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First published online October 18, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 4203-4213 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02488
Aquatic turning performance of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and functional consequences of a rigid body design
Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, 132 Long Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: grivera{at}clemson.edu)
Accepted 10 August 2006
The ability to capture prey and avoid predation in aquatic habitats depends
strongly on the ability to perform unsteady maneuvers (e.g. turns), which
itself depends strongly on body flexibility. Two previous studies of turning
performance in rigid-bodied taxa have found either high maneuverability or
high agility, but not both. However, examinations of aquatic turning
performance in rigid-bodied animals have had limited taxonomic scope and, as
such, the effects of many body shapes and designs on aquatic maneuverability
and agility have yet to be examined. Turtles represent the oldest extant
lineage of rigid-bodied vertebrates and the only aquatic rigid-bodied
tetrapods. We evaluated the aquatic turning performance of painted turtles,
Chrysemys picta (Schneider, 1783) using the minimum length-specific
radius of the turning path (R/L) and the average turning rate
(
avg) as measures of maneuverability and agility,
respectively. We filmed turtles conducting forward and backward turns in an
aquatic arena. Each type of turn was executed using a different pattern of
limb movements. During forward turns, turtles consistently protracted the
inboard forelimb and held it stationary into the flow, while continuing to
move the outboard forelimb and both hindlimbs as in rectilinear swimming. The
limb movements of backward turns were more complex than those of forward
turns, but involved near simultaneous retraction and protraction of
contralateral fore- and hindlimbs, respectively. Forward turns had a minimum
R/L of 0.0018 (the second single lowest value reported from any
animal) and a maximum avg of 247.1°. Values of
R/L for backward turns (0.0091-0.0950 L) were much less
variable than that of forward turns (0.0018-1.0442 L). The
maneuverability of turtles is similar to that recorded previously for
rigidbodied boxfish. However, several morphological features of turtles (e.g.
shell morphology and limb position) appear to increase agility relative to the
body design of boxfish.
Key words: biomechanics, locomotion, swimming, performance, maneuverability, turtle
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