據(jù)7月18日的《科學》（Science）雜志報道說,，永遠面帶怒容、咕咕噥噥地交流,、花大力氣吸引配偶及保護自己的領(lǐng)地——別以為這是人類的青少年，這是豹蟾魚,。這種吵鬧的家伙以及它們的近親蟾魚都有與其它許多動物一起發(fā)聲的能力,，這些動物包括從鳥類、蛙類到人類,。對這些魚所做的一項新的研究提示,，驅(qū)動發(fā)聲的腦系統(tǒng)非常原始，它們早在4 億多年前就已經(jīng)和多骨魚一同進化了,。豹蟾魚用它們的浮囊以及附著其上的肌肉（它們是脊椎動物中已知的最快速的一種）來發(fā)出多種的聲音以吸引配偶并保衛(wèi)其領(lǐng)地,。這些魚有一個由節(jié)律性放電神經(jīng)元組成的腦中回路,，該回路支配著它們發(fā)聲肌肉的收縮率，從而控制它們叫聲的音調(diào)和時間長短,。
研究人員對幼魚中的這一神經(jīng)元網(wǎng)絡(luò)進行了定位并發(fā)現(xiàn),，該網(wǎng)絡(luò)的發(fā)育橫跨一個包括后腦基底部及脊髓上部的特別區(qū)域。這種模式的神經(jīng)元發(fā)育與其它發(fā)聲的脊椎動物類似,，提示驅(qū)動發(fā)聲的腦中回路可能起源于遙遠的多骨脊椎動物的進化,。發(fā)聲系統(tǒng)的其它方面，即特別的肌肉和發(fā)聲器官（如魚類的浮囊,、鳥類的鳴管及哺乳動物/人類的喉部）似乎是從不同的譜系獨立進化而成的,。一則相關(guān)的Perspective 對這些發(fā)現(xiàn)進行了討論。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Science,，Vol. 321. no. 5887, pp. 417 - 421,，Andrew H. Bass，Robert Baker
Evolutionary Origins for Social Vocalization in a Vertebrate Hindbrain–Spinal Compartment
Andrew H. Bass,1,4,5* Edwin H. Gilland,2,4 Robert Baker3,4
The macroevolutionary events leading to neural innovations for social communication, such as vocalization, are essentially unexplored. Many fish vocalize during female courtship and territorial defense, as do amphibians, birds, and mammals. Here, we map the neural circuitry for vocalization in larval fish and show that the vocal network develops in a segment-like region across the most caudal hindbrain and rostral spinal cord. Taxonomic analysis demonstrates a highly conserved pattern between fish and all major lineages of vocal tetrapods. We propose that the vocal basis for acoustic communication among vertebrates evolved from an ancestrally shared developmental compartment already present in the early fishes.
1 Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
2 Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
3 Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
4 Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
5 Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA.
