Functional Morphology of Aquatic Locomotion in Labrid Fishes

小行星9407253 这个项目探讨了鱼类游泳的工程设计和进化。这项研究提出了两个一般性的问题：在骨骼，肌肉和肌腱方面，鱼类推进系统的工程设计是什么？在整个进化史中，鱼类身体的设计发生了什么样的变化？解决这些问题的方法是解剖学、视频分析、计算机建模和现代进化研究技术的结合。这种结合的方法将揭示鱼类两种运动系统的力学和历史：由尾巴进行的侧向运动和由成对鳍进行的划船推进模式。 本项目所研究的鱼类是唇鲷科鱼类，是世界海洋中种类最多的鱼类之一。Labrid鱼类使用多种运动策略，它们在使用基于阻力和基于升力的鳍运动方面有所不同。这项研究的一个中心目标是开发和测试鱼类游泳行为的力学（力和运动的传递）的计算机模型。计算机模型将 使用解剖学设计的数据来建立肌肉收缩和力传递到导致向前推力的鳍之间的几何关系。 这些预测进行了测试，通过测量游泳的活鱼，使用高速视频分析。 这项研究的意义在于，它将设计的水上运动，没有完整的机械理解存在的功能。鱼类游动的力学测试可以为生物工程应用提供实用信息。 Labridfish是热带珊瑚礁生物多样性的指示器，进一步了解它们的行为和功能将有助于我们对高多样性生态系统的了解。 这个项目将通过追踪运动力学的进化变化到labrid evolutio n的假设而达到高潮。 ***

9407253 Westneat This project explores the engineering design and evolution of swimming in fishes. This research asks two general questions: What is the engineering design of propulsion systems in fishes in terms of the skeleton, muscles, and tendons? And what patterns of change have occurred in the design of fishes' bodies throughout evolutionary history? The approach used to address these questions is a combination of anatomy, video analysis, computer modeling, and modern techniques of studying evolution. This combined approach will reveal the mechanics and history of two locomotor systems in fishes: side-to-side locomotion by the tail and the rowing mode of propulsion with the paired fins. The fishes to be studied in this project are fishes of the family Labridae, which are one of the most diverse species radiations in the oceans of the world. Labrid fishes use multiple locomotor strategies, and they vary in their use of drag-based and lift-based fin locomotion. A central goal of this research is to develop and test computer models of the mechanics (transmission of force and motion) of the swimming behavior of fishes. Computer models will use data on anatomical design to establish the geometric relations between muscle contractions and transmission of force to the fins that cause forward thrust. These prediction are tested by measuring swimming in live fishes using high-speed video analysis. The significance of this research is that it will design features of aquatic locomotion for which no complete mechanical understanding exists. Mechanical testing of fish swimming may provide practical information for application to bio-engineering. Labrid fishes are indicators of biodiversity on tropical coral reefs, and further understanding of their behavior and function will contribute to our knowledge of high diversity ecosystems. this project will culminate by tracing the evolutionary changes in locomotor mechanics onto hypotheses of labrid evolutio n. ***