Summary
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1.
Field measurements of hearing in the cod,Gadus morhua L., have shown that these fish are sensitive to pure tones in the frequency range from 30 to 470 Hz with greatest sensitivity in the range 60 to 310 Hz. At the most sensitive frequencies the mean thresholds varied between -18 and -26 dB/μbar (Fig. 4).
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2.
Variation in the thresholds at most frequencies was related to changes in the level of ambient sea noise (Figs. 5–7). Only in calm sea conditions were unmasked thresholds obtained. The masking effect of noise was confirmed by raising the level artificially. The thresholds increased in proportion to the increase in noise level.
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3.
The thresholds were largely independent of the distance of the sound source over the range from 1.7 to 50m, suggesting that cod are sensitive to acoustic pressure. However, a changeover to particle displacement sensitivity was noted at frequencies below 50 Hz when the sound source was moved to within l m of the fish (Fig. 9).
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4.
It is concluded that the swimbladder plays an accessory role in hearing. Differences obtained in the thresholds at different sound source distances may be explained in terms of the displacement sensitivity of the otolith organs. These respond to displacements re-radiated from the swimbladder in the far-field, and to the greater incident displacement in the near-field at very low frequencies.
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We would like to thank Major G. C. Braithwaite for kindly providing the Aird Mhor site for our work. We are grateful to B. B. Parrish, P. S. Enger, A. Tumarkin, C. C. Hemmings and J. J. Foster, all of whom made valuable comments on the paper, and to B. S. McCartney, A. R. Stubbs, D. N. MacLennan, S. Forbes and W. Burgess for advice and technical assistance. We are also grateful to W. Hall for his advice on statistical matters. Special thanks are due to A. D. F. Johnstone, G. R. Park, C. Robb, J. Main and other members of the Marine Laboratory diving team who took part.
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Chapman, C.J., Hawkins, A.D. A field study of hearing in the cod,Gadus morhua L.. J. Comp. Physiol. 85, 147–167 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696473
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696473