Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Osmoregulation in Fishes02:32

Osmoregulation in Fishes

51.2K
When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?
51.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinguishing Fractures in Posterior Distal Tibia and Ankle: A Review of Posterior Malleolar, Pilon, and Pilon-Variant Definitions and Treatments.

JBJS reviews·2025
Same author

Electrostatics facilitate midair host attachment in parasitic jumping nematodes.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Ultrafast elastocapillary fans control agile maneuvering in ripple bugs and robots.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

Flamingos use their L-shaped beak and morphing feet to induce vortical traps for prey capture.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Reversible kink instability drives ultrafast jumping in nematodes and soft robots.

Science robotics·2025
Same author

Acute Ankle Diastasis Injuries Treated with Dynamic, Static Fixation or Anatomic Repair: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Comparison Studies.

JBJS reviews·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Flapping Soft Fin Deformation Modeling using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging
06:20

Flapping Soft Fin Deformation Modeling using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: April 28, 2022

2.3K

Knifefish turning control and hydrodynamics during forward swimming.

Olivia H Hawkins1,2, Víctor M Ortega-Jiménez3, Christopher P Sanford4

  • 1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA.

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|February 26, 2022
PubMed
Summary

The black ghost knifefish uses its unique ribbon fin for rapid, controlled turns by adjusting fin wave speed and frequency. This study reveals how unusual fish morphologies achieve complex maneuvering behaviors.

Keywords:
Fish locomotionManeuverabilityRibbon finSwimming control

More Related Videos

A Robotic Platform to Study the Foreflipper of the California Sea Lion
08:53

A Robotic Platform to Study the Foreflipper of the California Sea Lion

Published on: January 10, 2017

8.1K
Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
10:50

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

Published on: November 8, 2018

11.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Flapping Soft Fin Deformation Modeling using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging
06:20

Flapping Soft Fin Deformation Modeling using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: April 28, 2022

2.3K
A Robotic Platform to Study the Foreflipper of the California Sea Lion
08:53

A Robotic Platform to Study the Foreflipper of the California Sea Lion

Published on: January 10, 2017

8.1K
Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
10:50

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

Published on: November 8, 2018

11.0K

Area of Science:

  • * Biomechanics
  • * Ichthyology
  • * Fluid Dynamics

Background:

  • * Fish maneuvering is crucial for survival and navigation, but less is known about species with atypical body shapes.
  • * Knifefishes, like the black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons), possess an elongated ribbon fin, differing from typical fish morphologies.
  • * Understanding how these unique fins facilitate rapid, controlled turns is essential for comprehending fish locomotion in diverse environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the turning performance and hydrodynamics of the black ghost knifefish.
  • * To determine the role of the ribbon fin in enabling rapid and controlled turning maneuvers.
  • * To compare turning behaviors in steady and turbulent flow conditions.

Main Methods:

  • * Filming six black ghost knifefishes (Apteronotus albifrons) swimming at approximately two body lengths per second.
  • * Utilizing 3D kinematic analysis to study body and fin movements during steady swimming and turning.
  • * Employing digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) to analyze fluid dynamics and vortex generation around the ribbon fin.

Main Results:

  • * Knifefish turning involved low pitch angles, high yaw angles, and significant body bending, with ribbon fin modulation (wavelength, frequency, wave speed) increasing during larger turns.
  • * Pectoral fin use showed low asynchrony during turning.
  • * Digital particle image velocimetry revealed larger, counter-rotating vortex pairs generated by the ribbon fin during turning compared to steady swimming.

Conclusions:

  • * The ribbon fin is pivotal for the black ghost knifefish's ability to execute rapid, controlled turns.
  • * Modulation of the ribbon fin's wavelength, frequency, and wave speed allows for precise maneuvering.
  • * This study elucidates the biomechanical principles underlying turning in fish with unconventional morphologies.