Journal
MARINE BIOLOGY
Volume 160, Issue 3, Pages 677-689Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s00227-012-2123-2
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Australian Research Council
- Australian National University
- Anjeli Nathan Memorial Scholarship
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Flexible traits can be crucial in helping animals meet the challenges of a highly variable environment. We examined whether coral reef fishes systematically alter their swimming behaviour in response to temporal changes in hydrodynamic conditions. Exploiting site-based differences in wave energy impinging on reef habitats over calm and rough weather, we found many reef fishes changed their swimming behaviour alongside increases in wave-driven water motion. Most fishes tended to orient their bodies parallel to oncoming wave-driven flow and recruited additional stabilising fins during rough weather; such changes in swimming behaviour aid stability and minimise drag. However, not all species displayed such flexibility, with fishes possessing highly tapered pectoral fins and high levels of swimming performance continuing to successfully navigate reef habitats without significantly altering their swimming behaviour. We highlight how labile behaviours augment the morphology and performance of species to underpin their occupation of habitats subject to variable environmental conditions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available