Interspecific variation of warning calls in piranhas: comparative analysis

Fish sounds are often considered as species-specific with unique temporal and spectral features. Differences between acoustic signals of closely related species could be considered as pre-zygotic barrier and could be related to the evolutionary history of the species. In the present study, sounds were recorded and compared in eight piranha species (Serrasalmus elongatus, Serrasalmus marginatus, Serrasalmus compressus, Serrasalmus manueli, Serrasalmus spilopleura, Serrasalmus rhombeus, Serrasalmus eigenmanni and Pygocentrus nattereri) in order to evaluate the potential role of acoustic communication as a driving force in the clade diversification. The same kind of sound-producing mechanism was found in all the species: sonic muscles originate on vertebrae and attach to a tendon surrounding ventrally the bladder. Contractions of the sound-producing muscles force swimbladder vibration. Having the same kind of sound-producing mechanism, the calling features of the eight piranha species show logically many common characteristics. In all the species, the calls are harmonic sounds composed of several pulses without inter-pulse interval. It was possible to discern species-specific sounds, but the differences among species could be, in part, explained by the size. Only the sounds of S. elongatus and S. manueli are really distinguishable from the other species. Serrasalmus elongatus differed by having a higher number of pulses and high-pitched fundamental frequency, whereas S. manueli differed by having long pulse periods and a low fundamental frequency. In the framework of this study, acoustic communication cannot be considered as the main driving force in the diversification process of piranhas. Behavioral studies are however needed to clearly understand the eventual role of the calls during the spawning events.