Detection of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) non-song vocalizations around the Vema Seamount, southeast Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Humpback whales are a cosmopolitan, highly vocal species. Investigated here are their vocalizations recorded at the Vema Seamount (31°38′S, 08°20′E) from moored hydrophones in the austral spring of 2019. During the 11-d recording period over 600 non-song calls were detected. Calls were predominantly detected at night over three consecutive days. The most common calls were low, frequency-modulated sounds (whups). An impulsive sound (gunshot) previously unknown in humpback whales was also detected. The location and timing of the calls suggests that humpback whales may be using the Vema Seamount as a temporary stop on their migration to their polar feeding grounds.