Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34145465›Full record

ArticleJournal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology2021

In-air hearing in Hawaiian monk seals: implications for understanding the auditory biology of Monachinae seals.

Brandi Ruscher, Jillian M Sills, Beau P Richter, Colleen Reichmuth

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Sensitivity to airborne sounds in ice-dependent bearded seals.Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology · 2026
    Article
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  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Brandi RuscherDepartment of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA. bruscher@ucsc.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-3362-3250
Jillian M SillsInstitute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3110-4844
Beau P RichterDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3693-756X
Colleen ReichmuthInstitute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0981-6842
University of California, Santa Cruz · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The auditory biology of Monachinae seals is poorly understood. Limited audiometric data and certain anatomical features suggest that these seals may have reduced sensitivity to airborne sounds compared to related species. Here, we describe the in-air hearing abilities of a Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) trained to participate in a psychophysical paradigm. We report absolute (unmasked) thresholds for narrowband signals measured in quiet conditions across the range of hearing and masked thresholds measured in the presence of octave-band noise at two frequencies. The behavioral audiogram indicates a functional hearing range from 0.1 to 33 kHz and poor sensitivity, with detection thresholds above 40 dB re 20 µPa. Critical ratio measurements are elevated compared to those of other seals. The apparently reduced terrestrial hearing ability of this individual-considered with available auditory data for a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris)-suggests that hearing in Monachinae seals differs from that of the highly sensitive Phocinae seals. Exploration of phylogenetic relationships and anatomical traits support this claim. This work advances understanding of the evolution of hearing in amphibious marine mammals and provides updated information that can be used for management and conservation of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

Indexed as

AnimalsAuditory ThresholdHawaiiHearingMaleSeals, EarlessAudiogramAuditory anatomyCritical ratioEndangeredPhocid

Identifiers

PMID34145465
PMCPMC8222047
OpenAlexW3169898239

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.