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Underwater communication in fishes
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 253 UNDERWATER COMMUNICATION IN FISHES W . N . TAVOLGA of Natural History, N. Y.
American Museum
Resulting from the widespread use of underwater sound detection equipment during the last war, much attention has been attracted to the study of sound production by marine organisms . Most of the early reports on fishes in this regard were fragmentary . Recently, intensity and frequency measurements were made and the sound makers have been identified . Most fish sounds are produced with the aid of the swim bladder. but other mechanisms have been described . Many of the sounds are probably correlated
with feeding, territorial defence, fright reactions . and, possibily, schooling . However, the behavioural significance in most instances is not known . Sounds that are clearly related to a specific behaviour are described from species of the families Gobiidae and Blenniidae . Here only the males produce the sounds and only during courtship behaviour . Both sexes respond to playback of these sounds and to artificial imitations . Aided by the Office of Naval Research Contract No . NR 163-322 .
THE ONTOGENY OF VOCALIZATIONS IN BIRDS W . E . LANYON American Museum of Natural History, N . Y. Investigations of the ontogeny of animal sounds have recently achieved a welcome degree of objectivity, largely as the result of technological advances in sound recording and analysis . In no group has progress been greater than with birds. though even there the number of species for which there are meaningful data is still small . Some aspects of these studies are : the basis for the variability of given vocal patterns and the stereotypy of others ; the sequential pattern of ontogeny, and the identification of precursors and derivatives ; the age at which vocal patterns
become manifest ; the concept of a "critical learning period" ; the possibility of latent manifestation of vocalisations ; the irreversability of vocal patterns ; the size of vocal repertoires of given species ; and the endocrine influence on the ontogeny and manifestation of vocalisations . A combination of observational and experimental procedures involving free-living birds, individuals reared from the nestling stage, and others reared from the egg has been most productive . (Illustrated, 2"
x
2", 20 minutes) .
FUNCTIONS OF ANIMAL SOUNDS : AN ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMAL COMMUNICATIONS N . E . COLLIAS Illinois College Present knowledge of animal communication by sounds indicates considerable variety and specificity in the information than can be transmitted . However, the various sound-signals fall readily into five broad ecological categories related to (1) food, (2) predators, (3) sexual behaviour and related fighting, (4) parent-young interrelations, and (5) aggregation and group movements . This general classification was first worked out in detail for birds . but also applies to other animals . The same sound may have more than one specific meaning depending, on context . thus.
various unfavourable conditions elicit distress calls by chicks and baby ducklings, whereas relief from these conditions inhibits distress calls and stimulates pleasure notes . Sounds with similar function in different animals frequently seem to be characterised by certain common properties . Alarm cries are often harsh, prolonged and high-pitched, threat sounds often harsh and relatively low-pitched, while attraction calls to the young by the parent are often soft, low-pitched, brief and repetitive notes .
American Museum
Resulting from the widespread use of underwater sound detection equipment during the last war, much attention has been attracted to the study of sound production by marine organisms . Most of the early reports on fishes in this regard were fragmentary . Recently, intensity and frequency measurements were made and the sound makers have been identified . Most fish sounds are produced with the aid of the swim bladder. but other mechanisms have been described . Many of the sounds are probably correlated
with feeding, territorial defence, fright reactions . and, possibily, schooling . However, the behavioural significance in most instances is not known . Sounds that are clearly related to a specific behaviour are described from species of the families Gobiidae and Blenniidae . Here only the males produce the sounds and only during courtship behaviour . Both sexes respond to playback of these sounds and to artificial imitations . Aided by the Office of Naval Research Contract No . NR 163-322 .
THE ONTOGENY OF VOCALIZATIONS IN BIRDS W . E . LANYON American Museum of Natural History, N . Y. Investigations of the ontogeny of animal sounds have recently achieved a welcome degree of objectivity, largely as the result of technological advances in sound recording and analysis . In no group has progress been greater than with birds. though even there the number of species for which there are meaningful data is still small . Some aspects of these studies are : the basis for the variability of given vocal patterns and the stereotypy of others ; the sequential pattern of ontogeny, and the identification of precursors and derivatives ; the age at which vocal patterns
become manifest ; the concept of a "critical learning period" ; the possibility of latent manifestation of vocalisations ; the irreversability of vocal patterns ; the size of vocal repertoires of given species ; and the endocrine influence on the ontogeny and manifestation of vocalisations . A combination of observational and experimental procedures involving free-living birds, individuals reared from the nestling stage, and others reared from the egg has been most productive . (Illustrated, 2"
x
2", 20 minutes) .
FUNCTIONS OF ANIMAL SOUNDS : AN ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMAL COMMUNICATIONS N . E . COLLIAS Illinois College Present knowledge of animal communication by sounds indicates considerable variety and specificity in the information than can be transmitted . However, the various sound-signals fall readily into five broad ecological categories related to (1) food, (2) predators, (3) sexual behaviour and related fighting, (4) parent-young interrelations, and (5) aggregation and group movements . This general classification was first worked out in detail for birds . but also applies to other animals . The same sound may have more than one specific meaning depending, on context . thus.
various unfavourable conditions elicit distress calls by chicks and baby ducklings, whereas relief from these conditions inhibits distress calls and stimulates pleasure notes . Sounds with similar function in different animals frequently seem to be characterised by certain common properties . Alarm cries are often harsh, prolonged and high-pitched, threat sounds often harsh and relatively low-pitched, while attraction calls to the young by the parent are often soft, low-pitched, brief and repetitive notes .