A small fish called Danionella cerebrum redefines the concept of “not judging a book by its cover.” This animal, the size of a human fingernail, emerges as a unique creature in the aquatic kingdom. The fish, discovered in the streams of Myanmar, stands out not only for its tiny size. Also for its ability to generate sounds that rival in intensity those of a firearm shot. The sound it generates easily surpasses that perceived at a rock concert or ambulance sirens.
The sonorous Danionella cerebrum.
This surprising discovery comes courtesy of a team of researchers affiliated with the Charité University Hospital in Berlin, who were exploring the sound capabilities of this peculiar vertebrate. He D. cerebrumdespite having the smallest brain known among vertebrates, measuring just 12 mm in lengthhas an extraordinary ability to produce sounds that exceed 140 decibels.
Unlike other fish, which usually use the gas contained in their swim bladders (the same organ that they inflate and deflate to rise or descend in the water) to generate sounds, the Danionella cerebrum He opted for a more ingenious strategy. This small but formidable animal uses a group of specialized muscles to retract a bone from its ribs, thus creating a noticeable sound impact upon impacting the bladder.
The process is similar to stretching the elastic of a slingshot and then releasing it, achieving efficient, fatigue-resistant sound production. It’s like someone using drumsticks to play the drums while others try with their hands. Beyond its undoubted curiosity, the sound capacity of the Danionella cerebrum offers fascinating insights into fish communication and their adaptive mechanisms.
It is suggested that these sounds could play roles in aggressive competition between males, since only they have sufficiently resistant ribs, or serve as navigation mechanisms in conditions of reduced visibility. However, tests carried out in controlled environments such as aquariums reveal that, Despite the sound power, at a certain distance and behind physical barriers, the noise is perceived simply as a soft “click”.
Much to discover.
He Danionella cerebrum reminds us of the vastness of mysteries that still reside in the most unexpected corners of our planet. Its extraordinary ability to generate such a powerful sound, despite its tiny size, not only challenges our perceptions of fish biology. It also opens new avenues of research in the study of animal communication and adaptation. This tiny but powerful fish teaches us that, in nature, surprises come in all sizes and that we still have much to learn about the wonders of the natural world.With the Danionella cerebrum, science takes another step toward understanding the intricate language of aquatic life, demonstrating that even the smallest beings can have an enormous impact on our knowledge of the living world. And you probably wonder why I study it hospital staff. Well, it’s about a very useful model organism in biomedical experimentsas well as mice.
