Just when you were thinking to yourself, “I wonder what kinds of fish bark?” scientists work their “sciency” magic yet again. A team of researchers at the University of Liege in Belgium have recently discovered that piranhas communicate through sounds, specifically barks, croaks, and “drum like” beats. It’s confirmed what we’ve always thought: piranhas are the beat-boxers of the sea.
While the team knew already that the fish made noises, they had no idea why. Using underwater microphones, they discovered that each of the different sounds convey a different message. For instance, one fish barked at another in a confrontation, but they weren’t fighting. The drum beat appears to be a sound they make when they chase one another, and a softer sound was made when the fish bit one another.
Next stop for the scientists will be the Amazon River, to see and hear the piranhas in their natural habitat and understand the noises more thoroughly.
Alright, Hollywood directors, you know what to do: for the sequel to PIRANHA 3D, we want to hear us some fish barking!