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First published online November 17, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 4724-4731 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02566

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Ontogeny of swim performance and mechanics in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Shawn R. Noren^1,2,*, George Biedenbach³ and Elizabeth F. Edwards¹

¹ Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
² Institute of Marine Science, Center for Ocean Health, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
³ Dolphin Quest Hawaii, c/o Hilton Waikoloa Village, 69-425 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Waikoloa, HI 96738, USA

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: snoren{at}biology.ucsc.edu)

Accepted 2 October 2006

Morphological and physiological development impacts swimming performance throughout ontogeny. Our investigation of the ontogeny of swim performance (mean and maximum swim speed) and swim effort (stroke amplitude and tailbeat frequency) of independently swimming bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) demonstrated that swimming capabilities are extremely limited in calves. Mean and maximum swim speeds of 0-1-month-old calves were only 37% and 52% of that for adults, respectively, and levels similar to those of adults were not achieved until one year post-partum. Limitations in swim speed were associated with an inability to achieve mature thrusting capabilities, as stroke amplitude and distance covered per stroke remained significantly lower than adult levels during the first-year post-partum. Although calves were expected to require less thrusting power to propel their smaller bodies through water, size-specific stroke amplitudes of 0-3-month-olds (23-26% of body length) were smaller than those of dolphins 10 months post-partum (29-30% of body length). As a result, swim speed standardized by body length was significantly slower for 0-3-month-old dolphins compared with dolphins 10 months post-partum. These results suggest that other factors, such as underdeveloped physiology, act synergistically with small body size to limit independent swim performance in dolphins during ontogeny.

Key words: cetacean, odontocete, dolphin, calf, ontogeny, swimming, performance, mechanics, kinematics, Tursiops truncatus

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