title: Sound production by the West Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum).
abstract: Biological examinations of Glaucosomatid fish species have suggested that they could produce sound via swimbladder vibration, using "sonic" muscles. However, there have been few reported instances of it in the family. West Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum) is an iconic teleost, endemic to Western Australia. Dissection of G. hebraicum in this study identified the presence of "sonic" muscle pairs in immature and sexually mature individuals. The muscle tissue originates in the otic region of the skull with its insertion at the anterior of the swimbladder. Recordings of sounds were acquired from two male G. hebraicum, at a range of 1 m, during capture. Calls comprised 1 to 14 swimbladder pulses with spectral peak frequency of 154 ± 45 Hz (n = 67 calls) and 3 dB bandwidth of 110 ± 50 Hz. The mean of all call maximum source levels was 126 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m with the highest level at 137 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m. The confirmation of sound production by G. hebraicum and the acoustic characteristics of those sounds could be used to gain a better understanding of its ecology and, particularly, whether the production of sound is associated with specific behaviors, such as reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Miles J G
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Longbottom
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.forename: David V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Fairclough
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000400:Air Sacs / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D014732:Vibration; D014828:Vocalization, Animal; D014904:Western Australia