Marine animals use sound during feeding. The main marine animals that use sound as a method to find food are the marine mammals, specifically the toothed whales (odontocetes). However, fishes also produce sound when feeding. When a fish eats hard food, such as coral, it will produce a sound. Fishes sometimes gnash their teeth without the presence of food which may be a way to scare away predators.

Garibaldi produce sounds using their pharyngeal teeth while grinding on coral. Photo courtesy of Robert Fenner.

Some whales and dolphins use echolocation to locate food. They send out pulsed sounds of high intensity and frequency that are reflected back when they strike a target. This echo helps the dolphin or whale identify the size and shape of an object, the direction in which the object is moving and enables them to estimate how far away the object is. Echolocation is a very sophisticated way of locating prey and can even be used to find prey that is hidden in the sand.

For more information on how specific marine animals use sound when feeding, use the following links:
Marine Mammals	Fish	Invertebrates