5
His dissertation work on cavefi sh marked the renewed interest in otophysan studies
since the early days of Von Frisch. Otophysans are the group of fi shes that include
catfi sh, goldfi sh, and other fi shes with specialized Weberian ossicles that enhance
hearing via coupling of the swim bladder and inner ear (e.g., Popper 1972 , 1974 ;
Fay and Popper 1974 ; Popper and Clarke 1976 ; Popper and Tavolga 1981 ; Lanford
et al. 1996 ; Edds-Walton and Popper 2000 ; Smith et al. 2006 ).
Other studies include comparative morphology of deep-sea fi sh ears (Popper
1980 ; Buran et al. 2005 ; Deng et al. 2011 , 2013 ), comparative morphology and
physiology in sound-producing sciaenid fi shes (Ramcharitar et al. 2004 , 2006 ), and
a body of work on the oscar ( Astronotus ocellatus ), a cichlid used by the Popper Lab
for a range of studies from behavioral auditory function to cell proliferation research
(Yan and Popper 1992 ; Lombarte et al. 1993 ; Presson et al. 1993 ; Lu et al. 1996 ).
Popper Lab research on hearing in clupeid fi shes includes the striking discovery that
some shad species can detect and behaviorally respond to ultrasound, likely as an
adaptation for avoiding predation by echo-locating dolphins (Mann et al. 1997 ;
Plachta and Popper 2003 ; Higgs et al. 2004 ). Art’s work includes fi shes that occupy
key evolutionary nodes, such as research in cartilaginous elasmobranchs (sharks,
skates, and rays, Fay et al. 1974 ), non-teleost actinopterygian fi shes such as sturgeon ( Acipenser spp.) (Meyer et al. 2010 ), bichir ( Polypterus bichir ) (Popper 1978a ,
b ), and bowfi n ( Amia calva ) (Popper and Northcutt 1983 ), and the sarcopterygian
lungfi sh ( Protopterus sp.) (Platt et al. 2004 ). Collectively, this body of work offers
a broad evolutionary view of vertebrate hearing.
While I think Art considers himself a fi sh sensory biologist at heart, over the
years he has pursued research questions as they are generated, often letting his students and postdocs follow their curiosity. This has led to publications on diverse
vertebrate groups and research topics, such as amphibious hearing in alligators
(Higgs et al. 2002 ), cell death in canary ears (Wilkins et al. 2001 ), and even the fi rst
work on sound localization in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncates ) (Renaud and
Popper 1975 ). Figure 2 shows a vertebrate (albeit fi sh-centric) phylogeny indicating
taxonomic groups where Art has published at least one study.
Art’s recent work has taken a more applied bent to fi sh hearing. In the 1990s he
became interested in the use of sound to control fi sh behavior, with possible applications for preventing fi sh from swimming into industrial piping or helping guide
them through fi sh ladders (Popper and Carlson 1998 ). These considerations led to a
new avenue of research about the impact that anthropogenic underwater noise may
have on fi shes and other aquatic organisms. Noise from seismic air guns used for
oil and gas exploration, naval sonar in use by the military, or pile drivers employed
for underwater construction output intense sounds at 198 dB (re 1 μPa) or higher,
which may have profound consequences for nearby aquatic life. Art’s research in
the last decade demonstrates that intense underwater sounds can cause inner ear
damage, temporary hearing loss, and serious tissue damage to some fi sh species,
with signifi cant barotrauma seen in fi shes with swim bladders (McCauley et al.
2003 ; Popper et al. 2005 ; Song et al. 2008 ; Casper et al. 2012 , 2013 ; Halvorsen
et al. 2012 ). These studies help set policy for underwater construction projects,
including Art’s consulting role on the Tappan Zee Bridge reconstruction project in
Fishy Hearing: A Short Biography of Arthur N. Popper, PhD
His dissertation work on cavefi sh marked the renewed interest in otophysan studies
since the early days of Von Frisch. Otophysans are the group of fi shes that include
catfi sh, goldfi sh, and other fi shes with specialized Weberian ossicles that enhance
hearing via coupling of the swim bladder and inner ear (e.g., Popper 1972 , 1974 ;
Fay and Popper 1974 ; Popper and Clarke 1976 ; Popper and Tavolga 1981 ; Lanford
et al. 1996 ; Edds-Walton and Popper 2000 ; Smith et al. 2006 ).
Other studies include comparative morphology of deep-sea fi sh ears (Popper
1980 ; Buran et al. 2005 ; Deng et al. 2011 , 2013 ), comparative morphology and
physiology in sound-producing sciaenid fi shes (Ramcharitar et al. 2004 , 2006 ), and
a body of work on the oscar ( Astronotus ocellatus ), a cichlid used by the Popper Lab
for a range of studies from behavioral auditory function to cell proliferation research
(Yan and Popper 1992 ; Lombarte et al. 1993 ; Presson et al. 1993 ; Lu et al. 1996 ).
Popper Lab research on hearing in clupeid fi shes includes the striking discovery that
some shad species can detect and behaviorally respond to ultrasound, likely as an
adaptation for avoiding predation by echo-locating dolphins (Mann et al. 1997 ;
Plachta and Popper 2003 ; Higgs et al. 2004 ). Art’s work includes fi shes that occupy
key evolutionary nodes, such as research in cartilaginous elasmobranchs (sharks,
skates, and rays, Fay et al. 1974 ), non-teleost actinopterygian fi shes such as sturgeon ( Acipenser spp.) (Meyer et al. 2010 ), bichir ( Polypterus bichir ) (Popper 1978a ,
b ), and bowfi n ( Amia calva ) (Popper and Northcutt 1983 ), and the sarcopterygian
lungfi sh ( Protopterus sp.) (Platt et al. 2004 ). Collectively, this body of work offers
a broad evolutionary view of vertebrate hearing.
While I think Art considers himself a fi sh sensory biologist at heart, over the
years he has pursued research questions as they are generated, often letting his students and postdocs follow their curiosity. This has led to publications on diverse
vertebrate groups and research topics, such as amphibious hearing in alligators
(Higgs et al. 2002 ), cell death in canary ears (Wilkins et al. 2001 ), and even the fi rst
work on sound localization in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncates ) (Renaud and
Popper 1975 ). Figure 2 shows a vertebrate (albeit fi sh-centric) phylogeny indicating
taxonomic groups where Art has published at least one study.
Art’s recent work has taken a more applied bent to fi sh hearing. In the 1990s he
became interested in the use of sound to control fi sh behavior, with possible applications for preventing fi sh from swimming into industrial piping or helping guide
them through fi sh ladders (Popper and Carlson 1998 ). These considerations led to a
new avenue of research about the impact that anthropogenic underwater noise may
have on fi shes and other aquatic organisms. Noise from seismic air guns used for
oil and gas exploration, naval sonar in use by the military, or pile drivers employed
for underwater construction output intense sounds at 198 dB (re 1 μPa) or higher,
which may have profound consequences for nearby aquatic life. Art’s research in
the last decade demonstrates that intense underwater sounds can cause inner ear
damage, temporary hearing loss, and serious tissue damage to some fi sh species,
with signifi cant barotrauma seen in fi shes with swim bladders (McCauley et al.
2003 ; Popper et al. 2005 ; Song et al. 2008 ; Casper et al. 2012 , 2013 ; Halvorsen
et al. 2012 ). These studies help set policy for underwater construction projects,
including Art’s consulting role on the Tappan Zee Bridge reconstruction project in
Fishy Hearing: A Short Biography of Arthur N. Popper, PhD