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For creatures living in the oceans’ depths, where light is almost entirely absent and the scarcity of food means that individuals must range far from one another, finding a suitable mate is considerably more challenging than in most other regions on Earth. For this purpose, these creatures have adapted various communications strategies for attracting and seeking a mate: enhanced senses, bioluminescence and electrical communication are the most common.

Into the Abyss

At 200 metres below the surface, the Mesopelagic or “Twilight” zone of the ocean begins. Here the creatures begin to bioluminesce in the murky light and food scarcity is already driving them apart, or to the surface at night, or to develop long, sharp teeth to attack their ambitiously large prey. The Bathypelagic zone begins at 1,000 metres; below the Abyssopelagic zone, its name taken from the Greek for “bottomless”, and the Hadal zones of deep-sea trenches. Barely any light penetrates to these zones. The only sources of food are what trickle down from above – with occasional feasts of dead whales and large fish and other local-dwelling creatures. Many species are transparent or have developed a red colouration – because the faint sunlight is blue-green, as is most bioluminescence, red is not reflected by deep-sea light sources and appears black against the black sea. Finding prey is a challenge in these waters, let alone finding a mate. Deep-sea creatures have had to develop specialised communications strategies for this essential part of their lives.

Senses

Sensing a potential mate across any distance in the deep ocean is not easy, and those creatures that rely on the more conventional senses, like sight or hearing, have adapted to develop especially good optical or audio organs for that purpose. Fishes like the darters and sticklebacks are among those who may use colouration to advertise their availability. Other creatures have communications strategies based on sending sounds or chemical smells through the water.

Light

Some deep-sea creatures possess the ability to produce light through bioluminescence, solving the problem of extremely limited sunlight for vision. Bioluminescence is achieved in two different ways: through a symbiotic relationship with light-producing bacteria, or from the fish’s own self-luminous cells called photophores. Many deep-sea fish famously use this light to attract their prey, swinging their curious lamps through the abyss. Others, like the Atlantic midshipman, may employ it as their communications strategy in attracting a mate. Lanternfishes have photophores in rows along their sides, arranged in species-specific patterns; these lights can be seen from a distance by potential mates.

The Electric Organ

Certain species of skates and rays have electricity producing organs, applied to several purposes. For example, electric rays use their paired electric organs to shock and stun their prey, while using the electric field they can generate to navigate, locate prey and communicate.
The electric organ’s role in communications strategies is not restricted to the electric eel: the skate’s electricity producing organs, located near the tail, only produce weak electric fields not capable of stunning prey. Researchers believe that the skate’s electric organ therefore plays a critical role in locating a mate, among other necessary communications.

Jenny Kettlewell is the Marketing Manager for Multitone Systems, a leading telecommunications strategies company. Multitone has implemented custom, integrated communications strategy systems for businesses and organisations in the public and private sector for over 75 years.

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