|
| |
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 202, Issue 18 2433-2447, Copyright © 1999 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
AC Gibb, KA Dickson and GV Lauder
Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834-6850, USA and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. glauder@uci.edu
Scombrid fishes possess a homocercal caudal fin with reduced intrinsic musculature and dorso-ventrally symmetrical external and internal morphology. Because of this symmetrical morphology, it has often been assumed that scombrid caudal fins function as predicted by the homocercal tail model. According to that model, the caudal fin moves in a dorso-ventrally symmetrical manner and produces no vertical lift during steady swimming. To test this hypothesis, we examined the tail kinematics of chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus (24.8+/-1.3 cm total length, L). Markers were placed on the caudal fin to identify specific regions of the tail, and swimming chub mackerel were videotaped from lateral and posterior views, allowing a three-dimensional analysis of tail motion. Analysis of tail kinematics suggests that, at a range of swimming speeds (1.2-3.0 L s(-)(1)), the dorsal lobe of the tail undergoes a 15 % greater lateral excursion than does the ventral lobe. Lateral excursion of the dorsal tail-tip also increases significantly by 32 % over this range of speeds, indicating a substantial increase in tail-beat amplitude with speed. In addition, if the tail were functioning in a dorso-ventrally symmetrical manner, the tail should subtend an angle of 90 degrees relative to the frontal (or xz) plane throughout the tail beat. Three-dimensional kinematic analyses reveal that the caudal fin actually reaches a minimum xz angle of 79.8 degrees. In addition, there is no difference between the angle subtended by the caudal peduncle (which is anterior to the intrinsic tail musculature) and that subtended by the posterior lobes of the tail. Thus, asymmetrical movements of the tail are apparently generated by the axial musculature and transmitted posteriorly to the caudal fin. These results suggest that the caudal fin of the chub mackerel is not functioning symmetrically according to the homocercal model and could produce upward lift during steady swimming.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. C. Ting and J. T. Yang Pitching stabilization via caudal fin-wave propagation in a forward-sinking parrot cichlid (Cichlasoma citrinellum x Cichlasoma synspilum) J. Exp. Biol., October 1, 2008; 211(19): 3147 - 3159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q. Zhu and K. Shoele Propulsion performance of a skeleton-strengthened fin J. Exp. Biol., July 1, 2008; 211(13): 2087 - 2100. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. Borazjani and F. Sotiropoulos Numerical investigation of the hydrodynamics of carangiform swimming in the transitional and inertial flow regimes J. Exp. Biol., May 15, 2008; 211(10): 1541 - 1558. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. E. Flammang and G. V. Lauder Speed-dependent intrinsic caudal fin muscle recruitment during steady swimming in bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus J. Exp. Biol., February 15, 2008; 211(4): 587 - 598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. D. Tytell Median fin function in bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus: streamwise vortex structure during steady swimming J. Exp. Biol., April 15, 2006; 209(8): 1516 - 1534. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. J. Dowis, C. A. Sepulveda, J. B. Graham, and K. A. Dickson Swimming performance studies on the eastern Pacific bonito Sarda chiliensis, a close relative of the tunas (family Scombridae) Swimming performance studies on the eastern Pacific bonito Sarda chiliensis, a close relative of the tunas (family Scombridae) II. Kinematics J. Exp. Biol., August 15, 2003; 206(16): 2749 - 2758. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. V. Lauder, J. C. Nauen, and E. G. Drucker Experimental Hydrodynamics and Evolution: Function of Median Fins in Ray-finned Fishes Integr. Comp. Biol., November 1, 2002; 42(5): 1009 - 1017. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. C. Nauen and G. V. Lauder Quantification of the wake of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using three-dimensional stereoscopic digital particle image velocimetry J. Exp. Biol., November 1, 2002; 205(21): 3271 - 3279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. C. Nauen and G. V. Lauder Hydrodynamics of caudal fin locomotion by chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus (Scombridae) J. Exp. Biol., June 15, 2002; 205(12): 1709 - 1724. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. C. Nauen and G. V. Lauder Three-Dimensional Analysis of Finlet Kinematics in the Chub Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) Biol. Bull., February 1, 2001; 200(1): 9 - 19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. C. Nauen and G. V. Lauder Locomotion in scombrid fishes: visualization of flow around the caudal peduncle and finlets of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus J. Exp. Biol., January 7, 2001; 204(13): 2251 - 2263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. V. Lauder Function of the Caudal Fin During Locomotion in Fishes: Kinematics, Flow Visualization, and Evolutionary Patterns Integr. Comp. Biol., February 1, 2000; 40(1): 101 - 122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Donley and K. Dickson Swimming kinematics of juvenile kawakawa tuna (Euthynnus affinis) and chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) J. Exp. Biol., January 10, 2000; 203(20): 3103 - 3116. [Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Nauen and G. Lauder Locomotion in scombrid fishes: morphology and kinematics of the finlets of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus J. Exp. Biol., January 8, 2000; 203(15): 2247 - 2259. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
