Ghost knifefish make electric ‘chirps’ to spot where other fish are

It’s lengthy been thought that {the electrical} chirps of brown ghost knifefish are for communication, however they could as an alternative assist enhance electrolocation

By Michael Le Page

When one brown ghost knifefish “chirps” at one other knifefish by altering {the electrical} discipline it produces, it has lengthy been assumed it’s speaking to with the opposite fish. But in accordance with Livio Oboti on the Humboldt University of Berlin, these chirps are as an alternative a form of probe that helps a fish enhance its electrolocation of objects, particularly different electrical fish.

Weakly electrical fish generate a low-power electrical discipline round their physique, which they sense with particular receptors of their pores and skin. This permits them to detect …