FIS2014

FISH BIOLOGY

LECTURE 3a
FISH LOCOMOTION
AND BEHAVIOUR
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

Eat Mating Attack

Migrate Defend
Purpose of
Movement
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

2 types of fish movement

Passive movement

Active movement
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

2 types of fish movement

Passive Movement

Movement due to water current, hitch-hike or

transferred by human

Example : pelagic fish eggs or fish larvae that are

carried by water current
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

2 types of fish movement

Passive Movement
Passive movement by hitch-hike (getting a lift) on other
organism
Example. : suckerfish (Echinidae)

Human activities (transferred due to culturing

(aquaculture) and capturing)
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

2 types of fish movement

Passive Movement
Fish larvae or juveniles that are carried by their parents

Example : Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.), snakehead (Channa

striata), Arowana (Scleropages formosus)
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

2 types of fish movement

Active movement

Main movement in fish

Involve coordination in movement of body and fins

Fish Locomotion : Introduction

Fish Locomotion
Fish swims through series of body movement that
generate series of muscle contraction and relaxation from
head to tail.
This series of movement between left and right muscle
Such movement generate wave undulation on the fish
body
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

Fish Locomotion

When body wave move from

head to tail, swimming motion is
either to the front or back.

Most thrust are produced from

movement of the caudal fin

These movements are also

produced from movement of
median and paired fins
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

Body Shape and Locomotion

Body shape – is a result from interaction of skeletal system,
muscle mass and adaptation of both systems.

Fusiform is the most suitable shape adapted for movement in

water body

Fusiform shape is mostly represented by fast swimming pelagic

fishes (example : tuna and mackerel).
Other body shape such as compress, depress and elongated are
adapted to calm waters and dense vegetation
Other than body shape, fish are covered by mucus to reduce
friction and viscosity
Fish Locomotion : Introduction

Fins and Locomotion

Basic function of fins in fish movement

Median fins + keel : maintain vertical position

Pectoral and pelvic fins : controlling upward,

downward, reverse, turn and stop
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

There are 10 types of swimming method that are based

on 2 main parts :

1) Body movement
Swimming type : Anguilliform, Carangiform,
Subcarangiform

2) Fin movement
Swimming type : Ostraciform, Rajiform,
Amiiform, Gymnotiform,
Balistiform, Labriform, Tetraodontiform
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Fin Movement

Body Movement

Oscillation Undulation
Body and Tail (kayuhan) (alunan)
(Anguilliform)
Pectoral Fin Pectoral Fin
(Labriform) (Rajiform)

Body or Tail Dorsal and Anal Fin

(Carangiform) Dorsal and Anal Fin (Balistiform)
(Tetraodontiform)
(Subcarangiform) Dorsal Fin
(Amiiform)
Caudal Fin
(Ostraciform) Anal Fin
(Gymnotiform)
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

-using the body plane through undulations; 1 or more

wavelengths per body length (eel, lamprey, turbot)
Found on fish that have long and flexible body

Lateral wave is produced from overall body

movement

Also use by fish having short body when swim slowly

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Undulation of the body with less than 1/2 wavelength

Involve body thrust which produces small waves

Fish generally have long forked caudal fin

Comprise of fish with thunniform / fusiform body shape

– low resistance
– found in fast swimming fishes

Example : Scombridae (Mackerels)

Carangidae (Jacks, Trevallies)
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Movement between 1/2 and 1 wavelength per body

length

Undulation of the body with less than 1 wave length

Example : Salmon (Salmo trutta) and Carp (Cyprinus

carpio)
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Thrusting of long pectoral fins in an “oaring motion”

Oscillation of the pectoral fin

Found in Wrasse (Labroides sp.)

There are 2 types of oscillation :

Rowing

Flapping

Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Simultaneous oscillation of dorsal and anal fins

Involve oscillation of dorsal and anal fin

Found in Sunfish (Mola mola)

Flat and compress body

Dorsal and anal fin are at the same position

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Sculling motion of the isocercal caudal fin

Use of caudal fin to generate movement

Flexibility of the body only occurs at caudal peduncle

Unable to generate speed

Example : Ostraciidae (Boxfish)

Diodontidae
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Horizontal undulations of large pectoral fins

Found in rays, skates and mantas

Involves 2 types of movement :

Vertical undulation along the pectoral fin

Vertical Flapping undulation of the pectoral fin

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Simultaneous vertical or horizontal undulations of dorsal

and anal fins
Involves undulation of the dorsal and anal fin

Found in Trigger fish and Halibut

Body is flat and compress

Generally dorsal and anal fin are at the same posiiton

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

Vertical undulations of the dorsal fin

Involves vertical undulation along the dorsal fin

Found in Sea Horse, Bowfin and Pipefish

In sea horse and Pipefish, the body is position

vertically

Pipefish Bowfin (Amia calva) Sea Horse

Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type

-undulations of anal fin

Involves undulation along the anal fin

Mostly found in fish without dorsal fin

Example : Knife fish/Belida (Notopterus sp.) and ghost

fish (Gymnotus sp.)
Fish Locomotion : Swimming Type
Fish Locomotion : Non Swimming Movement

Non Swimming Movement

Burrow – Digging and hiding the

body in the sand bottom. Example
(Flatfish, rays)

Crawl (Merangkak) – Combination of body and fin

action to assist movement. Example : eel
Fish Locomotion : Non Swimming
Movement
Non Swimming Movement

Leap (Melompat) – Leaping out of the

water body
– playing, capturing prey, escaping
(arowana, sword fish)

Soar (Melayang) – soaring out of the water

body. Example : Flying fish
Fish Locomotion : Non Swimming Movement

Non Swimming Movement

Propel – Quick movement after rest position

Contraction of gill chamber (kebuk insang)
(Example: flatfish/flounder)

Walking on sea bottom

 FISH BEHAVIOUR
◼ Fish grouping ◼ Reasons for grouping
◼ Solitary ◼ Travelling
◼ Shoal ◼ Feeding

◼ School ◼ Dealing with predators

◼ Pod ◼ Reproduction
 FISH BEHAVIOUR
◼ Shoal
◼ Group of fishes that remains
together for social reasons
◼ Benefits:
◼ gives a predator many moving
targets,
◼ increase food finding ability,
◼ keeps potential mates in close
proximity
◼ School
◼ A polarized, synchronized shoal
(coordinated movement)
◼ Benefits :
◼ hydrodynamic efficiency
◼ reduced predation risk
◼ feeding
◼ reproduction
 FISH BEHAVIOUR
◼ Pods
◼ Tightly grouped school
◼ Move as a single unit
◼ Appear as one large organism – protection from predators
◼ E.g. whales, dolphins
 FISH BEHAVIOUR
◼ Resting
◼ Inactive state
◼ Rest near the substrate
◼ Specified time of the day
◼ Parental styles
◼ Maternal behaviour – mothers
◼ Paternal behaviour – fathers
◼ Pipefish, seahorse, stickleback
◼ Biparental – both parents

◼ Active
◼ Aggressive
◼ biting
◼ Ritual
◼ colour changes
◼ flaring gill covers