Tiny fish, big boom: This small fish found to roar like a gunshot

In the watery depths of Myanmar’s streams resides a remarkable creature: the male Danionella cerebrum. Despite its tiny size of about 12mm, this fish possesses an astonishing ability – it can produce sounds as loud as a gunshot.

Recently published in the PNAS journal, a study reveals that these fish emit sounds exceeding 140 decibels, rivaling the intensity of an ambulance siren or a jackhammer, reports The Guardian.

How tiny fish create loud sounds

Delving into the mystery of how these tiny fish create such loud sounds, scientists from Charité University in Berlin uncovered a unique mechanism. Unlike most fish, whose sound production relies on vibrations of their swim bladder, the Danionella cerebrum employs a distinct system involving specialized muscles and cartilage. This mechanism allows the fish to generate rapid, forceful pulses, surpassing the capabilities of its swim bladder-related counterparts.

Through meticulous high-speed video recordings, the team deciphered the intricacies of the fish’s sound production. They observed that a rib adjacent to the swim bladder is manipulated by a unique muscle, causing it to strike a piece of cartilage and produce a distinctive drumming sound. Notably, this rib is substantially tougher in males, explaining why females do not produce sounds.