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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner glides just below the surface as he imitates the behavior of another dolphin at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Fla. During the study Tanner, who wore eyecups to block hi Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner, foreground, imitates the behavior of another dolphin, Kibby, rear, as Emily Guarino, Administrative Director of Research, right, and Jane Hecksher, research assistant, look on at t Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner, right foreground, imitates the behavior of another dolphin, Kibby, left, as Emily Guarino, Administrative Director of Research, right, and Jane Hecksher, research assistant, look o Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 image made from video, Kelly Jaakkola, director of research at the Dolphin Research Center is shown in Grassy Key, Fla. Researchers recently concluded a study that confirmed a dolphin can imitate another dolphin's behavior while blin Suzette Laboy, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner, foreground, imitates the behavior of another dolphin, Kibby, rear, at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Fla. During the study Tanner, who wore eyecups to block his vision, Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner, foreground, imitates the spinning behavior of another dolphin, Kibby, center, as Emily Guarino, Administrative Director of Research, right, and Jane Hecksher, research assistant, l Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
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In this Jan. 11, 2011 photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner is fitted with eyecups to block his vision by Emily Guarino, Administrative Director of Research during a study at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Fla. During the study T Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press
By Associated Press

GRASSY KEY, Fla. — A new study reports a blindfolded dolphin can detect and imitate the fin splashes, swimming movements and other behavior of fellow dolphins even when it can't see them.

Dr. Kelly Jaakkola at the nonprofit Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys says the study involved a male bottlenose dolphin named Tanner who was blindfolded with opaque latex goggles and able to detect the movements of its companions.

Jaakkola says it's still unclear if dolphins use sonar or naturally emitted sounds to detect fellow dolphins, a form of navigation called echolocation. But she says the research is pursuing new insights about dolphin intelligence.

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The study called "Blindfolded Imitation in a Bottlenose Dolphin" has been published in the International Journal of Comparative Psychology.

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