A JAR of Chirps: The Gymnotiform Chirp Can Function as Both a Communication Signal and a Jamming Avoidance Response.

ABSTRACT: The weakly electric gymnotiform fish produce a rhythmic electric organ discharge (EOD) used for communication and active electrolocation. The EOD frequency is entrained to a medullary pacemaker nucleus. During communication and exploration, this rate can be modulated by a pre-pacemaker network, resulting in specific patterns of rate modulation, including stereotyped communication signals and dynamic interactions with conspecifics known as a Jamming Avoidance Response (JAR). One well-known stereotyped signal is the chirp, a brief upward frequency sweep usually lasting less than 500 ms. The abrupt change in frequency has dramatic effects on phase precession between two signalers. We report here on chirping in Brachyhypopmus cf. sullivani, Microsternarchus cf. bilineatus Lineage C, and Steato

SUBMITTER: Field CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6783576 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature