An artist's representation shows the midshipman fish singing to attract a mate. Click on image for full size (171 Kb) Original Illustration by Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

Talking fish are no strangers to Americans. From the comedic portrayal of "Mr. Limpet" by Don Knotts, to the children's Disney favorite, "Nemo," fish can talk, laugh and tell jokes--at least on television and the silver screen. But can real fish verbally communicate? Researchers say, "Yes," in a paper published in the July 18 issue of the journal Science. Further, the findings put human speech--and social communications of all vertebrates--in evolutionary context.

By mapping the developing brain cells in newly hatched midshipman fish larvae and comparing them to those of other species, Andrew Bass and his colleagues, Edwin Gilland of Howard University and Robert Baker of New York University, found that the neural network behind sound production in vertebrates can be traced back through evolutionary time to an era long before the first animals ventured onto dry land. The neural circuitry that enables human beings to verbally communicate--not to mention birds to sing, and frogs to "ribbit"--was likely laid down hundreds of millions of years ago with the hums and grunts of fish.

According to Bass, the research also provides a framework for neuroscientists and evolutionary biologists studying social behavior in a variety of species, and, "sends a message to scientists and non-scientists about the importance of this group of animals to understanding behavior; to understanding the nervous system; and to understanding just how important social communication is--among them, as it is among ourselves."

Text above is courtesy of the National Science Foundation

An artist's representation shows the midshipman fish singing to attract a mate. Click on image for full size (171 Kb) Original Illustration by Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

We used to think that only cartoon animated fish could talk. But now scientists have found that fish really do talk. It may not be the same sort of language that people use, but fish are able to hum and grunt in order to communicate with other fish.

Scientists studied the brain cells of newly hatched fish larvae. In the fish brains, they found the same sort of brain cells that enable humans to talk. These are also the same type of brain cells that allow birds to sing and frogs to “ribbit”.

They found that the brain cells responsible for sound production in vertebrates can be traced back through evolutionary time to an era long before animals lived on dry land. The neural circuitry was likely laid down hundreds of millions of years ago with the hums and grunts of fish.

According to scientist Andrew Bass, this research "sends a message to scientists and non-scientists about the importance of this group of animals to understanding behavior; to understanding the nervous system; and to understanding just how important social communication is--among them, as it is among ourselves."

An artist's representation shows the midshipman fish singing to attract a mate. Click on image for full size (171 Kb) Original Illustration by Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

Have you ever had a chat with a fish? We used to think that only cartoon fish could talk. But now scientists have figured out that fish really can talk. It’s not the same language that people use, but fish are able to hum and grunt. The hums and grunts let them talk with other fish.

Scientists studied the brain cells of fish larvae that just hatched . In the fish brains, they found the same sort of brain cells that allow humans to talk. These are also the same type of brain cells that let birds sing and frogs “ribbit”.

Scientist Andrew Bass says that this research "sends a message to scientists and non-scientists about the importance of this group of animals to understanding behavior; to understanding the nervous system; and to understanding just how important social communication is--among them, as it is among ourselves."