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Journal of Experimental Biology 40,23-56 (1963)
Published by Company of Biologists 1963

Caudal Fin and Body Movement in the Propulsion of some Fish

RICHARD BAINBRIDGE ¹

¹ Zoological Laboratory, Cambridge

1. Observations made on bream, goldfish and dace swimming in the ‘Fish Wheel’ apparatus are described. These include:

2. An account of the complex changes in curvature of the caudal fin during different phases of the normal locomotory cycle. Measurements of this curvature and of the angles of attack associated with it are given.

3. An account of changes in area of the caudal fin during the cycle of lateral oscillation. Detailed measurements of these changes, which may involve a 30 % increase in height or a 20 % increase in area, are given.

4. An account of the varying speed of transverse movement of the caudal fin under various conditions and the relationship of this to the changes in area and amount of bending. Details of the way this transverse speed may be asymmetrically distributed relative to the axis of progression of the fish are given.

5. An account of the extent of the lateral propulsive movements in other parts of the body. These are markedly different in the different species studied. Measurements of the wave length of this movement and of the rate of progression of the wave down the body are given.

6. It is concluded that the fish has active control over the speed, the amount of bending and the area of the caudal fin during transverse movement.

7. The bending of the fin and its changes in area are considered to be directed to the end of smoothing out and making more uniform what would otherwise be an intermittent thrust from the oscillating tail region.

8. Some assessment is made of the proportion of the total thrust contributed by the caudal fin. This is found to vary considerably, according to the form of the lateral propulsive movements of the whole body, from a value of 45% for the bream to 84% for the dace.

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