Seasonal and diurnal occurrences of fish sounds in a small Florida bay

Description

"Studies on fish-produced sounds were made around the clock and through the seasons in a small Florida bay. 2. The dominant sounds were produced by Galeichthys felis and Opsanus beta, and an as yet unidentified species. Less frequently occurring unidentified sounds of considerable variety seemed to be made by transients or strays. 3. Galeichthys produced its 'percolator choruses' from April through October, with a summer lull in July and August, never earlier than 5:00 P.M. and never continued later than 10:50 P.M., with a duration ranging from nine minutes to four hours. 4. There was a distinct tendency for Galeichthys to be more sonic during the period near the new moon, a feature less noticeable in Opsanus. 5. Choruses of Galeichthys formed only when the water temperature ranged between 74º F. and 89º F. and began only after the light intensity fell to values of from 1 to 1900 foot-candles. 6. Opsanus produced its 'boat-whistle' sound from March to October, with a summer lull from May through July, most vigorous about the time Galeichthys choruses were full, but heard irregularly at all times of day and night. 7. The frequency of the 'boat-whistle' of Opsanus varied with water temperature, ranging from about 0.93 sound per minute at 74º F. to about 1.92 sounds per minute at 83º F., with none below 73º F. or above 91º F. 8. The third, but unidentified, sound-producer made its peculiar repetitional soft tapping sound from October to June, with a lull from January through March. 9. This third sound occurred in a temperature range of from 64º F. to 83º F. and with light intensities ranging from zero to 150 foot-candles; no clear relationship to moon phases could be established. 10. An appendix describes the apparatus used and in some cases developed"--P. 372.

Subjects

Series Statement

• Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, v. 138, article 6
• Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History ;
• v. 138, article 6.