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They found that the fish, Danionella cerebrum, drums out a powerful rhythm on an organ called a swim bladder.

The vaquitas are caught and drown in illegal gill nets set for Totoaba, a Gulf fish whose swim bladder is considered a prized delicacy in China, worth thousands of dollars per pound.

One large and endangered fish in the region, the totoaba, has made the situation particularly volatile because its swim bladder commands high prices in Asia, attracting illegal trafficking and organized crime.

Mexico has been slow to stop illegal gillnet fishing for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is considered a delicacy in China.

The swim bladder, an organ that helps the fish stay afloat, is highly prized in China for its perceived - though unproven - medicinal properties.