Acoustic characteristics and variations in grunt vocalizations in the oyster toadfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Opsanus tau</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Karen P Maruska Allen F Mensinger |
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Institution: | (1) Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods , Hole, MA 02543, USA;(2) Biology Department, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA;(3) Present address: Biology Department, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA |
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Abstract: | Acoustic communication is critical for reproductive success in the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau. While previous studies have examined the acoustic characteristics, behavioral context, geographical variation, and seasonality
of advertisement boatwhistle sound production, there is limited information on the grunt or other non-advertisement vocalizations
in this species. This study continuously monitored sound production in toadfish maintained in an outdoor habitat for four
months to identify and characterize grunt vocalizations, compare them with boatwhistles, and test for relationships between
the incidence of grunt vocalizations, sound characteristics and environmental parameters. Oyster toadfish produced grunts
in response to handling, and spontaneous single (70% of all grunts), doublet (10%), and trains of grunts (20%) throughout
the May to September study period. Grunt types varied in pulse structure, duration, and frequency components, and were shorter
and of lower fundamental frequency than the pulse repetition rate of boatwhistles. Higher water temperatures were correlated
with a greater number of grunt emissions, higher fundamental frequencies, and shorter sound durations. The number of grunts
per day was also positively correlated with daylength and maximum tidal amplitude differences (previously entrained) associated
with full and new moons, thus providing the first demonstration of semilunar vocalization rhythms in the oyster toadfish.
These data provide new information on the acoustic repertoire and the environmental factors correlated with sound production
in the toadfish, and have important implications for seasonal acoustic communication in this model vocal fish. |
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Keywords: | Acoustic communication Agonistic behavior Grunt Semilunar Sound production Temperature effects |
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