The male dolphin choirs to lure the mating female

The researchers observed male bottlenose dolphins 'singing' together, coordinated rhythmically, and simultaneously called out to attract female dolphins.

Three bottlenose dolphins work together to seduce the female dolphin.(Photo: CNN).

In a study published April 1 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Stephanie King, senior lecturer at the Bristol Biological School, UK, and colleagues say the collaboration between the male dolphins is important. because they rely on sometimes ally relationships for decades to improve their chances of mating. The consortium consists of four to fourteen males who work together to lure and squeeze paired estrus dolphins, as well as protect their partners from other herds.

King's group analyzed the "pop" call tape that male bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia emitted during a pairing ceremony. They create a series of rushing sounds. According to King, these pops only sound when the male dolphin drives the female. This is a forced sound, forcing the female dolphin to stay near the calling male. A male dolphin may start to yell if the potential mate finds a way to swim away.

The researchers recorded dolphins living in the bay from 2016 to 2018, collecting a total of 453 series of cries from 7 dolphin alliances with a total of 59 individuals. They found dolphins chirping at 600 beats per minute, far ahead of humans at 200 beats per minute. The team hypothesized that chorus singing in dolphins could be a result of hormones.

At the next stage of research, King and his colleagues will play a sound recording for both male and female dolphins to listen to monitor how they react. They will then investigate how the choral behavior affects the success rate of one dolphin herd in comparison to the other. Currently, they are not sure whether each male in the alliance will mate with the female dolphin or only one of them will win a chance.

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