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The swimming endurance of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., from the Afon Rheidol, Wales
Author(s) -
Whoriskey F. G.,
Wootton R. J.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1987.tb05757.x
Subject(s) - gasterosteus , fish fin , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , stickleback , flume , fishery , zoology , anatomy , geometry , flow (mathematics) , mathematics
The endurance of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus , swimming with pectoral fin locomotion at 20° C in a laboratory flume was measured. Each trial lasted a maximum of 480 min. At a speed of 4 body lengths per sec (L s −1 ) all fish were still swimming at the end of the trial, but endurance decreased at higher speeds. At speeds of 5 or 6 L s −1 (20–30 cm s −1 ) a few fish still maintained labriform locomotion for the 480 min. However, at a speed of 7 L s −1 all fish furled their pectoral fins and used body and caudal fin propulsion but fatigued rapidly. During sustained swimming, fish could cover distances of 6 km or more. No significant differences between males and females were found.