FINGERNAIL SIZED FISH MAKES A SOUND AS LOUD AS THUS OF AN ELEPHANT

According to a recent study, the transparent fish known as Danionella cerebrum, which is native to Myanmar, can produce noises up to 140 decibels, which is comparable to the sound of an airplane taking off from 330 feet away, an elephant blowing its trunk, or a firecracker. Making that much noise would be remarkable for any animal, but when you consider that the fish is only about half an inch (13.5 millimeters) long, it becomes even more astounding.

How does the Danionella cerebrum produce sounds this loud? Scientists say that their swim bladders hold the answer. The report states that a fish's rib is pulled in close to a ridged cartilage fragment by a specific muscle. There's a loud drumming sound when the ribs strike the swim bladder when the muscle is relaxed.

It's interesting to note that this drumming sound is only made by males in the species. Given that males have harder ribs than females, scientists are still unsure of the reason behind this. Though there are a few theories, scientists are unsure of the reason behind these small fish's loud noises.

Scientists surmise that it may serve as a defence mechanism to ward off would-be predators or as a means of assisting them in navigating murky water. Dr. Ralf Britz, the study's lead author and head of the ichthyology section of the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, says, "We assume that competition between males in this visually restricted environment contributed to the development of the special mechanism for acoustic communication." (He was also on the group in 2021 that found the species.)

But the Danionella cerebrum is by no means the only marine animal capable of producing amazing noises. For example, the snapping shrimp can produce sounds as loud as 218 decibels when they pop with their claws. This sound is so powerful that it can instantly kill its victim with a shockwave.