The calls of gadoid fish

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Abstract
Of nine northern European species of the Gadidae examined in the aquarium, or in cages in the sea, four produced sounds. The vocal species were the haddock,Melanogrammus aeglefinus(L.); the cod,Gadus morhuaL.; the lythe,Pollachius pollachius(L.); and the tadpole-fish,Raniceps raninns(L.). The main differences between the calls of the vocal species lay in their temporal structure, all the calls being divisible into brief pulses of low frequency sound, repeated at different rates and in different groupings. Calls with this structure yielded spectra with a series of spaced harmonics, the frequency spacing depending upon the pulse repetition rate.Sixteen additional species were dissected, and seven of these showed well developed muscles attached to the swimbladder, similar to those found in the four vocal species. The remaining nine species, together with the five non-vocal species examined in the aquarium, lacked the muscles.The behavioural significance of the calls and the operation of the sound producing mechanism are discussed.