Optimal swimming strategies and behavioral plasticity of oceanic whitetip sharks.

ABSTRACT: Animal behavior should optimize the difference between the energy they gain from prey and the energy they spend searching for prey. This is all the more critical for predators occupying the pelagic environment, as prey is sparse and patchily distributed. We theoretically derive two canonical swimming strategies for pelagic predators, that maximize their energy surplus while foraging. They predict that while searching, a pelagic predator should maintain small dive angles, swim at speeds near those that minimize the cost of transport, and maintain constant speed throughout the dive. Using biologging sensors, we show that oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) behavior matches these predictions. We estimate that daily energy requirements of an adult shark can be met by consuming app

SUBMITTER: Papastamatiou YP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5765167 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature