Dolphins can recognize each other by taste

Dolphins can know each other based on their taste, according to scientists.

We know from biology classes in school that cetaceans can recognize each other at considerable distances. At the same time, vision plays a secondary role for these mammals. The main method of communication of these mammals was considered to be sounds of a certain frequency. But recent studies by Scottish scientists have shown that dolphins can recognize relatives without even hearing or seeing them. Animals identify their brethren by the taste of their secretions.

An unexpected discovery was made by zoologists from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. On May 18, 2022, they shared the results of their work with readers of the scientific publication Science Advances. Scientists took urine samples from dolphins living off Bermuda and near the Dolphin Quest resort in Hawaii. In these places of the oceans, animals live in the wild, but at the same time closely communicate with people.

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Thanks to the trust in people, the animals did not interfere with the collection of analyzes, and zoologists managed to obtain samples of the secretions. It was possible to find out that dolphins are more interested in the smell of the urine of individuals they know. They study smells even more closely if they hear a unique sound used by dolphins as a name.

A similar method has recently been used by Japanese animal psychologists to determine how cats respond to the names of relatives. Evolution’s Unique Gift In the course of working with dolphins, something else came to light. It turned out that dolphins taste differently than other animals. In the process of evolution, they have lost a number of taste sensations and do not distinguish between a sour, sweet, and bitter. But these marine mammals have developed another feature – to recognize other animals by their secretions.

“Dolphins have unusual sensory cells in their tongues. They probably help to discover the individual tastes of other animals.” This is how the recognition mechanism was described by Dr. Vincent Janik, director of the Scottish Ocean Institute. It is not yet known whether animals can recognize the taste of other inhabitants of the ocean or only their relatives.