... al., 1973 ). Experimental cunner were 16.5±1.8 cm (mean±s.d.) standard length (SL), whereas tautog were 28±5.6 cm SL. Fish were fed tri-weekly using live Asian shore crabs, sandworms and cut squid. Tautog and cunner were killed by a blow to the head and double pithing. The pectoral fin...

... textured environments and regularly interact with textured surfaces. Here we explore texture sensation in a different type of vertebrate limb by investigating touch and potential texture encoding mechanisms in the pectoral fins of fishes, the forelimb homologs. We investigated the pectoral fins...

...Valentina Di Santo; Erin L. Blevins; George V. Lauder ABSTRACT Most batoids have a unique swimming mode in which thrust is generated by either oscillating or undulating expanded pectoral fins that form a disc. Only one previous study of the freshwater stingray has quantified three-dimensional...

...Richard Williams, IV; Melina E. Hale ABSTRACT For many fish species, the pectoral fins serve as important propulsors and stabilizers and are precisely controlled. Although it has been shown that mechanosensory feedback from the fin ray afferent nerves provides information on ray bending...

... is known about the relationship between form and function in this key vertebrate structure. In this study we demonstrate that morphological specializations of the pectoral fin rays of the benthic longhorn sculpin ( Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus ) have specific functional consequences both within...

...Matthew H. Green; Robert K. Ho; Melina E. Hale SUMMARY Pectoral fins are known to play important roles in swimming for many adult fish; however, their functions in fish larvae are unclear. We examined routine pectoral fin movement during rhythmic forward swimming and used genetic ablation to test...

... during BCF swimming. During gliding, the pitch of the body disc and the tail also interact to control the speed on the glide path and the glide angle. * Author for correspondence ( [email protected] ) 31 3 2011 © 2011. 2011 gliding undulatory swimming kinematics pectoral fin...

... to escape the oncoming flow. We also found that, despite the large size of its pectoral fins, E. tetrazonum is capable of producing only very weak negative lift forces with fins. These substrate-directed forces likely act in conjunction with upstream-directed frictional forces between the tail, anal...

...James L. Tangorra; George V. Lauder; Ian W. Hunter; Rajat Mittal; Peter G. A. Madden; Meliha Bozkurttas SUMMARY A biorobotic pectoral fin was developed and used to study how the flexural rigidities of fin rays within a highly deformable fish fin affect the fin's propulsive forces. The design...

...Kourosh Shoele; Qiang Zhu SUMMARY We numerically examine the fluid–structure interaction and force generation of a skeleton-reinforced fin that geometrically, structurally and kinematically resembles the pectoral fin of a fish during labriform swimming. This fin contains a soft membrane...

...Kourosh Shoele; Qiang Zhu SUMMARY We investigate the thrust generation capacity of a thin foil consisting of a membrane strengthened by embedded rays that is geometrically, structurally and kinematically similar to pectoral fins of bony fishes during lift-based labriform locomotion. Our numerical...

... study quantifying the instantaneous locomotive forces generated by the pectoral fins of the bluegill sunfish ( Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque), measured using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). The finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) field calculated from the DPIV data was used to determine...

...). Both species employed their pectoral, anal and caudal fins in order to decelerate during prey capture. However, largemouth bass protracted their pectoral fins more and faster,likely contributing to the greater magnitude of deceleration in the species. The primary mechanism for increased deceleration...

... and gait transitions have been shown to provide efficient locomotion across a wide range of speeds. In contrast, examination of gaits in fishes has focused on axial gaits and the transition between synchronous paired fin locomotion and axial propulsion. Because many fishes use their pectoral fins...

... theoretically can limit speed for short distances. Consequently, braking ability can be important for avoiding collisions with obstacles and exploiting resources effectively in complex environments. A presumed morphological correlate of improved braking performance in fish is increased pectoral fin area...

...Dean H. Thorsen; Justin J. Cassidy; Melina E. Hale SUMMARY Adult actinopterygian fishes typically perform steady forward swimming using either their pectoral fins or their body axis as the primary propulsor. In most species, when axial undulation is employed for swimming, the pectoral fins...

... the behavioral and hydromechanical repertoire of the paired pectoral fins of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss , performing both steady rectilinear swimming and unsteady maneuvering locomotion. A combination of kinematic analysis and quantitative flow visualization (using digital particle image velocimetry...

...C. D. Wilga; G. V. Lauder ABSTRACT The classical theory of locomotion in sharks proposes that shark pectoral fins are oriented to generate lift forces that balance the moment produced by the oscillating heterocercal tail. Accordingly, previous studies of shark locomotion have used fixed-wing...

...C. D. Wilga; G. V. Lauder ABSTRACT Pectoral fins are one of the major features of locomotor design in ray-finned fishes and exhibit a well-documented phylogenetic transition from basal to derived clades. In percomorph fishes, the pectoral fins are often used to generate propulsive force via...

...Mark W. Westneat; Jeffrey A. Walker ABSTRACT Labriform locomotion is a widespread swimming mechanism in fishes during which propulsive forces are generated by oscillating the pectoral fins. We examined the activity of the six major muscles that power the pectoral fin of the bird wrasse Gomphosus...