Muscle Power Output Limits Fast-Start Performance in Fish

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201.10.1505
• Publication Date: 2021-04-25T04:21:57Z
• Authors: James M. Wakeling; Ian A. Johnston
• Keywords: Sonomicrometry

ABSTRACT Fast-starts associated with escape responses were filmed at the median habitat temperatures of six teleost fish: Notothenia coriiceps and rossii (Antarctica), Myoxocephalus scorpius (North Sea), Scorpaena notata Serranus cabrilla (Mediterranean) Paracirrhites forsteri (Indo-West-Pacific Ocean). Methods are presented for estimating spine positions silhouettes swimming fish. These methods used to validate techniques calculating kinematics muscle dynamics during fast-starts. The starts from all species show common patterns, waves body curvature travelling head tail increasing in amplitude. Cross-validation sonomicrometry studies allowed gearing ratios between red white be calculated. Gearing must decrease towards a corresponding change geometry, resulting similar fibre strains myotomes start. A work-loop technique was measure mean power output strain shortening durations those found vivo. fast Sc. myotomal fibres produced muscle-mass-specific 142.7 W kg−1 20 °C. Velocity, acceleration hydrodynamic increased both rate wave temperature. At temperatures, predicted outputs, as calculated sequences, outputs measured experiments.