/Creator)
M.R. Heithaus (Author/Creator)
R.C. Connor (Author/Creator)
L. Bejder (Author/Creator)
W.B. Sherwin (Author/Creator)
Publication Details: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol.102(25), pp.8939-8943
Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
Identifiers: 991005546011007891
Copyright: © 2005 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.796 Marine Mammal Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Behavioral Sciences
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science