Acoustic communication at the water's edge: evolutionary insights from a mudskipper

Coupled behavioural observations and acoustical recordings of aggressive dyadic contests showed that the mudskipper Periophthalmodon septemradiatus communicates acoustically while out of water. An analysis of intraspecific variability showed that specific acoustic components may act as tags for indi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2011-06, Vol.6 (6), p.e21434-e21434
Main Authors: Polgar, Gianluca, Malavasi, Stefano, Cipolato, Giacomo, Georgalas, Vyron, Clack, Jennifer A, Torricelli, Patrizia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic coupling
Acoustic emission
Acoustic properties
Acoustics
Adaptation
Adaptations
Agriculture
Animal Communication
Animals
Behavior
Biological Evolution
Biology
Communication
Correlation analysis
Environmental science
Evolution
Fish
Fishes - physiology
Hypotheses
Informatics
Kinematics
Localization
Males
Morphology
Periophthalmodon septemradiatus
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sound
Sound transmission
Taxa
Vertebrates
Veterinary Science
Video communication
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Summary:Coupled behavioural observations and acoustical recordings of aggressive dyadic contests showed that the mudskipper Periophthalmodon septemradiatus communicates acoustically while out of water. An analysis of intraspecific variability showed that specific acoustic components may act as tags for individual recognition, further supporting the sounds' communicative value. A correlative analysis amongst acoustical properties and video-acoustical recordings in slow-motion supported first hypotheses on the emission mechanism. Acoustic transmission through the wet exposed substrate was also discussed. These observations were used to support an "exaptation hypothesis", i.e. the maintenance of key adaptations during the first stages of water-to-land vertebrate eco-evolutionary transitions (based on eco-evolutionary and palaeontological considerations), through a comparative bioacoustic analysis of aquatic and semiterrestrial gobiid taxa. In fact, a remarkable similarity was found between mudskipper vocalisations and those emitted by gobioids and other soniferous benthonic fishes.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0021434