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MAR 370 > Morphology and Locomotion > Flashcards

Morphology and Locomotion Flashcards

1
Q

What are some ways that marine mammals are adapted to locomotion in water?

A
  • Flippers
  • Streamlined body shapes
  • No limbs
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2
Q

What are some challenges associated with locomotion in water?

A
  • Water is more dense than air
  • Water is more viscous than air
  • The forces of drag are greater in water than air
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3
Q

Define drag

A

The rate of removal of momentum from a moving body immersed in fluid

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4
Q

Describe the relationship between energy and drag

A

The energy required to swim is proportional to drag and velocity
More drag = more energy spent

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5
Q

What are the three types of drag that can be experienced in water?

A
  1. Viscous drag (skin friction)
  2. Pressure drag
  3. Wave drag
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6
Q

Boundary Layer

A

Thin layer of fluid whose velocity is affected by the body’s surface

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7
Q

Viscous Drag

A

Occurs due to friction of fluid within the boundary layer
Only occurs next to the body’s surface

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8
Q

Describe the relationship between surface area and speed in regards to viscous drag

A

The higher the surface area and the higher the speed, the more vicious drag will be produced
Smaller animals = higher viscous drag

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9
Q

What are some adaptations that can reduce viscous drag?

A
  • Smooth surfaces
  • Position and morphology of guard hairs (ex: pinnipeds, and sea otters)
    Guard hairs will flatten when wet to form a smooth surface
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10
Q

How does having a high turnover rate of epidermal cells decrease viscous drag in cetaceans?

A
  • Cetaceans shed their skin up to every 2 hrs
  • This allows them to maintain smooth clean skin thus reducing viscous drag
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11
Q

Define integument

A

A tough outer protective layer of an animal or plant
(ex: skin)

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12
Q

What are some functions of integument?

A
  • Thermoregulation
  • Reduction of drag
  • Buoyancy control (ex: blubber)
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13
Q

How can blubber help control the buoyancy of marine mammals?

A
  • Mammalian bodies = more dense than sea water
  • Blubber = less dense than water
  • Blubber is important in maintaining positive buoyancy
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14
Q

Describe how blubber in Right whales affected the development of ship alarms

A
  • Right whales have thick blubber which allows them to surface rapidly and sit right underneath the water (close to the surface) making them hard to see by ships
  • Ship collisions with Right whales lead to the development of ship alarms
  • It was though that the whales would hear the alarm and move out of the way
  • This did not work and was never implemented
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15
Q

Pressure Drag

A

Occurs due to the distribution of pressure around a body
When a fluid doesn’t adhere to an objects surface the resulting difference in pressure will oppose the objects motion

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16
Q

How does a streamlined body shape help reduce pressure drag?

A

Streamlined bodies create a lower pressure wake (flow is less separated) resulting in less drag

17
Q

How can blubber influence body streamlining

A

Blubber disposition can sculpt a streamlined body shape

18
Q

Describe the relationship between surface area and speed in regards to pressure drag

A

The higher the surface area and the higher the speed, the more pressure drag will be produced
Smaller animals = higher pressure drag

19
Q

What is the fitness ratio (FR) for streamlining?

A

Chord length (length of body) / Maximum thickness
Long and skinny organisms have a high FR, short and fat organisms have a low FR

20
Q

Why are the fitness ratios of marine mammals important?

A

Indicates how much work (energy) an organism must spend in order to swim efficiently
Fully aquatic mammals exhibit the most streamlining

21
Q

How do the forces of drag affect rorquals?

A

Lunge feeding is energetically costly due to the expansion of the buccal cavity (equivalent to opening a parachute under water) which increases drag

22
Q

How does lunge feeding affect rorquals diving capabilities?

A

Due to the high energetic costs of lunge feeding (increased drag) rorquals do not have an increased diving capacity in spite of their large size

23
Q

Describe how blubber can act as a biological spring?

A
  • Blubber in tail stock provides rigidity / stores tension allowing the organism to capture, store, and release kinetic energy
  • On the upstroke, kinetic energy is stored (think spring being compressed)
  • On the downstroke kinetic energy is released
24
Q

Wave Drag

A
  • Experienced in near surface water
  • Kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy in the form waves
  • Energy is used in producing waves rather than moving forward
25
Q

How can marine mammals easily reduce wave drag?

A

Swim deeper
Wave drag = negligible at deep depths

26
Q

Reynolds Number

A

Dimensionless number that describes the importance of drag in fluid flow

R = Body length X Swimming velocity / Water viscosity / Water density

27
Q

What is Reynolds Number primarily influenced by?

A

Size and velocity (varies within / between species)
Viscosity and density of water do not change much

28
Q

What form of drag is important for animals that have low Reynolds Numbers?

A

Skin friction

29
Q

What form of drag is important for animals that have high Reynolds Numbers?

A

Pressure Drag
Marine mammals have high Reynolds Numbers (the forces of pressure drag are important in terms of efficiency of movement)

30
Q

What are some ways that drag can be morphologically reduced?

A
  • Low surface area (large body size)
  • Smooth body surface
  • Smooth integument (loss of modification of hair)
  • Streamlining
31
Q

What behavioral adaptations are used to reduce drag?

A
  • Leaping or porpoising at the surface (drag is lower in air than in water)
  • Calf drafting
  • Wave / bow riding
  • Gliding while diving
32
Q

What is the mode of locomotion in Pinnipeds?

A

Appendicular musculoskeletal system (back and forth)

33
Q

What is the mode of locomotion in Otariids?

A

Forelimb propulsion

34
Q

What is the mode of locomotion in Phocids and Odobenids?

A

Lateral hindlimb propulsion

35
Q

What are the modes of locomotion in cetaceans and sirenians?

A
  • Axial musculoskeletal system
  • Alternating contraction of epaxial (upstroke) and hypaxial (downstroke) muscles
  • Thrust from flukes (on both up and down stroke)
    Generates lift
36
Q

Describe the connective tissue depth in cetaceans

A
  • Compact bodies due to connective tissue
  • Resist torsion and maintains body shape
  • Anchors muscles and tendons

MAR 370 (14 decks)

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