Meeting Abstract

P2.53  Saturday, Jan. 5  Hydrodynamic and kinematic turning performance of brief squid Lolliguncula brevis WIGTON, R/A*; BARTOL, I/K; Old Dominion University; Old Dominion University rachelwigton@gmail.com

Squid locomotion is complex and involves integration of a pulsed jet and paired fins. While fin and jet propulsion have been studied in squids during steady rectilinear swimming, little is known about how these systems are used during unsteady maneuvering, such as turning. Unsteady maneuvers are ecologically important for squids, playing roles in prey capture, predator avoidance, and navigation in complex habitats. To better understand turning performance capabilities in cephalopods, brief squid Lolliguncula brevis swimming in a viewing chamber and water tunnel were studied using high speed video and defocusing digital particle tracking velocimetry (DDPTV). Kinematic variables, such as swimming speed, center of rotation of turns, angular velocity, mantle angle, fin beat frequency, and funnel diameter and direction were recorded. Using DDPTV, 3D flows produced by the fins and jet during turns were also visualized and quantified. Complex fin oscillations, funnel positioning, and body orientation emerged as important factors driving tight and rapid turns, and fin flows were generally stronger than jet flows, though both the jet and fins played critical roles during maneuvering.