SGER: Systematics and Function: Exploratory Research on Locomotion in Ray-finned Fishes

进化研究经常得出结论， 生物已经获得了“适应性”--新的形态学， 行为，生态或生殖特征，赋予一些 有利于个体生物。 这些研究很少 通过直接测量确认实际优势。 一个示例 是对称的（“homocercal”）鱼尾的进化， 不对称（“异尾”）前体。 结论是 同尾尾形的尾巴赋予了更高的速度， 机动性和更快的加速度。 乔治兰黛医生 建议使用新开发的微加速度计，安装在 鱼的尾巴在流动池中游泳，以收集性能 数据来检验这一结论。 加速度计数据采集 将与兰黛博士的高速视频成像相配合 和肌电图（肌肉活动）监测系统。 的 第一个性能数据将出现homocercal和 异尾鱼类。 这项拟议中的研究本身就有风险， 将新传感器应用于生物学问题。 广泛 将需要开发软件来耦合这三个数据 溪流 如果这个探索性研究项目的小额赠款是 如果成功，生物学家将获得一个强大的新的 评估功能能力的技术，以及 鱼类进化中重要问题将得到解决。

Evolutionary studies often conclude that lineages of organisms have acquired "adaptations" -- novel morphological, behavioral, ecological, or reproductive features that confer some advantage to individual organisms. Very rarely do these studies confirm the actual advantage by direct measurement. One example is the evolution of the symmetrical ("homocercal") fish tail from asymmetric ("heterocercal") precursors. The conclusion has been that the homocercal tail conferred higher speed, greater maneuverability, and faster acceleration. Dr. George Lauder proposes to use newly developed micro-accelerometers, mounted on the tails of fish swimming in flow tanks, to gather performance data to test this conclusion. The accelerometer data gathering will be coordinated with Dr. Lauder's high-speed video imaging and electromyography (muscle activity) monitoring systems. The first performance data will emerge for homocercal and heterocercal fishes. The proposed research is inherently risky, being the first application of new sensors to a biological problem. Extensive software development will be necessary to couple the three data streams. If this Small Grant for Exploratory Research Project is successful, biologists will have acquired a powerful new technique for assessing functional capabilities, and a significant question in fish evolution will have been addressed.