Escape response kinematics in two species of tropical shark: short escape latencies and high turning performance.

ABSTRACT: Accelerative manoeuvres, such as fast-starts, are crucial for fish to avoid predation. Escape responses are fast-starts that include fundamental survival traits for prey that experience high predation pressure. However, no previous study has assessed escape performance in neonate tropical sharks. We quantitatively evaluated vulnerability traits of neonate tropical sharks by testing predictions on their fast-start escape performance. We predicted (1) high manoeuvrability, given their high flexibility, but (2) low propulsive locomotion owing to the drag costs associated with pectoral fin extension during escape responses. Further, based on previous work on dogfish, Squalus suckleyi, we predicted (3) long reaction times (as latencies longer than teleosts, >20 ms). We used two-dimensional, hig

SUBMITTER: Trujillo JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9845744 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature