WEDDELL SEAL IN-AIR CALL SEQUENCES MADE WITH CLOSED MOUTHS

Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli) near Davis, Antarctica, produce a number of in-air vocalizations during the breeding season. With mou th and nostrils closed, pups and adults of both sexes produce at least 8 call types. Many of these are similar in nature to the sounds made underwater. Calls range from long, high frequency (> 5 kHz) whistles t o short, low frequency (< 0.2 kHz) grunts. Individual call elements ar e often repeated and up to 6 call types are strung together in highly variable sequences.