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Dolphins communicate like humans by calling each other by name, scientists in Fife have found.

The mammals are able to recognise themselves and other members of the same species as individuals with separate identities.

St Andrews University researchers studying in Florida discovered bottlenose dolphins used names rather than sound to identify each other.

The three-year-study was funded by the Royal Society of London.

Dr Vincent Janik, of the Sea Mammal Unit at St Andrews University, said they conducted the research on wild dolphins.

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