Electric Dolphins?

Like many fish and amphibians, the Guiana dolphin can sense low levels of electrical activity in the water—an ability not previously reported in true mammals.

Written byJef Akst

| 1 min read

Save for Later

Listen with Speechify

0:00

1:00

Atlantic Spotted DolphinsFLICKR, SHEILAPIC76

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis), which inhabit the Caribbean and waters along Atlantic coasts of Central and South America, can sense electrical activity in the water using hairless follicles on their rostrums, where a land mammal’s whiskers would be. Once thought to be nonfunctional remnants of their land-dwelling ancestors, these so-called vibrissal crypts contain dense populations of nerves (about 300 axons per crypt), as well as intraepithelial nerve fibers, suggesting the structures may serve a sensory purpose, according to a paper published yesterday (July 26) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The study's authors confirmed this hypothesis by exposing a captive Guiana dolphin to electrical fields of various strengths. The animal could sense and respond to low electrical signals, but did not react to even ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member?

Add The Scientist as a preferred Google source to see more of our trusted coverage.

Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Go to The Scientist's LinkedIn Page
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
View Full Profile