Meeting Abstract
The head of Sphyrnid sharks has an exaggerated cephalofoil, which likely influences their swimming kinematics compared to other closely related shark species. Previous researchers hypothesized that the cephalophoil may act as a stabilizer during turning to maintain the shark’s position parallel to the substrate. Sphyrnid sharks have also been shown to be highly maneuverable and more flexible when compared to other shark species. Here we explore the body flexibility and body curvature of Sphyrna lewini (scalloped hammerhead) during swimming. We obtained video of juvenile Sphyrna lewini swimming from dorsal and lateral views. We assigned 14 anatomical landmarks on the shark and tracked the movement of each during swimming. Anatomical landmarks included points on the cephalofoil, pectoral fins, caudal fin, and along the body midline. The movements of these points were correlated with swimming performance variables such as velocity, tail beat frequency, and tail beat amplitude. We also examined variables such as head yaw and body curvature along the length of the body.
