Ultrasonic predator-prey interactions in water– convergent evolution with insects and bats in air?

• Published in: Frontiers in Physiology
• Main Authors: Maria eWilson, Magnus eWahlberg, Annemarie eSurlykke, Peter Teglberg Madsen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2013
• Subjects: Echolocation; evolution; ultrasound; bats; moth; Alosinae; Physiology; QP1-981; toothed whale; toothed whales
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2013.00137; https://doaj.org/article/5e6ce11ba49c463392739a15e038617c

Toothed whales and bats have independently evolved biosonar systems to navigate and locate and catch prey. Such active sensing allows them to operate in darkness, but with the potential cost of warning prey by the emission of intense ultrasonic signals. At least six orders of nocturnal insects have independently evolved ears sensitive to ultrasound and exhibit evasive maneuvers when exposed to bat calls. Among aquatic prey on the other hand, the ability to detect and avoid ultrasound emitting predators seems to be limited to only one subfamily of Clupeidae: the Alosinae (shad and menhaden). These differences are likely rooted in the different physical properties of air and water where cuticular mechanoreceptors have been adapted to serve as ultrasound sensitive ears, whereas ultrasound detection in water have called for sensory cells mechanically connected to highly specialized gas volumes that can oscillate at high frequencies. In addition, there are most likely differences in the risk of predation between insects and fish from echolocating predators. The selection pressure among insects for evolving ultrasound sensitive ears is high, because essentially all nocturnal predation on flying insects stems from echolocating bats. In the interaction between toothed whales and their prey the selection pressure seems weaker, because toothed whales are by no means the only marine predators placing a selection pressure on their prey to evolve specific means to detect and avoid them.Toothed whales can generate extremely intense sound pressure levels, and it has been suggested that they may use these to debilitate prey. Recent experiments however, show that neither fish with swim bladder, nor squid are debilitated by such signals. This strongly suggests that the production of high amplitude ultrasonic clicks serve the function of improving the detection range of the toothed whale biosonar system rather than debilitation of prey.