Meeting Abstract
A fish predator’s survival depends on the ability to chase down prey. Many fish predators move in discrete, burst-and-coast bouts of activity. To understand the biomechanics of active pursuit with intermittent swimming, we conducted predation experiments in zebrafish. Zebrafish accelerated and turned toward their prey during each tail beat. The amount of turning could be predicted by the bearing angle at the end of the previous coast phase and was correlated with the lateral excursion of the tail fin. To investigate the mechanisms of directional control, we developed a biomechanical model that simulates active pursuit. Further, we quantified the forces generated by free swimming fish executing turning maneuvers using a novel particle image velocimetry and motion tracking method. This work provides insight into the biomechanics of active pursuit of a broad diversity of aquatic predators.
