Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sound production and associated behaviours in blacktail shiner Cyprinella venusta: a comparison between field and lab

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Acoustic signals and associated behaviours of a number of fishes in the genus Cyprinella have been investigated and described in detail, but due to logistics, these studies have been done in the laboratory. We used C. venusta as a model for evaluating potential differences in acoustic signals in field versus laboratory settings. In addition to this analysis, a detailed description of acoustic signals and associated behaviours was produced. We found that males were the only sex to vocalize and did so during reproductively associated behaviours such as courtship, aggression, and spawning. Sounds were similar in gross structure to most other species of Cyprinella in that they were composed of bursts and knocks, but differed in a number of signal parameters including acoustic frequency, pulse duration, pulse period, and pulse rate. One of the more striking findings was that the acoustic frequency distributions of both growls and knocks in C. venusta were bi-modal, a characteristic not mentioned for any other species in the genus Cyprinella. Sounds recorded in the laboratory were also found to be significantly different from those recorded in the field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiken RB (1985) Sound production by aquatic insects. Biol Rev 60:163–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akamatsu T, Okumura T, Novarini N, Yan HY (2002) Empirical refinements applicable to the recording of fish sounds in small tanks. J Acoust Soc Am 112:3073–3082

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Amorim MCP, Fonseca PJ, Almada VC (2003) Sound production during courtship and spawning of Oreochromis mossambicus: male-female and male-male interactions. J Fish Biol 62:658–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne PK, Colgan PW (1978) Sound production during agonistic and reproductive behaviour in the pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and their hybrid sunfish. II. Response. Biol Behav 3:221–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonga SEW (1997) The stress response in fish. Physiol Rev 77:591–625

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschung HT Jr, Mayden RL (2004) Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Books, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury JW, Vehrencamp SL (1998) Principles of animal communication. Sinauer, Sunderland

    Google Scholar 

  • Brawn VM (1961) Sound production by the cod (Gadus callarias L.). Behaviour 18:239–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colson DJ, Patek SN, Brainerd EL, Lewis SM (1998) Sound production during feeding in hippocampus seahorses (Syngnathidae). Environ Biol Fish 51:221–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connaughton MA, Fine ML, Taylor MH (2002) Weakfish sonic muscle: influence of size, temperature and season. J Exp Biol 205:2183–2188

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford JD, Hagedorn M, Hopkins CD (1986) Acoustic communication in an electric fish, Pollimyrus isidori (Mormyridae). J Comp Physiol A 159:297–310

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delco EA (1960) Sound discrimination by males of two cyprinid fishes. Tex J Sci 12:48–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Demski LS, Gerald JW, Popper AN (1973) Central and peripheral mechanisms of Teleost sound production. Am Zool 13:1141–1167

    Google Scholar 

  • Dooling RJ, Lohr B, Dent ML (2000) Hearing in birds and reptiles. In: Dooling RJ, Fay RR, Popper AN (eds) Comparative hearing: Birds and reptiles. Springer, New York, pp 308–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Drewry CE (1962) Some observations of courtship behaviour and sound production in five species of Fundulus. Masters Thesis, University of Texas at Austin

  • Fay RR (1985) Temporal processing by the auditory system of fishes. In: Michelsen A (ed) Time resolution in auditory systems. Springer, Berlin, pp 28–57

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fine ML, Winn HE, Olla BL (1977) Communication in fishes. In: Sebeok TA (ed) How animals communicate. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, pp 472–518

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray GA, Winn HE (1961) Reproductive Ecology and sound production of the toadfish, Opsanus tau. Ecology 42:247–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins AD, Amorim MCP (2000) Spawning sounds of the male haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus. Environ Biol Fish 59:29–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janik VM (2005) Underwater acoustic communication networks in marine mammals. In: McGregor PK (ed) Animal communication networks. University Press, Cambridge, pp 390–415

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston CE (1999) The relationship of spawning mode to conservation of North American minnows (Cyprinidae). Environ Biol Fish 55:21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston CE, Johnson DL (2000a) Sound production during the spawning season in cavity-nesting darters of the subgenus Catonotus (Percidae: Etheostoma). Copeia 2000:475–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston CE, Johnson DL (2000b) Sound production in Pimephales notatus (Rafinesque) (Cyprinidae). Copeia 2000:567–571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston CE, Vives SP (2003) Sound production in Codoma ornate (Girard) (Cyprinidae). Environ Biol Fish 68:81–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaatz IM, Lobel PS (2001) A comparison of sounds recorded from a catfish (Orinocodoras eigenmanni, Doradidae) in an aquarium and in the field. Biol Bull 201:278–280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladich F (2004) Sound production and acoustic communication. In: Von der Emde G, Mogdans J, Kapoor BG (eds) The senses of fish adaptations for the reception of natural stimuli. Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, pp 210–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladich F, Myrberg AA Jr (2006) Agonistic behaviour and acoustic communication. In: Ladich F, Collin SP, Moller P, Kapoor BG (eds) Communication in fishes, Vol. 1. Science Publishers, Enfield, pp 122–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladich F, Yan HY (1998) Correlation between auditory sensitivity and vocalization in anabantoid fishes. J Comp Physiol A 182:737–746

