Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:48:00.297Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Orientation of Tail-Flip Escape Swimming in Decapod and Mysid Crustaceans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Douglas M. Neil
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, PO Box 3, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4AD
Alan D. Ansell
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, PO Box 3, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4AD

Extract

The orientation of tail-flip escape swimming in a range of adult decapod and mysid crustaceans is reviewed. In mechanical terms, tail-flip swimming constitutes unsteady locomotion in which a single ‘appendage’, the abdomen, produces thrust by a combination of a rowing action and a final ‘squeeze’ force when the abdomen presses against the cephalothorax. In small crustaceans, a symmetrical ‘jack-knife’ tail-flip is more typical. Tail-flip flexion is controlled by two giant-fibre pathways, and also by a non-giant-neuronal network. The direction of thrust in the sagittal plane, and hence the elevation, translation and rotation of the tail-flip are dependent upon the point of stimulation and on the giant-fibre pathway activated. The laterality of the stimulus also affects the orientation of swimming, which is directed away from the point of stimulation. In large decapods such as the lobsters Nephrops norvegicus and Jasus lalandii steering is produced by asym-metrical movements of various abdominal appendages, and by rotation of the abdomen about the cephalothorax. In slipper lobsters the flattened antennae provide steering surfaces. In smaller decapods, such as the brown shrimp Crangon crangon, and in mysids, such as Praunus flexuosus, steering is effected by a rapid rotation of the whole body about its longitudinal axis during the initial stages of tail-flip flexion. The effectiveness of tail-flip swimming is considered in the context of predator-prey interactions under natural conditions and in relation to artificial threats from fishing gear.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ansell, A.D. & Neil, D.M., 1991. Analysis of escape swimming in the mysid Praunus flexuosus by using high-speed video recording. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 71, 731.Google Scholar
Arnott, S.A., Ansell, A.D. & Neil, D.M., 1994. Escape behaviour of the brown shrimp, Crangon crangon, in response to predation by juvenile cod. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 74,724. [Abstract.]Google Scholar
Bullock, T.H., 1984. Comparative neuroethology of startle, rapid escape and giant-fibre mediated responses. In Neural mechanisms of startle behaviour (ed. R.C., Eaton), pp. 113. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Cattaert, D., Clarac, F. & Neil, D.M., 1988. Anatomical and physiological organization of the swimmeret system of the spiny lobster Jasus lalandii as adaptive components of the tail flick. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 162A, 187200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooke, I.R.C. & Macmillan, D.L., 1985. Further studies of crayfish escape behaviour. I. The role of the appendages and the stereotyped nature of non-giant escape swimming. Journal of Experi-mental Biology, 118,351365.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cromarty, S.I., Cobb, J.S. & Kass-Simon, G., 1991. Behavioural analysis of the escape response in the juvenile lobster Homarus americanus over the molt cycle. Journal of Experimental Biology, 158,565581.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daniel, T.L., Jordan, C. & Grunbaum, D., 1992. Hydromechanics of swimming. In Advances in comparative and environmental physiology vol. 11 (ed. R.McN., Alexander), pp. 1849. Berlin: Springer Verlag.Google Scholar
Daniel, T.L. & Meyhofer, E., 1989. Size limits in escape locomotion of carridean shrimp. Journal of Experimental Biology, 143, 245265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, D.H. & Mulloney, B., 1987. Synaptic integration in excitatory and inhibitory crayfish motoneurones. Journal of Neurophysiology, 57,14251445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellington, C.P., 1984. The aerodynamics of hovering insect flight. VA vortex theory. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 305, 115144.Google Scholar
Hart, P.J.B. & Hamrin, S., 1990. The role of behaviour and morphology in the selection of prey by pike. In Behavioural mechanisms of food selection (ed. R.N., Hughes), pp. 235254. Berlin: Springer Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heitler, W.J. & Fraser, K., 1989. Thoracic output of crayfish giant fibres. I. Pereiopod promotor motor neurones. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 166A, 117124.Google Scholar
Hessler, R.R., 1983. A defence of the caridoid facies: wherein the early evolution of the eumalacostraca is discussed. In Crustacean phylogeny (ed. F.R., Schram), pp. 145164. Rotterdam: A.A. Balkema.Google Scholar
Jacklyn, P.M. & Ritz, D.A., 1986. Hydrodynamics of swimming in scyllarid lobsters. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 101, 8599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaiser, M.J., Gibson, R.N. & Hughes, R.N., 1992. The effect of prey type on the predatory behaviour of the fifteen-spined stickleback, Spinachia spinachia (L.)Animal Behaviour, 43,147156.Google Scholar
