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Cited by 5Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanismsZebrafish Biomedical Research ApplicationsMicro and Nano Robotics

An Un-Momentous Start to Life: Can Hydrodynamics Explain Why Fish Larvae Change Swimming Style?

Open access
MÜLLER, Ulrike K, LEEUWEN, Johan L van, DUIN, Stephan van, LIU, Hao·2009·Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering
DOI 10.1299/jbse.4.37
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Abstract

In this study, we explore mechanical constraints on the swimming performance of zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio) that might explain why larvae switch from sustained swimming to the more efficient burst & coast as they grow. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain why young fish larvae perform poorly at burst & coast. First, their initial momentum might be low; second, their drag coefficient might be high. To test the two hypotheses, this study makes a quantitative comparison between experimental observations of swimming fish larvae and a CFD model of a self-propelled fish. The study focuses on larvae of the crucial age and size range in which zebrafish switch swimming style. Our studies show that hatchlings perform poorly not only because they cannot accelerate to a high initial coasting speed and hence do not gain enough initial momentum. But they also suffer higher decelerations while coasting due to a high drag coefficient. Overall, the fivefold difference in coasting distance between hatchlings and older larvae corresponds closely to a threefold difference in the time constant of the speed decay and a threefold difference in initial momentum. Our data also show that swimming speed does not decay exponentially, as predicted by the drag-speed relationship in the viscous flow regime, but hyperbolically, due to flow phenomena developing in the boundary layer during the coast.

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Cites

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  • Brain-scale imaging and causal manipulations via optogenetics in zebrafish are costly and technically challenging, especially during movement.

    “Although brain scale imaging (25, 60, 68) and causal manipulations (69) via optogenetics are possible in zebrafish, they are costly and technically challenging, particularly during movement (70).”

    From Artificial embodied circuits uncover neural architectures of vertebrate visuomotor behaviors (2025) · cites this paper as [60]

    The Kinematics recordings and Flow recordings sections (page unavailable) describe filming swimming larvae and measuring water flow, not brain-scale imaging or optogenetic manipulation. Searches for those methods and for technical challenges during movement found no passage assessing their cost or difficulty. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • simZFish and ZBot lack motor adaptation, such as adjusting speed to compensate for faster river flow, and are limited by their maximal swimming speed and bout frequency.

    “As simZFish and ZBot currently lack any ability for motor adaptation (60), such as adjusting their speed to compensate for faster river flow, they are limited by their maximal swimming speed and bout frequency.”

    From Artificial embodied circuits uncover neural architectures of vertebrate visuomotor behaviors (2025) · cites this paper as [60]

    The Abstract and Burst and coast behavior section examine swimming and coasting in living zebrafish larvae, while Two ways to maximize coast distance discusses physical limits on fish speed. Our copy does not address simZFish or ZBot, whether they can adapt their swimming to river flow, or limits on their bout frequency (searched: model names, motor adaptation, river flow, and bout frequency). (LLM, conf=0.78)

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [5]5. Lamb, H., Hydrodynamics, (1945), 6th edition, Dover Publications.
  2. [6]6. Fuiman, L.A. (2002). Special considerations of fish eggs and larvae. Fishery Science: The Unique Contributions of Early Life Stages, edited by L. A. Fuiman and R. G. Werner, pp.1-32, Blackwell.
  3. [13]13. Fuiman, L.A., Burst-swimming performance of larval zebra danios and the effects of diel temperature fluctuations, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society Vol. 115, No.11 (1986), pp.143-148.
  4. [21]21. Liu, H., Kato, N., A numerical study of unsteady hydrodynamics of a mechanical pectoral fin, Journal of Bionetic Engineering, Vol. 1, No.2 (2004), pp.108-120.

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Authors
MÜLLER, U. K., LEEUWEN, J. L. V., DUIN, S. V., & LIU, H.
Affiliations
  • California State University, Fresno (US)
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
  • Chiba University (JP)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering
Publisher
Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Published
2009
Volume
4
Issue
1
Pages
37-53
ISSN
1880-9863 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1299/jbse.4.37
OpenAlex
W2131281316
Cited by
5
References
20
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2017: 2
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18100002, 18656056)
  • Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Micro and Nano Robotics
Keywords
zebrafish larvae, swimming styles, sustained swimming, drag coefficient, boundary layer, viscous flow, hydrodynamics, computational fluid dynamics

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