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Comparative study on sound production in different Holocentridae species
Eric Parmentier1, Pierre Vandewalle, Christophe Brié
1Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Institut de Chimie, Bât, B6C, Université de Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. E.Parmentier@ulg.ac.be.
Frontiers in Zoology
|May 26, 2011
Summary
Squirrelfish and soldierfish (Holocentrids) share a common sound-producing mechanism, but regional dialects exist, particularly in Neoniphon. These vocal reef fish calls offer a signature for passive acoustic monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Bioacoustics
- Ichthyology
Background:
- Holocentrids (squirrelfish and soldierfish) are vocal reef fishes with diverse sound-producing mechanisms.
- Previous studies focused on limited species, necessitating a broader comparative analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sound-producing mechanisms across different Holocentridae genera (Holocentrus, Myripristis, Neoniphon, Sargocentron).
- To investigate variations in calls and mechanisms across geographic regions and developmental stages.
Main Methods:
- Recording sounds from six species under controlled conditions.
- Utilizing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine sonic muscles.
- Performing dissections to analyze the sound-producing apparatus.
Main Results:
- All studied holocentrids produce harmonic calls (80-130 Hz) with trains of 4-11 pulses, but these do not reliably indicate fish size.
- Homologous fast-contracting sonic muscles acting on articulated ribs integrated with the swimbladder generate the sounds.
- Regional dialects, such as pulse distribution differences in Neoniphon, were observed, indicating geographic variation.
Conclusions:
- Holocentrid calls are not reliable for assessing partner size, though pulse duration and number show weak correlations.
- Sound production mechanisms are conserved within the family, characterized by fast-contracting muscles and articulated ribs.
- The consistent grunt characteristics can serve as a family-level signature for passive acoustic monitoring.
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