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A behavioral study of the response of the gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum to high-frequency sounds [abstract]

Amy Renee Scholik , Mardi C. Hastings and David Johnson (1998). A behavioral study of the response of the gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum to high-frequency sounds [abstract]. Bioacoustics, Volume 9 (2): 163

 

Abstract: 

Ultrasound, in the form of a 200-ms pulse (duty cycle 1:1) consisting of a finite number of harmonic cycles, was presented to a gizzard shad school (n = 10) to determine whether or not it would elicit an avoidance response and significantly affect the quadrant distribution in a test chamber. Three frequencies were presented to the fish in four goo-second trials. Quadrant distribution was recorded 22 times during each trial. A chi-squared analysis (alpha = 0.05) was used to compare 8sh distribution in each quadrant to random distribution and distribution observed during control. Although no dramatic avoidance responses were observed, at 60 kHz (150 dB: re 1 microPa) both Control and Test fish distributions were significantly different to random distribution and from each other, at 80 kHz (162 dB: re 1 microPa) both Control and Test distributions were significantly different to random distribution but not to each other, at 120 kHz (152 dB: re 1 microPa) both Control and Test distributions were not significantly different to random distribution but were to each other, and at 120 kHz (160 dB: re 1 microPa) both Control and Test distributions were significantly different to each other with only the Test distribution different to random distribution. These results indicate that gizzard shad, like other Clupeids, may be able to detect some high-frequency sounds.

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