spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Connaughton, M. A.
Right arrow Articles by Fine, M. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Connaughton, M. A.
Right arrow Articles by Fine, M. L.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 203, Issue 9 1503-1512, Copyright © 2000 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Effects of fish size and temperature on weakfish disturbance calls: implications for the mechanism of sound generation

MA Connaughton, MH Taylor and ML Fine
Washington College, Department of Biology, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA. martin.connaughton@washcoll.edu

To categorize variation in disturbance calls of the weakfish Cynoscion regalis and to understand their generation, we recorded sounds produced by different-sized fish, and by similar-sized fish at different temperatures, as well as muscle electromyograms. Single, simultaneous twitches of the bilateral sonic muscles produce a single sound pulse consisting of a two- to three-cycle acoustic waveform. Typical disturbance calls at 18 degrees C consist of trains of 2-15 pulses with a sound pressure level (SPL) of 74 dB re 20 microPa at 10 cm, a peak frequency of 540 Hz, a repetition rate of 20 Hz and a pulse duration of 3.5 ms. The pulse duration suggests an incredibly short twitch time. Sound pressure level (SPL) and pulse duration increase and dominant frequency decreases in larger fish, whereas SPL, repetition rate and dominant frequency increase and pulse duration decreases with increasing temperature. The dominant frequency is inversely related to pulse duration and appears to be determined by the duration of muscle contraction. We suggest that the lower dominant frequency of larger fish is caused by a longer pulse (=longer muscle twitch) and not by the lower resonant frequency of a larger swimbladder.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
E. Parmentier, J.-P. Lagardere, J.-B. Braquegnier, P. Vandewalle, and M. L. Fine
Sound production mechanism in carapid fish: first example with a slow sonic muscle
J. Exp. Biol., August 1, 2006; 209(15): 2952 - 2960.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
M. A. Connaughton
Sound generation in the searobin (Prionotus carolinus), a fish with alternate sonic muscle contraction
J. Exp. Biol., April 15, 2004; 207(10): 1643 - 1654.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
M. A. Connaughton, M. L. Fine, and M. H. Taylor
Weakfish sonic muscle: influence of size, temperature and season
J. Exp. Biol., August 1, 2002; 205(15): 2183 - 2188.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2000