Ultrafast sound production mechanism in one of the smallest vertebrates

Due to its small size and lifelong optical transparency, the fish Danionella cerebrum is an emerging model organism in biomedical research. How can this small vertebrate under 12 mm length produce sounds over 140 dB? We found that it possesses a unique sound production apparatus - involving a drumming cartilage, specialized rib, and fatigue-resistant muscle - which allows the fish to accelerate the drumming cartilage at extreme forces and generate rapid, loud pulses. Our finding challenges the conventional notion that the speed of vertebrate skeletal movement is limited by muscle action. Understanding this extraordinary adaptation expands our knowledge of animal motion and highlights the remarkable diversity of propulsion mechanisms across species, contributing to our broader understanding of evolutionary biology and biomechanics.