Are there individual acoustic signatures in the damselfish Dascyllus albisella?

Abstract

Many animal species are known to show individuality in their acoustic communication. This variation in individual male signatures can be decisive for female choice. Within the damselfishes, Dascyllus species are known for prolific sound production during the realization of movements associated with courtship (i.e., the signal jump) and spawning (mating sounds). However, the ability to distinguish the individuality of male Dascyllus sound signatures is unknown. We investigated the variability in the courtship and mating sounds of 17 males of Dascyllus albisella at Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific Ocean, to determine whether it was possible to distinguish them from one another and thus have information on their ability to convey individual information. Acoustic analyses confirmed that courtship sounds differed from mating sounds. Comparative analyses suggest that acoustic signals cannot serve as distinctive traits unless the individuals are of different sizes. Males of D. albisella do not use individual signatures in a reproductive behavioral context. However, it cannot be ruled out that variations in the sound production rate may serve as a discriminative feature.