Sound production and spectral hearing sensitivity in the Hawaiian sergeant damselfish, Abudefduf abdominalis

Abstract

Acoustic signals are critical for inter-and intraspecific communication in many animals. In bony fishes, sound production is widespread and is used in a variety of speciesspecific behaviors such as agonistic interactions and reproduction (see Lobel, 1992;Zelick et al., 1999;Myrberg and Fuiman, 2002). Acoustic cues can provide information on mate location, reproductive readiness to synchronize gamete release, size, aggression level, territory quality, fitness, and species or individual identity (Myrberg and Riggio, 1985;Myrberg et al., 1986;Myrberg et al., 1993;Kenyon, 1994;Lobel and Mann, 1995;Myrberg, 1997;Lobel, 2001;Myrberg and Stadler, 2002). Thus, identification and characterization of both biologically relevant acoustic signals and the response properties of the auditory system are important to understand the function and evolution of acoustic communication in fishes.Acoustic communication involves the transmission of information by a sender to a receiver with potential benefits to both individuals (Bradbury and Vehrencamp, 1998). In this case, natural selection should favor the production of sounds with frequency spectra and energy content that match the hearing abilities of the intended receiver, and vice versa. This sensory drive model of signal evolution assumes that sender and receiver coevolve within specific constraints of the environment (e.g. background noise and transmission properties) (Endler, 1992). However, few studies on fishes examine both sound production and hearing ability within a single species to test for adaptive coupling of sender signal production and receiver signal reception. Hearing sensitivity was found to match the characteristics of sounds produced in the frequency domain in some species, but a mismatch was observed in others (Cohen and Winn, 1967;Myrberg and Spires, 1980;Fine, 1981;Schellart and Popper, 1992;Ladich and Yan, 1998;Yan et al., 2000;Ladich, 2000). As a result, enhanced intraspecific acoustic communication may not be the main driving force for the evolution of accessory hearing structures because there is no clear relationship between frequency spectra of fish sounds and auditory sensitivity among species with Weberian ossicles, suprabranchial chambers and auditory bullae that serve to increase or modify hearing ability (Ladich, 1999; Ladich, 2000).Sounds provide important signals for inter-and intraspecific communication in fishes, but few studies examine fish acoustic behavior in the context of coevolution of sound production and hearing ability within a species. This study characterizes the acoustic behavior in a reproductive population of the Hawaiian sergeant fish, Abudefduf abdominalis, and compares acoustic features to hearing ability, measured by the auditory evoked potential (AEP) technique. Sergeant fish produce sounds at close distances to the intended receiver (р1-2 body lengths), with different pulse characteristics that are associated primarily with aggression, nest preparation and courtship-female-visit behaviors. Energy peaks of all sounds were be...

Diversity and complexity in the acoustic behaviour of Dacyllus flavicaudus (Pomacentridae)

“…Since the signal jump is not performed by all Pomacentridae, this behaviour can be considered as more derived. Courtship displays are not associated with sound production in Abudefduf abdominalis, but Maruska et al (2007) observed acoustic behaviours after a female followed the male back to and prior to entry of the nest and that these behaviours continued when the pair was in the nest area. This behaviour can be compared to the mating/ visiting sound of this study.…”

“…Damselfishes (Pomacentridae) are well-known vocal species from the coral reefs and at least eight (Abudebduf, Amphiprion, Chromis, Dascyllus, Hemichromis, Pomacentrus, Premnas, Stegastes) of the *29 genera have been reported to produce sounds in numerous acoustic studies (Amorim 2006;Maruska et al 2007). Sound production in a species from the basal clade (Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus) suggests that pomacentrids are derived from an ancestral taxon capable of sound production (Parmentier et al 2006).…”

“…Several studies have reported the ability of species belonging to different genera to produce different kinds of sounds in different contexts such as courtship, aggression towards heterospecifics and conspecifics, nest visiting or nest cleaning (Myrberg 1972;Mann and Lobel 1998;Maruska et al 2007). Furthermore, it seems that these fish also present activity peaks.…”

Seasonal plasticity of auditory hair cell frequency sensitivity correlates with plasma steroid levels in vocal fish

“…A previous study of the Hawaiian sergeant damselfish (Abudefduf abdominalis) reported no seasonal differences in auditory evoked potentials in either sex (Maruska et al, 2007). Similarly, the Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus), a member of the same family as midshipman (Batrachoididae), does not exhibit seasonal plasticity in saccular thresholds (Vasconcelos et al, 2010).…”

“…Similarly, the Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus), a member of the same family as midshipman (Batrachoididae), does not exhibit seasonal plasticity in saccular thresholds (Vasconcelos et al, 2010). This dichotomy may reflect differences between species that remain on or near their shallow water breeding grounds [Lusitanian toadfish (Amorim et al, 2006); damselfish (Maruska et al, 2007)] and those that migrate from shallow breeding grounds to deeper offshore waters (midshipman) (Sisneros et al, 2004b) where the acoustic cutoff frequency is lower (Bass and Clark, 2003). Although previous studies have shown reproductive-state-related changes in saccular physiology, it was assumed this plasticity was influenced by steroids (Sisneros, 2009) as is the case with saccular afferents (Sisneros et al, 2004a).…”