Amphibious auditory responses of the American alligator ( Alligator mississipiensis )
Abstract
Animals that thrive both on land and underwater are faced with the task of interpreting stimuli in different media. This becomes a challenge to the sensory receptors in that stimuli (e.g., sound, motion) may convey the same type of information but are transmitted with different physical characteristics. We used auditory brainstem responses to examine hearing abilities of a species that makes full use of these two environments, the American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis). In water, alligators responded to tones from 100 Hz to 2,000 Hz, with peak sensitivity at 800 Hz. In air, they responded to tones from 100 Hz to 8,000 Hz, with peak sensitivity around 1,000 Hz. We also examined the contribution to hearing of an air bubble that becomes trapped in the middle ear as the animal submerges. This bubble has been previously implicated in underwater hearing. Our studies show that the trapped air bubble has no affect on auditory thresholds, suggesting the bubble is not an important adaptation for underwater hearing in this species.
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Acoustic signals are detected by individuals differently in air (by ear) than underwater (likely by bone conduction), resulting in a broader range of frequencies being detected in air, but over longer propagation distances underwater.
“Acoustic signals are detected by individuals differently in air (by ear) than underwater (likely by bone conduction) (Higgs et al. 2002), which results in a broader range of frequencies being detected in air, but over longer propagation distances underwater (Higgs et al. 2002; Todd 2007).”
From Roars, Rumbles, and Resonance: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Crocodylian Acoustic Signals (2026) · cites this paper as Higgs et al. 2002
Signals measured in air were (and are) not comparable to the same signals measured underwater, due to both differences in sound propagation and differences in crocodylian acoustic signal perception.
“Likewise, signals measured in air were (and are) not comparable to the same signals measured underwater, due to both differences in sound propagation and differences in crocodylian acoustic signal perception (Higgs et al. 2002; Papet et al. 2019).”
From Roars, Rumbles, and Resonance: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Crocodylian Acoustic Signals (2026) · cites this paper as Higgs et al. 2002
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References 56 · Cited by 69
- Authors
- D., H., E., B.-P., D., S., M., S., C., C., R., D., & A., P.
- Venue
- Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
- Published
- 2002-04-01
- Volume
- 188
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 217-223
- ISSN
- 0340-7594 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1351
- OpenAlex
- W2022790026
- Cited by
- 69
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Comparative Physiology A (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r03dc004502-03)
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DCD 00436, T32-DC-00046, DC-00198, DC04502-01, T32DC000046)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Marine animal studies overview
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology › Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Keywords
- Alligator mississippiensis, underwater hearing, auditory brainstem response, frequency sensitivity, hearing threshold
- MeSH terms
- Air, Alligators and Crocodiles, Animals, Auditory Perception, Auditory Threshold, Behavior, Animal, Environment, Water, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
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