Influence of Temperature, Body Size, and Inter-Individual Variation on Forced and Voluntary Swimming and Crawling Speeds in Nerodia sipedon and Regina septemvittata

Finkler, Michael S.; Claussen, Dennis L.

doi:10.2307/1565543

Cited by 33 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This implies that there is an optimal substrate on which the snake moves fastest, which is consistent with quantitative experiments on the speed of garter snakes moving on different substrates (21). This maximum velocity v x max is qualitatively the same over a range of values of areal fraction of muscle at each cross-section ␦, and the Hill parameter c. However, v x max is sensitive to changes in VЈ the maximal muscle contraction velocity which varies with temperature: for example, v x max at 25°C is more than twice larger than that at 15°C (solid green and blue curves) when Pr ϳ 1, consistent with observations (22,23). The Hill relation (Eq.…”

Section: Optimal Undulationsupporting

confidence: 82%

Limbless undulatory propulsion on land

Guo¹,

Mahadevan

2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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We analyze the lateral undulatory motion of a natural or artificial snake or other slender organism that ''swims'' on land by propagating retrograde flexural waves. The governing equations for the planar lateral undulation of a thin filament that interacts frictionally with its environment lead to an incomplete system. Closures accounting for the forces generated by the internal muscles and the interaction of the filament with its environment lead to a nonlinear boundary value problem, which we solve using a combination of analytical and numerical methods. We find that the primary determinant of the shape of the organism is its interaction with the external environment, whereas the speed of the organism is determined primarily by the internal muscular forces, consistent with prior qualitative observations. Our model also allows us to pose and solve a variety of optimization problems such as those associated with maximum speed and mechanical efficiency, thus defining the performance envelope of this mode of locomotion.undulatory locomotion ͉ optimization ͉ snake ͉ worm S lender organisms such as sperms, worms, snakes, and eels propel themselves through a fluid using undulatory waves of flexure that propagate along their body (1). However, undulatory propulsion is not limited to movements through a liquid. Indeed, the side-to-side slithering of snakes, worms, and other elongated organisms that ''swim'' on land by lateral undulation has piqued the curiosity and interest of humans since biblical times (2). § It is only in the last century that we have begun to understand this unusual (and seemingly inefficient) mode of locomotion (3). These studies continue into the present, as zoologists try to decipher the neural and physiological bases for the generation of rhythmic patterns of muscular contraction (4,5) and engineers build and analyze hyperredundant robotic machines inspired by these organisms (6, 7). From a mechanistic perspective, lateral undulatory locomotion on land has its genesis in the interaction between retrograde flexural waves propagating along the slender body and anisotropic frictional contact with a solid environment. ¶ Although this has been known qualitatively for a long time (1,3,8,9), a number of questions remain. In particular, understanding the coupling of the endogenous dynamics of muscular force generation to the exogenous dynamics of the interaction of the organism with its external environment to determine the gait and velocity remains an open question. Furthermore, the important aspects of locomotion associated with gait selection in the presence of sensorimotor feedback are not addressed. Lateral undulatory locomotion on land allows us to approach both these basic questions directly in the context of a relatively simple and realistic model for the exogenous dynamics, allowing the organism's gait, defined here as the periodic shape of the organism, its velocity, and the reactive forces on it to be determined simultaneously. In addition, the simplicity of the model allows us to explore th...

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Section: Optimal Undulationsupporting

confidence: 82%

Limbless undulatory propulsion on land

Guo¹,

Mahadevan

2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Therefore, aquatic performance should benefit from relatively wide TPCs for locomotor capacity in species inhabiting shallow water bodies, which are characterized by substantial temperature stratification and daily fluctuations (Jacobs et al, 1998). Accordingly, tests on individual species of semi-aquatic ectotherms have revealed that the thermal sensitivity of swimming is low compared with running (Stevenson et al, 1985;Else and Bennett, 1987;Finkler and Claussen, 1999;Marvin, 2003a, b). Our comparative analyses to some extent challenge this idea.…”

Section: Differences In Tpcs Of Running and Swimmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ideally, one would expect that functions acquire the thermal dependence that optimizes the performance in the environment in which they are ecologically relevant. Accordingly, the thermal sensitivity (the slope or derivative of TPC) of crawling capacity is higher than that of swimming in individual species of semi-aquatic snakes (Stevenson et al, 1985;Finkler and Claussen, 1999), some salamanders (Else and Bennett, 1987;Marvin, 2003a, b;Gvoždík et al, 2007; but see Wilson, 2005). On the other hand, one may expect that the potentially conflicting thermal demands set by the two environments may hamper the optimization of TPCs, especially for functions that rely on the same biochemical and physiological systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of thermal performance curves in semi-aquatic newts: Thermal specialists on land and thermal generalists in water?

Gvoždı́k

Damme

2008

Journal of Thermal Biology

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“…Once the forces are sufficiently great to overcome sliding frictional resistance, the animal moves (Gans 1974). A snake's terrestrial locomotor speed is affected by frictional differences among substrates (Scribner and Weatherhead 1995) and also varies with the substrate area with which the snake's body is in contact (Finkler and Claussen 1999). For amphibious species such as sea kraits, it is important to crawl and swim well due to requirements of foraging in the ocean and returning to land for mating, oviposition, digestion, and skin sloughing (Heatwole 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor performance of three sympatric species of sea kraits (Laticauda spp.) from Orchid Island, Taiwan

Wang

Lillywhite

2013

Zool. Stud.

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Background: Assuming that locomotion has a strong influence on animals' fitness, we hypothesized that better locomotor performance would be associated with the most frequently utilized habitat. Laticauda colubrina, Laticauda laticaudata, and Laticauda semifasciata have different amphibious habits and microhabitat preferences at Orchid Island, Taiwan. We investigated the morphology and locomotor performance of the three sympatric species of sea krait. The measurements of body size, tail area, and body shape were compared in our study. Data on crawling and swimming speeds were gathered to investigate locomotor performance in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Results: We found significant differences in the locomotor performances among the three species. L. colubrina was the most terrestrial species in habits and sprinted significantly faster than the others during terrestrial locomotion. On the other hand, L. semifasciata was the most aquatic species, and it swam significantly faster than the other two species. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that sea kraits move well in their respective primary environments. With respect to the highly aquatic L. semifasciata, its laterally compressed body form, large body size, and large area of compressed tail are considered to be beneficial to swimming in an aquatic environment. Conclusions: More data are required to understand the superior terrestrial locomotion of L. colubrina, but this species may benefit from its more-cylindrical body form compared to L. semifasciata and from its greater muscle mass compared to L. laticaudata. L. laticaudata was intermediate in habits but exhibited the poorest performance in both swimming and terrestrial locomotion. The reasons for this remain unclear.

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Influence of Temperature, Body Size, and Inter-Individual Variation on Forced and Voluntary Swimming and Crawling Speeds in Nerodia sipedon and Regina septemvittata

Cited by 33 publications

References 19 publications

Limbless undulatory propulsion on land

Limbless undulatory propulsion on land

The evolution of thermal performance curves in semi-aquatic newts: Thermal specialists on land and thermal generalists in water?

Locomotor performance of three sympatric species of sea kraits (Laticauda spp.) from Orchid Island, Taiwan

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