The Plainfin Midshipman
Thursday, October 1st, 2009The singing toadfish is also known as the plainfin midshipman. Many members of the toadfish family produce sounds of one kind or another, but the plainfin midshipman is easily the most spectacular. An ugly-looking creature with a short, thickset body and a wide, flattened head, it produces its characteristic hum by vibrating the muscles of its air bladder. Why the toadfish makes this noise is not fully understood. But we do know that only the male “sings”. The call is believed to be a part of the courtship ritual of the toadfish and may serve to warn off other males as well.