Skip to content

SciTech

Fishy modelling

by Dave Armstrong 28 Mar 2012
Fishy modelling

Ever entered a race with barracuda. Now you can find out why not! - Barracuda Image via Shutterstock

Using muscle modelling and more standard hydrodynamics, it seems computers have caught up. If locomotion drove evolution in the same way as it seemed to drive the industrial revolution, ignoring the efficiency of an animal's metabolism, these models of marine animals could almost be the real thing.

The mackerel family, including tuna tend to be regarded as the fastest alive, but compare the dynamics of a dolphin or an orca, with those of the accelerative pike or the salmon jumping upstream. Lamprey and eel shapes seem to cause the modelling more difficulty than the original modeller, but the results are very impressive on tuna or rainbow trout, for example, as shown in mathematical detail in this extract!

Comparisons of shape and swimming characteristics between model predictions and representative fish and cetacean species. In each example, from optimal populations that cover the species' standard range, an organism is selected that best matches kinematic data and shape for that species are. Three-dimensional shapes of theoretically predicted organisms are depicted alongside photographs of real swimmers for qualitative comparison. The body shapes of each species are outlined neglecting the fins and the trailing profile of the tail (blue line) and quantitatively compared with the predicted shapes (red line)

Comparisons of shape and swimming characteristics between model predictions and representative fish and cetacean species. In each example, from optimal populations that cover the species' standard range, an organism is selected that best matches kinematic data and shape for that species are. Three-dimensional shapes of theoretically predicted organisms are depicted alongside photographs of real swimmers for qualitative comparison. The body shapes of each species are outlined neglecting the fins and the trailing profile of the tail (blue line) and quantitatively compared with the predicted shapes (red line).

It's really interesting to make these comparisons between real animals and their predicted shapes, in the fearsomely-fast tuna for example. It turns out exactly as predicted. Really hydrodynamic, as it has to be to catch all those other fish. So the morphology of a tuna has been adapted from its ancestors in specific and, now, measurable ways. Whether we can now design swimming vehicles is a point the authors make, but the impact of this study on extinct species' abilities could be useful in many different researches too.

The full research paper has been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences today.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me