Don't shout like that, I'm not deaf.

Let's start with something small and seemingly inconspicuous. The common coqui is a Costa Rican frog with a reputation for being a bit of a loud mouth. Though measuring a diminutive 4 cm, these nocturnal amphibians make their mark by bellowing at volumes of 70-plus decibels. That's the same volume as seriously loud music and prolonged exposure can lead to hearing problems.

Second on this list is the water boatmen, a tiny aquatic insect who has an unusual and rowdy way of attracting a mate. In rubbing its penis on its tummy, it creates noise as loud as an underground train, a little over 100 decibels. But because the sound is emitted underwater, our landlubbing ears are preserved.

Anyone inclined to stand five meters from an elephant might be well advised to cover their ears. Keen to be heard at great distances, the mammals trumpet at volumes of up to 103 decibels. Why five meters, you ask? Easy. That's the distance at which the volume was measured. And it's about as loud as a pneumatic drill.

The African cicada has achieved noise notoriety. The loudest well-known insect, it uses its tympanal organs to "sing" at volumes averaging 106.7 decibels. By comparison, the average human voice just about struggles into the meager 60 db range.

There is something terrifying about a lion's roar. In part, no doubt because as hungry carnivores with sharp teeth and strong jaws, they can pose an existential threat. And though the king of the animals can make a ferocious sound with apparent ease, it is not the loudest in the kingdom. Not at a mere 110 decibels.

The howler monkey's name precedes it. Able to scale towering trees and sound heights of 128 decibels, these native South and Central American animals are louder than ambulance sirens and can be heard from several kilometers away.

The kakapo or night parrot is reputedly the loudest bird in the world. Possibly by means of compensation for the fact that it can't fly. The male has been heard screeching for a mate at a heady 132 decibels. At night, of all times, which is when these tubby herbivores are most active. And let's face it, who wants to sleep next to a creature that's louder than the average human pain threshold?

When the Panamanian sky fills with greater bulldog bats, it also fills with noise. They've been recorded making a 140 decibel din, but given its high frequency (55kHz), it is inaudible to the human ear. Which is lucky since volumes of 120 db pose a threat to our hearing.

The second to last animal on the list emits a very loud, if short-lived bang into the world. Snapping or pistol shrimp can hit a raucous 200 decibels, which are dampened by the water in which the sound occurs. But even after subtracting the rule of thumb 60 db to calculate the air level, it makes the little crustacean extremely loud.

Even louder, however, is the sperm whale (going on latest research at least). These ocean giants who can grow to be 20 meters long and 50 meters in weight, are impossibly loud. Scientists have measured sounds of up to 230 decibels, which is a good bit louder than a jet.