A group of German scientists from the Einstein Center for Neurobiology in Berlin and other scientific institutions discovered that fish of the Danionella cerebrum species can produce sounds of more than 140 decibels. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Danionella cerebrum are translucent freshwater fish of the carp family. Their body length does not exceed 12 millimeters.
“This tiny fish can produce sounds of over 140 decibels from a distance of 10 to 12 millimeters, which is comparable to the noise a human perceives from an airplane during takeoff from a distance of 100 meters, and is quite unusual for a miniature-sized animal. I wonder how the fish achieved this and what accounts for this feat.” We tried to understand the mechanisms that were responsible,” said Dr. Ralph Britz, one of the study’s authors.
Using a combination of high-speed video, micro-computed tomography and gene expression analysis, the researchers found that male Danionella has a unique sound-producing apparatus that includes tympanic cartilage, a specialized rib and fatigue-resistant muscle.
“This device accelerates the ear cartilage with a force of over 2,000 grams and strikes the swim bladder, creating a fast and loud thrust. The impulses are interconnected and cause signals,” said Dr. Britz.
Scientists believe the deafening noise allows the fish to communicate in the dark rivers of Southeast Asia where they live.
Previously, scientists for the first time filmed Video of newborn great white shark.