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin YC, Mok HK, Huang BQ (2007) Sound characteristics of big-snout croaker, Johnius macrorhynus (Sciaenidae). J Acoust Soc Am 121:586–593

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lobel PS (1992) Sounds produced by spawning fish. Environ Biol Fish 33:351–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lugli MP, Torricelli P (1999) Prespawning sound production in Mediterranean sand-gobies. J Fish Biol 54:691–694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lugli MP, Pavan G, Torricelli P, Bobbio L (1995) Spawning vocalizations in male freshwater gobiids (Pices, Gobiidae). Environ Biol Fish 43:219–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mann DA, Lobel PS (1997) Propagation of damselfish (Pomacentridae) courtship sounds. J Acoust Soc Am 101:3783–3791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McComb K, Reby D (2005) Vocal communication networks in large terrestrial mammals. In: McGregor PK (ed) Animal communication networks. University Press, Cambridge, pp 372–389

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Myrberg AA Jr, Spires JY (1972) Sound discrimination by the bicolor damselfish, Eupomacentrus partitus. J Exp Biol 57:727–735

    Google Scholar 

  • Myrberg AA Jr, Spanier E, Ha SJ (1978) Temporal patterning in acoustic communication. In: Reese ES, Lighter FJ (eds) Contrasts in behaviour. Wiley, New York, pp 137–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Narins PM, Feng AS, Fay RR, Popper AN (2007) Hearing and sound communication in Amphibians. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson JS (2006) Fishes of the world, 4th edn. Wiley, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Penteriani V (2003) Breeding density affects the honesty of bird vocal displays as possible indicators of male/territory quality. Ibis 145:127–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips CT, Johnston CE (2008) Sound production and associated behaviours in Cyprinella galactura. Environ Biol Fish 82:265–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips CT, Johnston CE (2009) Evolution of acoustic signals in Cyprinella: degree of similarity in sister species. J Fish Biol 74:120–132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips CT, Johnston CE, Henderson AR (2010) Sound production and spawning behaviour in Cyprinella lepida, the Edwards Plateau shiner. Southwest Nat 55:129–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pruzsinszky I, Ladich F (1998) Sound production and reproductive behaviour of the armored catfish Corydoras paleatus (Callichthyidae). Environ Biol Fish 53:183–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigley L, Muir J (1979) The role of sound production by the brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus. Proc Natl Acad Sci 53:132–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Römer H (1998) The sensory ecology of acoustic communication in insects. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Salmon M (1967) Acoustic behaviour of the menpachi, Myripristis berndti, in Hawaii. Pac Sci 11:364–381

    Google Scholar 

  • Slater PJB (2003) Fifty years of bird song research: a case study in animal behaviour. Anim Behav 65:633–639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stout JF (1963) The significance of sound production during the reproductive behaviour of Notropis analostanus (Family Cyprinidae). Anim Behav 11:83–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stout JF (1975) Sound communication during the reproductive behaviour of Notropis analostanus (Pisces: Cyprinidae). Am Midl Nat 94:296–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valinski BW, Rigley L (1981) Function of sound production by the skunk loach Botia horae (Pisces, Cobitidae). Z Tierpsychol 55:162–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells MM, Henry CS (1992) The role of courtship songs in reproductive isolation among populations of green lacewings of the Genus Chrysoperia (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Evolution 46:31–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winn HE (1964) The biological significance of fish sounds. In: Tavolga WN (ed) Marine bioacoustics, Vol. 2. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 213–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Winn HE (1967) Vocal facilitation and the biological significance of toadfish sounds. In: Tavolga WN (ed) Marine bioacoustics, Vol. 2, vol 2. Pergamom Press, New York, pp 283–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Winn HE, Stout JF (1960) Sound production by the satinfin shiner, Notropis analostanus and related fishes. Science 132:222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winn HE, Marshall JA, Hazlett B (1964) Behaviour, diel activities, and stimuli that elicit sound production and reactions to sound in the longspine squirrelfish. Copeia 2:413–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank members of the Fish Biodiversity Lab at Auburn University, including K. Bolton, K. Dowling, K. Goodson, H. Haley, M. Scarbrough, and P. Noel for their help with collecting specimens and assistance in the field. This research was approved by the Auburn University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Auburn University, 203B Swingle Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    D. E. Holt & C. E. Johnston

Authors
  1. D. E. Holt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. E. Johnston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. E. Holt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Holt, D.E., Johnston, C.E. Sound production and associated behaviours in blacktail shiner Cyprinella venusta: a comparison between field and lab. Environ Biol Fish 97, 1207–1219 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0208-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0208-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation