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Did
you know that some fish can "talk" to each other?
Not
all fish make sounds, but those that do have something to say.
Below are some questions and answers about fish sounds.
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Why
do fish make sounds?
There
are different reasons why fish make sounds. Although both sexes have
been observed making sounds, the sounds that a male fish makes are
believed to play an important role in spawning, such as attracting
females and chasing away competition. Fish may also make sounds to
scare predators away.
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How
do fish make sounds?
Fish communicate
by rubbing their body parts together. Some fish communicate
by grinding their teeth, while others may rub the base of a
fin spine against its socket. Most fish make sounds by vibrating
their swim bladder -- which sounds like someone tapping on
the drums.
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What
kind of sounds can fish make?
Different
fish species make different sounds.
For
example:
-Red drum makes a knocking sound. Multiple knockings can sound like galloping
horses or a motorcycle. Listen*
-Spotted seatrout makes a heartbeat plus a burp sound. Listen*
-Weakfish makes a purring sound.
-Silver perch makes a clucking sound. Listen*
-Gulf toad fish makes a foghorn sound.
*audio
clips are copyrighted and used with permission from East
Carolina University Sciaenid Acoustics Research Team |
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Why
do scientists study fish sounds?
Declining
fish stocks is a problem that fisheries (a place where fish are caught)
face today. To help in the recovery of fish stocks, scientists from
all over the world have been examining the spawning behavior of different
fish species including where and when fish spawn, and the size of
spawning populations.
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