The spawning hum in the reproductive sequence of the boxfish Ostracion meleagris

Boxfishes possess one of the most diverse acoustic repertoires described among teleosts, including sounds emitted during spawning, agonistic interactions and handling. However, the reproductive component of this repertoire remains poorly documented. By analysing synchronized video and acoustic recordings from 13 spawning events involving three Ostracion meleagris Shaw 1796, we quantitatively characterize the spawning hum, place it within the reproductive behavioural sequence and show that it differs fundamentally from the disturbance-induced hum previously described in hand-held individuals.