Hear the roar of the lionfish recorded for the first time

By Sandrine Ceurstemont

Hear them roar. Lionfish have been recorded making sounds for the first time.

Decoding these sounds could create an insight into secret lives of this voracious invasive species – and help us keep tabs on it spread.

Many fish produce sounds to communicate with each other as low-pitched noises travel far underwater. “It’s a dominant mode of communication,” says Alex Bogdanoff at North Carolina State University.

Bogdanoff and his team decided to investigate the lionfish’s ability to produce sound after hearing reports from several divers that they make noises. This invasive species has been spreading through the Caribbean and east coast of the US. They often devour several organisms at a time, which is drastically reducing some native fish populations and altering ecosystems.

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