Turning Mechanics During Swimming by Oblate Hydromedusae
Jack Costello, Providence College, Biology, Providence, RI, United States, Sean Colin, Roger Williams University, Marine Biology and Environmental Science, Bristol, RI, United States, Kelly Sutherland, University of Oregon, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Eugene, OR, United States and Brad Gemmell, University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, Tampa, FL, United States
Abstract:
Maneuverability is critical to the success of many species. Selective forces acting over millions of years have resulted in a range of capabilities currently unmatched by machines. Thus, understanding animal control of fluids for maneuvering has both biological and engineering applications. Medusae are radially symmetrical swimmers that must use asymmetric body motions to change direction during turning maneuvers. But what types of asymmetric motions are useful and how do they interact with surrounding fluids to generate rotational forces? We used high speed digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) to investigate comparative swimming patterns of three hydromedusan species (Aequorea victoria, Clytia gregaria and Mitrocoma cellularia). We provide evidence for consistent animal-fluid interactions that underlie turning mechanics of oblate hydromedusae and provide new insights into the modulation and control of vorticity for low-speed animal maneuvering.
