A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales
A central paradigm of aquatic locomotion is that cetaceans use fluke strokes to power their swimming while relying on lift and torque generated by the flippers to perform maneuvers such as rolls, pitch changes and turns [1]. Compared to other cetaceans, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have...
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ftcapeput:oai:digitalknowledge.cput.ac.za:11189/7161 2023-05-15T16:35:55+02:00 A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales Segre, Paolo S. Seakamela, S. Mduduzi Meyer, Michael A. Findlay, Ken P Goldbogen, Jeremy A. 2017 http://hdl.handle.net/11189/7161 https://doi.org/10.1016/j en eng Elsevier Current Biology 0960-9822 http://hdl.handle.net/11189/7161 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. cub.2017.05.063. Humpback whale Fipper-stroke Aquatic locomotion Article 2017 ftcapeput https://doi.org/10.1016/j 2021-11-19T12:41:17Z A central paradigm of aquatic locomotion is that cetaceans use fluke strokes to power their swimming while relying on lift and torque generated by the flippers to perform maneuvers such as rolls, pitch changes and turns [1]. Compared to other cetaceans, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have disproportionately large flippers with added structural features to aid in hydrodynamic performance [2,3]. Humpbacks use acrobatic lunging maneuvers to attack dense aggregations of krill or small fish, and their large flippers are thought to increase their maneuverability and thus their ability to capture prey. Immediately before opening their mouths, humpbacks will often rapidly move their flippers, and it has been hypothesized that this movement is used to corral prey [4,5] or to generate an upward pitching moment to counteract the torque caused by rapid water engulfment [6]. Here, we demonstrate an additional function for the rapid flipper movement during lunge feeding: the flippers are flapped using a complex, hydrodynamically active stroke to generate lift and increase propulsive thrust. We estimate that humpback flipper-strokes are capable of producing large forward oriented forces, which may be used to enhance lunge feeding performance. This behavior is the first observation of a lift-generating flipper-stroke for propulsion cetaceans and provides an additional function for the uniquely shaped humpback whale flipper. Article in Journal/Newspaper Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT): Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Institutional Repository Corral ENVELOPE(-62.950,-62.950,-64.900,-64.900) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT): Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Institutional Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftcapeput |
language |
English |
topic |
Humpback whale Fipper-stroke Aquatic locomotion |
spellingShingle |
Humpback whale Fipper-stroke Aquatic locomotion Segre, Paolo S. Seakamela, S. Mduduzi Meyer, Michael A. Findlay, Ken P Goldbogen, Jeremy A. A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
topic_facet |
Humpback whale Fipper-stroke Aquatic locomotion |
description |
A central paradigm of aquatic locomotion is that cetaceans use fluke strokes to power their swimming while relying on lift and torque generated by the flippers to perform maneuvers such as rolls, pitch changes and turns [1]. Compared to other cetaceans, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have disproportionately large flippers with added structural features to aid in hydrodynamic performance [2,3]. Humpbacks use acrobatic lunging maneuvers to attack dense aggregations of krill or small fish, and their large flippers are thought to increase their maneuverability and thus their ability to capture prey. Immediately before opening their mouths, humpbacks will often rapidly move their flippers, and it has been hypothesized that this movement is used to corral prey [4,5] or to generate an upward pitching moment to counteract the torque caused by rapid water engulfment [6]. Here, we demonstrate an additional function for the rapid flipper movement during lunge feeding: the flippers are flapped using a complex, hydrodynamically active stroke to generate lift and increase propulsive thrust. We estimate that humpback flipper-strokes are capable of producing large forward oriented forces, which may be used to enhance lunge feeding performance. This behavior is the first observation of a lift-generating flipper-stroke for propulsion cetaceans and provides an additional function for the uniquely shaped humpback whale flipper. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Segre, Paolo S. Seakamela, S. Mduduzi Meyer, Michael A. Findlay, Ken P Goldbogen, Jeremy A. |
author_facet |
Segre, Paolo S. Seakamela, S. Mduduzi Meyer, Michael A. Findlay, Ken P Goldbogen, Jeremy A. |
author_sort |
Segre, Paolo S. |
title |
A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
title_short |
A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
title_full |
A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
title_fullStr |
A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
A hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
title_sort |
hydrodynamically active flipper-stroke in humpback whales |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11189/7161 https://doi.org/10.1016/j |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-62.950,-62.950,-64.900,-64.900) |
geographic |
Corral |
geographic_facet |
Corral |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_relation |
Current Biology 0960-9822 http://hdl.handle.net/11189/7161 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. cub.2017.05.063. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j |
_version_ |
1766026234366525440 |