Kils, U., 1982. The swimming behaviour, swimming performance and energy balance of the Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba. Biomass Scientific Series, 3,1121.Google Scholar
Kislalioglu, M. & Gibson, R.N., 1975. Field and laboratory observations on prey-size selection in Spinachia spinachia (L.). Proceedings of the European Marine Biology Symposium, 9, 2941.Google Scholar
Krasne, F.B. & Wine, J.J., 1988. Evasion responses of the crayfish. In Aims and methods in neuroethology (ed. D.M., Guthrie), pp. 1045. Manchester University Press.Google Scholar
Kupfermann, I. & Weiss, K.R., 1978. The command neuron concept. Behaviour and Brain Research, 1,339.Google Scholar
Main, J. & Sangster, G.I., 1982. A study of separating fish from Nephrops norvegicus L. in a bottom trawl. Scottish Fisheries Research Report, 24,18.Google Scholar
Main, J. & Sangster, G.I., 1985. The behaviour of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L). during trawling. Scottish Fisheries Research Report, 34, 123.Google Scholar
Neil, D.M., 1985. Multisensory interactions in the crustacean equilibrium system. In Feedback and motor control in invertebrates and vertebrates (ed. W.J.P., Barnes and M., Gladden), pp. 277298. London: Croom Helm.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neil, D.M., 1993. Sensory guidance of equilibrium reactions in crustacean posture and locomotion. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 104A, 633646.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L., Cattaert, D., Neil, D.M. & Clarac, F., 1992 a. Steering reactions as adaptive components of the tail-flip in the spiny lobster Jasus lalandii. Journal of Experimental Biology, 164,261282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L. & Chapman, C.J., 1989. The swimming and orientation behaviour of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L.) in relation to trawling. Fisheries Research, 8,6380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L., Chapman, C.J. & Neil, D.M., 1988 a. Swimming performance and endurance of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. Marine Biology, 98,345350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L. & Neil, D.M., 1987. Statocyst control of uropod righting reactions in different planes of body tilt in the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. Journal of Experimental Biology, 131,301321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L. & Neil, D.M., 1990 a. The tail flip of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. I. Giant fibre activation in relation to swimming trajectories, journal of Comparative Physiology, 166A, 517527.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L. & Neil, D.M., 1990 b. The tail flip of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. II. Dynamic righting reactions induced by body tilt. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 166 A, 529536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L., Neil, D.M. & Chapman, C.J., 1988 b. The reactions of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L), to water currents. Marine Behaviour and Physiology, 13, 301313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newland, P.L., Neil, D.M. & Chapman, C.J., 1992 b. Escape swimming in the Norway lobster. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 12, 342353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'dor, R.K., 1988. The forces acting on swimming squid. Journal of Experimental Biology, 137, 421442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, D.H., 1990. Neural phylogeny - its use in studying neural circuits. In Frontiers of crustacean neurobiology (ed. K., Wiese et al.), pp. 537546. Basel: Birkhauser Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reichert, H. & Wine, J.J., 1983. Co-ordination of lateral giant and non-giant systems in crayfish escape behavior. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 153 A, 315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritz, D. A. & Jacklyn, P.M., 1985. Believe it or not - bugs fly through water. Australian Fisheries, 44, 3537.Google Scholar
Smith, K., 1993. A study of the escape behaviour of the brown shrimp, Crangon crangon (L.). MSc thesis, University of Glasgow.Google Scholar
Spanier, E., Weihs, D. & Almog-Shtayer, G., 1991. Swimming of the Mediterranean slipper lobster. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 145, 1531.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, P.W., 1979. Mechanics of escape responses in crayfish (Orconectes virilis). Journal of Experi-mental Biology, 79,245263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weihs, D. & Webb, P.W., 1984. Optimal avoidance and evasion tactics in predator-prey interactions. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 106, 189206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiersma, C.A.G., 1947. Giant nerve fiber system of the crayfish. A contribution to the comparative physiology of the synapse. Journal of Neurophysiology, 10, 2338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wine, J.J., 1984. The structural basis of an innate behaviour pattern. Journal of Experimental Biology, 112,283319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wine, J.J. & Krasne, F.B., 1982. The cellular organisation of crayfish escape behaviour. In The biology of Crustacea, vol. 4. Neural integration and behaviour (ed. D.C., Sandeman and H.L., Atwood), pp. 241292. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar