Author ORCID Identifier

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0771-4642

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-5-2017

Publication Title

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Volume

75

Issue

3

First Page

429

Keywords

acoustic communication, vocalization, Salmonid, REPRODUCTION < General, charr

Last Page

438

Abstract

Two sounds associated with spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain were characterized by comparing sound recordings with behavioral data collected using acoustic telemetry and video. These sounds were named “growls” and “snaps” and were heard on lake trout spawning reefs, but not on a nonspawning reef, and were more common at night than during the day. Growls also occurred more often during the spawning period than the prespawning period, while the trend for snaps was reversed. In a laboratory flume, sounds occurred when male lake trout were displaying spawning behaviors: growls when males were quivering and parallel swimming and snaps when males moved their jaw. Combining our results with the observation of possible sound production by spawning splake (Salvelinus fontinalis × Salvelinus namaycush hybrid) provides rare evidence for spawning-related sound production by a salmonid or any other fish in the superorder Protacanthopterygii. Further characterization of these sounds could be useful for lake trout assessment, restoration, and control.

DOI

10.1139/cjfas-2016-0511

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