Call properties and morphology of the sound-producing organ in Ophidion rochei (Ophidiidae)

Abstract

The anatomical structures of the sound-producing organ in Ophidion rochei males present an important panel of highly derived characters: three pairs of putatively slow sonic muscles; a neural arch that pivots; a rocker bone at the front pole of the swimbladder; a stretchable swimbladder fenestra; a swimbladder plate; and an internal cone that terminates in a pair of membranes in the caudal swimbladder. Male courtship calls are produced nocturnally and consist of trains of 10 to 40 pulses that increase in amplitude and decrease in rate before exhibiting alternating periods of ca. 84 and 111 ms. Each pulse includes an unusual waveform with two parts. Pulse part 1 is a single cycle followed by a longer duration pulse part that exhibits gradual damping. Sounds and morphology suggest two hypotheses on the sound-producing mechanism. The 'pulley' hypothesis would require an alternate contraction of the ventral and dorsal muscles to form the two parts of each pulse. The 'bow' hypothesis involves a release mechanism with the sustained contraction of the dorsal muscle during all of the call, and the rapid contraction/relaxation of the ventral muscle to form each pulse.