MadSci Network: Zoology |
I’m sorry to disillusion you but dolphins do not produce electricity however, they do make and use sounds in two different ways. Firstly, for communication - dolphins communicate mainly by means of sounds and are, almost always, constantly vocal. These sounds includes high-pitched whistles or squeals and short, pulse-type or squawks produced from their blowholes. Secondly, they echolocate by producing clicking sounds in the air passages in their heads and then receiving and interpreting the resulting echo. These sound waves bounce off objects in the water and return to the dolphin in the form of an echo. Dolphins have an oil-filled organ called the melon in the forehead which enables them to focus and beam clicks through the water in front of them. There is more information at http:// www.wiu.edu/users/emp102/DolphinWeb/communication.htm This site gives detailed descriptions of different kinds of fish and how they generate electricity. It also has a section on dolphins and echolocation. Click on the links in the left hand menu for details of the different animals. http://me mbers.fortunecity.com/anemaw/missionstatement.htm Lastly, I would check your information about fish using electricity to chirp - this seems very unusual.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Zoology.