Hearing thresholds in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): new insights into auditory sensitivity

Expanding our understanding of auditory sensitivity in fishes is essential not only for advancing sensory biology, but also for assessing the impact of underwater noise on marine life. However, knowledge remains limited for many ecologically and commercially relevant marine species, particularly auditory generalists like the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). In this study, we used auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) to measure hearing thresholds in 114 juvenile European sea bass across six frequencies (100-600 Hz), representing the largest dataset of its kind for this species. Our results revealed a U-shaped audiogram with highest sensitivity at 300 Hz (mean threshold: 116.8 ± 3.3 dB re 1 µPa), and thresholds up to 22 dB lower than previously reported. These findings suggest that D. labrax has higher auditory sensitivity than previously assumed. We also documented significant interindividual variability in hearing thresholds, particularly at lower frequencies, highlighting the importance of large sample sizes to capture natural variation. These baseline data provide a valuable reference for future studies on acoustic ecology, effects of noise exposure, and welfare optimization in aquaculture settings, and emphasize the need for further auditory research in marine fish species.