Sound production by the Shi drum Umbrina cirrosa and comparison with the brown meagre Sciaena umbra: a passive acoustic monitoring perspective.

Sounds produced by the Shi drum Umbrina cirrosa were short trains of pulses with an average pulse period of 180 ms, pulse duration of c. 40 ms and an average peak frequency of 400 Hz; average values of acoustical properties differed from those recorded from the brown meagre Sciaena umbra in previous studies. The present study provides a preliminary tool for discriminating between these two species while conducting passive acoustic monitoring. The potential effects of ontogeny on sound production in both species are discussed and recommendations are made for further research.