184
WILLLAM N. TAVOLGA
source by fishes can take place in the near field, probably by means of
the lateral line. The majority of sounds produced by swim bladder
mechanisms in fishes range from 50 to 100 Hz, and this would provide
an effective near-field range of from about 50 to 3 meters, respectively.
The acoustic channel, therefore, is one of long effective range and high
information content for interactions among aquatic animals, especially
fishes.
It is clear that fishes interact with each other in a variety of ways,
using various sensory modalities, and the interactions occur in many different behavioral contexts. Some of these interactions have been called
“communication,” but the exact definition of animal communication is
not always clear. Some authors, for example, have favored a broad
definition that could conceivably include all kinds of interactions, while
others restricted the use of the term “communication” to intraspecies
interactions (Frings and Frings, 1964). Attempts have been made to find
factors in common between human communication and that of other
animals (Marler, 1961; Sebeok, 1965). Many of the approaches to animal
communication involve cross-phyletic comparisons with little regard for
the differences in phyletic position and level of organization of the
organisms compared.
The concept of levels of organization is basic to biological science,
and this concept is particularly applicable to behavior. Schneirla (1953)
postulated a hierarchical arrangement of levels of behavioral integration
with each level defined by qualitatively different organization and
development of integrative systems. Tavolga (1969, 1970) applied the
concept of levels of organization to the definition of communication. Communication is not a single phenomenon; rather, there are many kinds of
communication. There are many kinds of interactions that are characteristic of different levels of organization, and only some of these levels
involve communication in the strict sense. Interactions among fishes occur
at various levels of complexity and organization. The understanding of
these interactions must depend upon an appreciation of the level involved
in each case and the developmental history of the behavior.
Levels of interaction among organisms were defined by Tavolga
(1969, 1970) as follows:
Vegetative: Interactions by virtue of physical presence alone, as well
as through growth or tropism.
Tonic: Interactions resulting from the more or less continuous processes fundamental to species-typical development and function, e.g.,
homeostasis.
Phasic: Interactions that result from discontinuous, more or less
WILLLAM N. TAVOLGA
source by fishes can take place in the near field, probably by means of
the lateral line. The majority of sounds produced by swim bladder
mechanisms in fishes range from 50 to 100 Hz, and this would provide
an effective near-field range of from about 50 to 3 meters, respectively.
The acoustic channel, therefore, is one of long effective range and high
information content for interactions among aquatic animals, especially
fishes.
It is clear that fishes interact with each other in a variety of ways,
using various sensory modalities, and the interactions occur in many different behavioral contexts. Some of these interactions have been called
“communication,” but the exact definition of animal communication is
not always clear. Some authors, for example, have favored a broad
definition that could conceivably include all kinds of interactions, while
others restricted the use of the term “communication” to intraspecies
interactions (Frings and Frings, 1964). Attempts have been made to find
factors in common between human communication and that of other
animals (Marler, 1961; Sebeok, 1965). Many of the approaches to animal
communication involve cross-phyletic comparisons with little regard for
the differences in phyletic position and level of organization of the
organisms compared.
The concept of levels of organization is basic to biological science,
and this concept is particularly applicable to behavior. Schneirla (1953)
postulated a hierarchical arrangement of levels of behavioral integration
with each level defined by qualitatively different organization and
development of integrative systems. Tavolga (1969, 1970) applied the
concept of levels of organization to the definition of communication. Communication is not a single phenomenon; rather, there are many kinds of
communication. There are many kinds of interactions that are characteristic of different levels of organization, and only some of these levels
involve communication in the strict sense. Interactions among fishes occur
at various levels of complexity and organization. The understanding of
these interactions must depend upon an appreciation of the level involved
in each case and the developmental history of the behavior.
Levels of interaction among organisms were defined by Tavolga
(1969, 1970) as follows:
Vegetative: Interactions by virtue of physical presence alone, as well
as through growth or tropism.
Tonic: Interactions resulting from the more or less continuous processes fundamental to species-typical development and function, e.g.,
homeostasis.
Phasic: Interactions that result from discontinuous, more or less