22.06.2021 Ellen Garland

Cetaceans show some of the most sophisticated and complex vocal and cultural behaviour we know outside of humans, including learning, shared traditions and gene-culture coevolution. Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) sing a long, stereotyped, vocally learnt and culturally transmitted song display. At any point in time most males within a population will sing the same version (arrangement and content) of this complex sexual display. However, the song is continually evolving and males must constantly learn and incorporate these changes into their own song to maintain cultural conformity. In addition to evolutionary change, song also undergoes radical ‘revolutions’ where a novel song introduced from a neighbouring population rapidly and completely replaces the existing song. Multiple humpback whale song revolutions have spread across the South Pacific region from the east coast of Australia across to French Polynesia, with a one to two year delay. This has occurred regularly, rapidly and repeatedly across the region; however, we still have a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving this cultural phenomenon. Using empirical data, I will present our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the song learning process, how these processes may be disrupted, and finally the evolutionary implications for this cultural phenomenon.

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