Acoustic communication modalities of the round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus)

Acoustic communication is essential to survival for many fish species, however it is often understudied. This thesis investigates two areas of acoustic communication in the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). These fish have no accessory hearing structures, and theory would predict they would be unable to localize sound sources, however it has been shown that round gobies can localize conspecific calls. The main concentration of this thesis is to investigate the role of the mechanosensory system in this localization ability. This thesis also includes an investigative study that makes a first attempt at examining the actual temporal characteristics of the round goby mating call. This was done by comparing the calls of males injected with Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone, immediately post injection and in the weeks that followed. Inter-individual differences in call structure were also examined. This multidisciplinary approach gives an overall better view of underwater acoustic communication in this species. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Stacey Rowsome contributed to the work done on appendix A of this thesis. She was responsible for running but not designing the experiments explained in this appendix. Her work was done in partial fulfillment of a Honor’s Thesis at the University of Windsor. She was supervised by Patricia Speares. This material is included in this thesis because it is the beginning of what will become an ongoing body of work at the University of Windsor and therefore this thesis will serve as a record of the methodology and outline of this experiment after both of these students have left the university.