The Frequency Range of Mechanical Vibrations Perceived by Three Species of Freshwater Fish

Abstract

C ONSIDERING the sounds which are a normal part of the environment of fishes, the extent of the range of frequency perceived, as reported in previous investigations, seems narrow. An attempt has therefore been made to determine more fully and accurately the limits of perception of some common freshwater fishes. In the literature there seems to be little doubt at present that fishes do possess the ability to perceive sound. Greater disagreement lies in the question of limits of perception, especially in the higher frequencies. Parker and Van Heusen (1917a) found that Ameiurus responded to frequencies of four to five double vibrations (d. v.) per second. Rode (1927) reported similar results. The lower limit of response of Phoxinus laevis was found by von Frisch (1936) to be between 16 and 32 d. v. per second. Parker and Van Heusen (1917b) found that eight species of fish responded by gill and fin movements to higher frequencies up to 688 d. v. per second, with best results from Ameiurus. Manning (1924) observed similar responses in the goldfish (Carassius auratus), up to 2752 d. v. per second. Stetter (1929) reported results on five species of fish as follows: Phoxinus laevis, 4645 to 6960 d. v.; Idus melanotus, 5524 d. v.; Carassius auratus, 3480 d. v.; Cobitis barbatula, 1740 to 3480 d. v.; and Ameiurus nebulosus, higher than 13,139 d. v. Von Boutteville (1935) found that the upper limits of tone perception for characids lies above 6960 d. v. Von Frisch (1936) stated that both the upper and lower limits of tonal perception in fishes that have a well-developed capacity for hearing is approximately the same as in man. Stephens and Bate (1950), though offering no experimental proof, are of the opinion that the range of hearing possibly includes all sounds in the environment from a frequency of four or five d. v. per second caused by the body movements of the fish themselves, to the supersonic vibrations caused by bursting bubbles. METHODS AND APPARATUS