Re: NANFA-- snorkeling, snapping sound, redhorses

Bruce Stallsmith (fundulus_at_hotmail.com)
Wed, 08 Aug 2001 10:15:53 -0400

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>I have observed this in a shorthead redhorse in an aquarium. It's loud.
>You could hear it all the way across the room. The fish was only about six
>inches long. Kind of sounds like a rock striking another rock. That's
>what I thought is was at first, but I started watching and caught him it
>the act. I think it was just mouth movement. Do they have otoliths or
>some sort of membrane that could produce the sound?
>
>
>Mark
>Columbus Ohio USA <))><
>mbinkley_at_columbus.rr.com

My guess is that redhorse sounds are generated by swim bladder changes. It
wouldn't be otoliths, they're encased in soft fluid-filled tissues and
couldn't function as castanets. We saw shoals of redhorse in the Sipsey
River in Alabama on Saturday (gotta post a report!) but I didn't hear any
sounds. But Casper, Steven and Coby were snorkeling; did you guys converse
with the redhorse?

--Bruce Stallsmith
Huntsville, AL, US of A

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