Category: Fish
Horn sharks inhabit coastal waters off the western coast of North America, from California to the Gulf of California. They are a relatively small species, adults measuring about 3.3 feet in length, with brown or gray coloration and many small spots. These slow-moving, mostly solitary predators hunt at night for hard-shelled molluscs, echinoderms, and crustaceans, which they crush between powerful jaws and molar-like teeth.
Undersea Conversations…
While it isn’t obvious, fish have ears, and are able to communicate to one another through sounds. They don’t have vocal chords, but instead vibrate their swim bladders, producing popping, grunting, moaning, barking, or chirping noises. While some species of fish, like the goldfish, are silent listeners, there are over 1000 species that are known to vocalize, and some, like the gurnard who are veritable chatterboxes. While we can’t have a conversation with them - at least not yet - it is theorized that they do it to attract mates, frighten away predators or competitors, to synchronize mating, call for help and warn others, or to orient themselves.
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
