Sound Production in Gulf Sturgeon with an Update on Investigations in the Genus Acipenser

The family Acipenseridae (sturgeons) contains some of the most highly imperiled fishes of the world.  Although of great interest to many researchers, surprisingly little is known about their reproductive behavior, and specifically, how they communicate.  Sound production as a mechanism of communication has been documented in the Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and the shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus), and it is likely that all sturgeons are soniferous.  We investigated sound production in the Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in several major rivers throughout its range via use of remote recording devices placed in a known spawning and in a summer resting locations where large aggregations were known to occur.  Acoustic signals that sounded like clicks were detected in both locations, and it is possible that several “call types” exist.  Sound production was often associated with jumping behavior on the resting grounds.  Also, the signals were unlike those recorded in S. platorynchus and S. albus, but possibly similar to those recorded in A. gueldenstaedtii.  In addition, results of preliminary investigations will be presented for Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus, and shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum.  Potential implications for conservation will be discussed.