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Acoustic communication in the Lusitanian toadfish, Halobatrachus didactylus: evidence for an unusual large vocal repertoire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2008

M.C.P. Amorim ,
J.M. Simões  and
P.J. Fonseca
M.C.P. Amorim*
Affiliation:
Unidade de Investigação em Eco-Etologia, I.S.P.A., Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
J.M. Simões
Affiliation:
Unidade de Investigação em Eco-Etologia, I.S.P.A., Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
P.J. Fonseca
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia Animal e Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Bloco C2 Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M.C.P. AmorimUnidade de Investigação em Eco-EtologiaI.S.P.A., Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The Lusitanian toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus (Bloch & Schneider) (Batrachoididae) is a well-known sound producer that has an unusual large acoustic repertoire for fish. This repertoire consists so far of five distinct sound categories: boatwhistles, grunt trains, croaks, double croaks and a mixed grunt–croak call. Sixteen males that spontaneously occupied artificial concrete nests placed in the intertidal zone of the Tagus estuary (Portugal) were recorded over 8 days in June/July 2006. During the analysis of the recordings new sound emissions were found. Long grunt trains that sounded to the human ear like a running engine were heard. These sounds differ from the normal grunt trains by having a lower amplitude, a much longer duration (tens of seconds versus <1 second) and more grunts per call. Other new sound emissions (e.g. triple croaks) were also registered but were heard less frequently. The incidence of the various sound types is given.

Keywords

acoustic communicationLusitanian toadfishvocal repertoire
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 88 , Issue 5 , August 2008 , pp. 1069 - 1073
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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References

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