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Jumping archer fish exhibit multiple modes of fin-fin interaction
Leah Mendelson1,2, Alexandra H Techet1
1Experimental Hydrodynamics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States of America.
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
|September 11, 2020
Summary
Archer fish use complex fin movements for high-speed aquatic jumps to catch prey. Their fin interactions generate consistent propulsive forces, enabling successful hunting in challenging environments.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Animal Locomotion
Background:
- Aquatic organisms hunting aerial prey need efficient propulsion and precise control.
- Archer fish are known for their ability to jump out of water to capture insects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fin kinematics and hydrodynamics of archer fish during jumping.
- To understand how archer fish achieve high-performance propulsion for aerial prey capture.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3D synthetic aperture particle image velocimetry (PIV).
- Performed time-resolved volumetric measurements of fish wakes.
- Analyzed fin-body kinematics and vortex dynamics.
Main Results:
- Identified multiple modes of interaction between anal and caudal fins during jumps.
- Detailed visualization of hydrodynamics associated with each fin interaction mode.
- Established a consistent relationship between cumulative vortex impulse and fish ballistic momentum.
Conclusions:
- Archer fish fin interactions compensate for kinematic variations and aiming postures.
- Interactions between tailbeats and other fins are crucial for prey capture in constrained environments.
- Archer fish demonstrate how multiple hydrodynamic benefits can arise from a single set of actuators for bioinspired propulsion.
