A fingernail-sized male fish of the Danionella cerebrum species can apparently make a sound as loud as a gunshot, scientists claimed in December 2023.
The 12mm fish is native to Myanmar, and can make a noise exceeding 140 decibels, the study published in the PNAS journal claimed. This is basically the equivalent of a jackhammer, ambulance siren, rifle shot, or most women when they stub their toes or break a nail. The sound is produced through the fish’s swim bladder — a gas-filled organ used to control its teeny little buoyancy in the water.
Somewhat hilariously, the fish has the smallest known brain of any vertebrate, so the male D. cerebrum is literally a tiny-brained, piss-talking loudmouth, according to my interpretation of the findings, which is definitely comparable to some males of other species (i.e., some male humans).
This tiny fish – Danionella cerebrum – can make noise exceeding 140 decibels, putting it in the ranks of rock concerts, gunshots, ambulance sirens, and jet engines. pic.twitter.com/qQ0LINICZn
— DW News (@dwnews) February 28, 2024
“Understanding this extraordinary adaptation expands our knowledge of animal motion and highlights the remarkable diversity of propulsion mechanisms across species, contributing to our broader understanding of evolutionary biology and biomechanics,” the paper noted.
Though there’s no immediate understanding as to why the males of this species make this sound, the most likely reason is to either navigate dirty waters or warn off predators or competitors. (RELATED: Wild Video Shows Man Going Full Hand-To-Hand Combat With A Bear)
Again, this is eerily similar to the dumbest members of the human male species, who make very loud noises to show people how important they are. Isn’t it wild how many similarities humans have with fish? In the great words of former President George W. Bush, I, too, “believe that human being and fish can coexist peacefully.”