Sound Communication in Fish Luke Krisch WFB 232
Sound Communication in Fish Luke Krisch WFB 232
Fish Communicate Constantly
Fish Communicate Constantly ► Vision ۰ Reproduction ۰ Agonistic Behavior ۰ Warning
Fish Communicate Constantly ► Vision ► Chemical ۰ Marking Territory ۰ Alarm Calls ۰ Attracting Mates
Fish Communicate Constantly ► Vision ► Chemical ► Touch ۰ Agonistic Behavior ۰ Reproduction ۰ Schooling Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)
Fish Communicate Constantly ► Vision ► Chemical ► Touch ► Electric ۰ Agonistic Behavior ۰ Reproduction ۰ Warning
Fish Communicate Constantly ► Vision ► Chemical ► Touch ► Electric ► SOUND ۰ Agonistic/Territorial Behavior ۰ Reproduction ۰ Warning/Release Responses Sea Robin (Dactylopteridae cephalacanthidae)
But, I have never heard a fish ► Over 500 fish species produce their own sounds ► There are purring weakfish, drumming red drums, clucking sea robins, grunting squirrelfish, and whistling toadfish ► Unfortunately, most of us humans are out of an earshot of these chattering fish Squirrelfish (Holocentrus adscensionis)
Water Properties Conducive to Sound ► Sound is a form of energy ۰ Sound is motion of atoms, and travels like a message by wiggling the atoms one by one. ► Travels as a pressure (compression) wave ► Can travel greater distance through water without being absorbed
Speed is the name of the game ► Sound through water is 5 x that of speed through air ٭ In dry air, sound travels 742 miles/hour ٭ In water, sound travels 3, 261 miles/hour -atoms are closer together sound energy can travel easier
Fish have a lot to say, but how do they do it?
Three Types of Sound Production ►Hydrodynamic ►Stridulation ►Muscular Bladder Motion related to Swim
Hydrodynamic Hydro-dynamic-Of, relating to, or operated by the force of liquid in motion ٭ Fish can quickly change velocity and/or direction to produce sounds ٭ These sounds are a by-product of the fishes' movement and are not usually used for social communication
Hydrodynamic ► Usually involve very low frequencies generated by movements of the fins and body -result of the actual form or shape of the fish and the properties of water -water around the object is compressed and moved such sounds likely stimulate both the ear and the lateral line system.
Stridulation ► Sounds produced by rubbing two body parts together ► Like a…
Stridulation ► Sounds produced by rubbing two body parts together ► Like a…
Stridulation ► Fiction ► The between objects produces sound of rubbing body parts may come from a variety of places on the body of a fish
Sea Catfish (Galeichthys felis ) ► Specialized pectoral fin spines that make a squeaking sound -Part of the base, called the dorsal process, looks like a ridged potato chip rubs against the pectoral girdle
The frequencies of the sounds produced by catfish stridulation range from 100 - 8, 000 Hz
Northern Seahorse(Hippocampus hudsonius) ► Male and female seahorses produce clicking sounds by snapping the bony edges of their head and by rapid movement of their mouthparts
Stridulation ► There are hundreds more that have their own unique style. -like grinding teeth together or rubbing fins (hands) together
Muscular Motion/Swim Bladder ►A gas filled sac that helps fish maintain buoyancy in the water -Also important for sound production/hearing in some species of fish.
Muscular Motion/Swim Bladder ► Special muscles attached to swim bladder for sound production, often called drumming -cause the swim bladder to contract and expand at a rapid rate, thus creating sound Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau)
Muscular Motion/Swim Bladder ► Other fishes have muscles that start someplace else (such as on the skull) and insert on the swim bladder. ► A third system has muscles near the swim bladder that move another body part that might pull or push the swim bladder.
Silver Perch (Bairdiella chrysoura) ► During spawning, the males perform nocturnal choruses, drumming their swim bladders in unison
Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) ► Red Drum have a very pronounced “drumming” sound from gas bladder
Swim Bladder ► swim bladder is believed to function as a resonator to amplify the sounds produced by fish ► And is extremely helpful in hearing sounds
But, how do fish hear?
Acoustico-Lateralis System ٭ comprised of the lateral line and inner ear of fish -provides fish with balance, hearing, and the ability to feel vibrations from a distance ► acoustic: sound/hearing ► lateralis: linear/line
But, how do fish hear? ► Ears
But, how do fish hear? ► Ears ► Lateral Line
Ears ► Vibrations in water that allow fish to experience their aquatic environment ► Bodies of fish are so close in density to seawater, sound waves pass right through their bodies Ear
Otoliths ► Bones in the inner ear of fish -motion of the fish and the otoliths stimulate cilia this movement is interpreted as sound.
Hearing Ability ► Sensitivity to sound differs among fish species. -Proximity of the inner ear to the swim bladder -Species with no swim bladder/reduced swim bladder or ones not connected to swim bladder Bad hearing Hearing Generalists vs. Hearing Specialists
Adaptations to Hearing ► Weberian Apparatus -Series of bones which connect the swim bladder to the inner ear and carry vibrations between to the two, aiding in hearing
Clupeidae ► Herrings, Sardines, Menhadens
Adaptations to Hearing ► Air breathers -Hold air bubble in mouth near the ear Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Burbot (Lota lota)
Lateral Line ► Fishes can use the lateral line system to detect acoustic signals over a distance of one to two body lengths, and at low frequencies -Sound passing through water creates particle motion neuromasts
Lateral Line ► Neuromasts -detect the relative motion between the animal and the surrounding water -Like the inner ear, the neuromasts have hair cells that can move, sending nervous signals to the brain
Conclusion -Fish have highly effective sound producing/sensing systems -If this presentation was done under water it would have been done 5 x’s faster -Next time you are swimming in the water remember that there is a whole conversation going on below you
“when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily"
- Slides: 45