Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
10:44
An Introduction to Worm Lab: from Culturing Worms to Mutagenesis
Published on: January 11, 2011
35.6K
Remarkably loud snaps during mouth-fighting by a sponge-dwelling worm
Ryutaro Goto1, Isao Hirabayashi2, A Richard Palmer3
1Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, 459 Shirahama, Nishimuro, Wakayama 649-2211, Japan; Co-first.
Current Biology : CB
|July 10, 2019
Summary
Marine worms produce loud underwater popping sounds using a novel mechanism. This discovery challenges assumptions about sound production in soft-bodied invertebrates.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Bioacoustics
- Biophysics
Background:
- Aquatic animals like fish and crustaceans produce loud underwater sounds.
- Soft-bodied organisms were not expected to generate intense sounds due to movement limitations.
Discussion:
- A segmented marine worm was observed producing loud popping sounds (up to 157 dB re 1 μPa) during agonistic behavior ('mouth fighting').
- The sounds, with frequencies up to 100 kHz, are comparable to those of snapping shrimps.
- A novel mechanism involving muscular pharyngeal walls for energy storage and rapid expansion is proposed for sound generation, potentially via cavitation.
Key Insights:
- Soft-bodied marine invertebrates can produce surprisingly loud underwater sounds.
- A unique biomechanical method for sound production in worms has been identified.
- This finding expands the known range of biological sound production.
Outlook:
- Further research is needed to fully understand the biomechanics of sound production in these worms.
- This discovery opens new avenues for studying extreme biology and bioacoustics in marine environments.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
1.1K
A thorough mouth assessment, including inspection and palpation of the lips, gums, tongue, tonsils, uvula, and pharynx, is crucial in detecting potential health issues. Diseases ranging from oral cancer to systemic conditions like diabetes could be identified early through careful oral examination. This article provides a detailed guide on conducting a comprehensive mouth assessment.
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
1.1K
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
953
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
953
00:57Population Growth
28.0K
Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with unlimited resources, populations can increase exponentially, which plots as a J-shaped growth rate curve of population size against time. This type of curve is characteristic of newly-introduced invasive species, or populations that have suffered catastrophic declines and are rebounding.
28.0K
01:12Hindsight Biases
4.2K
Hindsight bias leads you to believe that the event you just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t. In other words, you knew all along that things would turn out the way they did. Can you relate this to the phrase "Hindsight is 20/20" now?
4.2K
01:31Hearing
56.7K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
56.7K
01:25The Sympathetic Nervous System
103.2K
Overview
103.2K