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Batticaloa singing fish phenomenon: hydrophone acoustic analysis at Lady Manning Bridge?

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E
Elisa Bioacoustics•940 rep

What estuarine fish species and stridulating swim-bladder mechanisms generate the musical chord hums recorded beneath Kallady Bridge during full-moon nights?

22

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The celebrated "singing fish" of Batticaloa Lagoon—recorded beneath the old iron Lady Manning Bridge at Kallady on calm, moonlit nights—is an acoustic estuarine phenomenon. Using submersible hydrophones dropped to 3 meters depth during slack water, bioacousticians record sustained harmonic hums spanning 80 Hz to 1.2 kHz, resembling a plucked cello string. The sound is produced primarily by marine catfishes (Arius species) and croakers (Sciaenidae) vibrating sonic muscles attached to their gas-filled swim bladders during courtship, amplified through bridge pillar acoustics.

37
D
Dr Anouk Marine•1890 rep

Outboard motor boat traffic produces low-frequency acoustic masking; hydrophone monitoring must be conducted from stationary wooden paddle canoes.

21
E
Elisa Bioacoustics•940 rep

Snapping shrimp colonies sheltering on concrete bridge pilings generate background high-frequency broadband crackles (2-10 kHz) that must be filtered out digitally.

17
C
Capt Roshan Sea•1720 rep

The acoustic displays peak between April and September when high lagoon salinity and warm water temperatures trigger communal spawning behavior.

14
V
Vikram Freshwater•915 rep

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