Swimming kinematics of the Florida manatee (<i>Trichechus manatus latirostris</i>): hydrodynamic analysis of an undulatory mammalian swimmer

Kojeszewski, Tricia; Fish, Frank E.

doi:10.1242/jeb.02790

Cited by 33 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Use of the tail-membrane in vespertilionid bats in many ways mimics the fanning motions of the flukes in swimming mammals like dolphins [21], [22], [23], [24] and, in particular, the manatee [20], [25]. Paddle-formed tails in fish and manatees have low aspect-ratios, function around a single hinge (similarly to a rounded, paddle-formed human hand fan), and are efficient in producing forward thrust at low-speeds [17], [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Paddle-formed tails in fish and manatees have low aspect-ratios, function around a single hinge (similarly to a rounded, paddle-formed human hand fan), and are efficient in producing forward thrust at low-speeds [17], [25]. The motion of the bat's tail-membrane mimics this fanning motion, however, unlike that observed in aquatic and semi-aquatic animals, the bat's tail-membrane is unfolded only during the downstroke.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fact that bats fold up the tail-membrane during the upstroke phase apparently to reduce negative lift forces and expand it during the downstroke phase to apparently accentuate rearward air displacement agrees with expected airfoil kinematics . In addition, tail-membrane fanning motions in bats are controlled by three pivot points, the hip-joints and the sacro-caudal joint of the tail that must be coordinated, and this differs from the single, central-axis control of the flukes in dolphins and manatees [21], [23], [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flapping Tail Membrane in Bats Produces Potentially Important Thrust during Horizontal Takeoffs and Very Slow Flight

2012

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Historically, studies concerning bat flight have focused primarily on the wings. By analyzing high-speed video taken on 48 individuals of five species of vespertilionid bats, we show that the capacity to flap the tail-membrane (uropatagium) in order to generate thrust and lift during takeoffs and minimal-speed flight (<1 m s−1) was largely underestimated. Indeed, bats flapped the tail-membrane by extensive dorso-ventral fanning motions covering as much as 135 degrees of arc consistent with thrust generation by air displacement. The degree of dorsal extension of the tail-membrane, and thus the potential amount of thrust generated during platform launches, was significantly correlated with body mass (P = 0.02). Adduction of the hind limbs during upstrokes collapsed the tail-membrane thereby reducing its surface area and minimizing negative lift forces. Abduction of the hind limbs during the downstroke fully expanded the tail-membrane as it was swept ventrally. The flapping kinematics of the tail-membrane is thus consistent with expectations for an airfoil. Timing offsets between the wings and tail-membrane during downstrokes was as much as 50%, suggesting that the tail-membrane was providing thrust and perhaps lift when the wings were retracting through the upstoke phase of the wing-beat cycle. The extent to which the tail-membrane was used during takeoffs differed significantly among four vespertilionid species (P = 0.01) and aligned with predictions derived from bat ecomorphology. The extensive fanning motion of the tail membrane by vespertilionid bats has not been reported for other flying vertebrates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flapping Tail Membrane in Bats Produces Potentially Important Thrust during Horizontal Takeoffs and Very Slow Flight

2012

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“…The right whale is a much slower swimmer than the odontocetes and cruising balaenopterids that have largely been the focus of marine mammal swimming efficiency studies, with routine speeds of 0.36−1.6 m s −1 (Hain et al 2013 Table 2). Other slow-moving marine mammals such as manatees and belugas have low propulsive efficiencies of 0.67−0.81 and 0.82−0.84, respectively (Fish 1998, Kojeszewski & Fish 2007. It is therefore not surprising that a right whale may have lower propulsive efficiency due to its body dimensions, lifestyle and swimming characteristics (Woodward et al 2006), even in the nonentangled case.…”

Section: Efficiency Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Swimming kinematics and efficiency of entangled North Atlantic right whales

Hoop¹,

Nowacek²,

Moore³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…Both whales in this study show extremely slow vertical speeds of 0.14-0.68 m/s in low drag (0.01-0.07 L/s; Table 3). Other slow-moving marine mammals such as manatees and belugas have low propulsive efficiencies of 0.67-0.81 and 0.82-0.84, respectively (Fish, 1998;Kojeszewski and Fish, 2007).…”

Section: Efficiency Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of added drag on cetaceans : fishing gear entanglement and external tag attachment

Hoop¹

2017

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Animal movement is motivated in part by energetic constraints, where fitness is maximized by minimizing energy consumption. The energetic cost of movement depends on the resistive forces acting on an animal; changes in this force balance can occur naturally or unnaturally. Fishing gear that entangles large whales adds drag, often altering energy balance to the point of terminal emaciation. An analog to this is drag from tags attached to cetaceans for research and monitoring. This thesis quantifies the effects of drag loading from these two scenarios on fine-scale movements, behaviors and energy consumption.I measured drag forces on fishing gear that entangled endangered North Atlantic right whales and combined these measurements with theoretical estimates of drag on whales' bodies. Entanglement in fishing gear increased drag forces by up to 3 fold. Bio-logging tags deployed on two entangled right whales recorded changes in the diving and fine-scale movement patterns of these whales in response to relative changes in drag and buoyancy from fishing gear and through disentanglement: some swimming patterns were consistently modulated in response. Disentanglement significantly altered dive behavior, and can affect thrust production. Changes in the force balance and swimming behaviors have implications for the survival of chronically entangled whales. I developed two bioenergetics approaches to estimate that chronic, lethal entanglements cost approximately the same amount as the cost of pregnancy and supporting a calf to near-weaning. I then developed a method to estimate drag, energy burden and survival of an entangled whale at detection. This application is essential for disentanglement response and protected species management.Experiments with tagged bottlenose dolphins suggest similar responses to added drag: I determined that instrumented animals slow down to avoid additional energetic costs associated with drag from small bio-logging tags, and incrementally decrease swim speed as drag increases. Metabolic impacts are measurable when speed is constrained. I measured the drag forces on these tags and developed guidelines depending on the relative size of instruments to study-species.Together, these studies quantify the magnitude of added drag in complementary systems, and demonstrate how animals alter their movement to navigate changes in their energy landscape associated with increased drag.

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Swimming kinematics of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris): hydrodynamic analysis of an undulatory mammalian swimmer

Cited by 33 publications

References 49 publications

Flapping Tail Membrane in Bats Produces Potentially Important Thrust during Horizontal Takeoffs and Very Slow Flight

Flapping Tail Membrane in Bats Produces Potentially Important Thrust during Horizontal Takeoffs and Very Slow Flight

Swimming kinematics and efficiency of entangled North Atlantic right whales

Effects of added drag on cetaceans : fishing gear entanglement and external tag attachment

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