A biomechanical paradox in fish: swimming and suction feeding produce orthogonal strain gradients in the axial musculature.

ABSTRACT: The axial musculature of fishes has historically been characterized as the powerhouse for explosive swimming behaviors. However, recent studies show that some fish also use their 'swimming' muscles to generate over 90% of the power for suction feeding. Can the axial musculature achieve high power output for these two mechanically distinct behaviors? Muscle power output is enhanced when all of the fibers within a muscle shorten at optimal velocity. Yet, axial locomotion produces a mediolateral gradient of muscle strain that should force some fibers to shorten too slowly and others too fast. This mechanical problem prompted research into the gearing of fish axial muscle and led to the discovery of helical fiber orientations that homogenize fiber velocities during swimming, but does such a st

SUBMITTER: Jimenez YE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8121803 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature