QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nauen, J. C. Articles by Lauder, G. V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nauen, J. C. Articles by Lauder, G. V. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 2251-2263 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

Locomotion in scombrid fishes: visualization of flow around the caudal peduncle and finlets of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus

Jennifer C. Nauen^* and George V. Lauder

Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

*e-mail: jnauen{at}oeb.harvard.edu

Accepted April 18, 2001

Scombrid fishes are known for high-performance locomotion; however, few data are available on scombrid locomotor hydrodynamics. In this paper, we present flow visualization data on patterns of water movement over the caudal peduncle and finlets (small fins on the dorsal and ventral body margin anterior to the caudal fin). Chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus, ranging in fork length from 20 to 26 cm, swam steadily at 1.2forklengthss^-1 in a recirculating flow tank. Small, reflective particles in the flow tank were illuminated by a vertical (xy) or horizontal (xz) laser light sheet. Patterns of flow in the region near the caudal peduncle were measured using digital particle image velocimetry. Patterns of flow along the peduncle and finlets were quantified using manual particle tracking; more than 800 particles were tracked for at least 12ms over a series of tailbeats from each of four fish.

In the vertical plane, flow trajectory and flow speed were independent of the position of the finlets, indicating that the finlets did not redirect flow or affect flow speed. Along, above and below the trailing surface of the peduncle, where the finlets were oriented along the peduncular surface, flow was convergent. Along, above and below the leading surface of the peduncle, where the finlets were absent, the flow trajectory was effectively horizontal. The lack of divergent flow on the leading surface of the peduncle is consistent with cross-peduncular flow formed by the lateral motion of the peduncle interacting with convergent flow resulting from forward movement of the body.

In the horizontal plane, particles illuminated by the xz light sheet situated approximately 3 mm below the ventral body surface were tracked within the laser light sheet for up to 40ms, indicating strong planar flow. As the peduncle decelerates, the most posterior finlet is frequently at an angle of attack of at least 20° to the incident flow, but this orientation does not result in thrust production from lift generation. Finlet 5 does redirect cross-peduncular flow and probably generates small vortices undetectable in this study. These data are the first direct demonstration that the finlets have a hydrodynamic effect on local flow during steady swimming.

Key words: locomotion, swimming, scombrid fish, flow, finlet, particle tracking, mackerel, Scomber japonicus.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				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]

				E. D. Tytell, E. M. Standen, and G. V. Lauder Escaping Flatland: three-dimensional kinematics and hydrodynamics of median fins in fishes J. Exp. Biol., January 15, 2008; 211(2): 187 - 195. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. K. Bartol, M. Gharib, D. Weihs, P. W. Webb, J. R. Hove, and M. S. Gordon Hydrodynamic stability of swimming in ostraciid fishes: role of the carapace in the smooth trunkfish Lactophrys triqueter (Teleostei: Ostraciidae) J. Exp. Biol., February 15, 2003; 206(4): 725 - 744. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. K. Muller, E. J. Stamhuis, and J. J. Videler Riding the Waves: the Role of the Body Wave in Undulatory Fish Swimming Integr. Comp. Biol., November 1, 2002; 42(5): 981 - 987. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. G. Drucker and G. V. Lauder Wake Dynamics and Locomotor Function in Fishes: Interpreting Evolutionary Patterns in Pectoral Fin Design Integr. Comp. Biol., November 1, 2002; 42(5): 997 - 1008. [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]

				C. D. Wilga and G. V. Lauder Function of the heterocercal tail in sharks: quantitative wake dynamics during steady horizontal swimming and vertical maneuvering J. Exp. Biol., August 15, 2002; 205(16): 2365 - 2374. [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]