Convergent evolution in locomotory patterns of flying and swimming animals

A.C. Gleiss; S.J. Jorgensen; N. Liebsch; J.E. Sala; B. Norman; G.C. Hays; F. Quintana; E. Grundy; C. Campagna; A.W. Trites; B.A. Block; R.P. Wilson

doi:10.1038/ncomms1350

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Convergent evolution in locomotory patterns of flying and swimming animals

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Convergent evolution in locomotory patterns of flying and swimming animals

A.C. Gleiss, S.J. Jorgensen, N. Liebsch, J.E. Sala, B. Norman, G.C. Hays, F. Quintana, E. Grundy, C. Campagna, A.W. Trites, …

Nature Communications, Vol.2(1)

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1350

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Abstract

Locomotion is one of the major energetic costs faced by animals and various strategies have evolved to reduce its cost. Birds use interspersed periods of flapping and gliding to reduce the mechanical requirements of level flight while undergoing cyclical changes in flight altitude, known as undulating flight. Here we equipped free-ranging marine vertebrates with accelerometers and demonstrate that gait patterns resembling undulating flight occur in four marine vertebrate species comprising sharks and pinnipeds. Both sharks and pinnipeds display intermittent gliding interspersed with powered locomotion. We suggest, that the convergent use of similar gait patterns by distinct groups of animals points to universal physical and physiological principles that operate beyond taxonomic limits and shape common solutions to increase energetic efficiency. Energetically expensive large-scale migrations performed by many vertebrates provide common selection pressure for efficient locomotion, with potential for the convergence of locomotory strategies by a wide variety of species.

Details

Title: Convergent evolution in locomotory patterns of flying and swimming animals
Authors/Creators: A.C. Gleiss (Author/Creator) - Swansea University
S.J. Jorgensen (Author/Creator) - Stanford University
N. Liebsch (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
J.E. Sala (Author/Creator) - Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico
B. Norman (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
G.C. Hays (Author/Creator) - Swansea University
F. Quintana (Author/Creator) - Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico
E. Grundy (Author/Creator) - Swansea University
C. Campagna (Author/Creator) - Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico
A.W. Trites (Author/Creator) - University of British Columbia
B.A. Block (Author/Creator) - Stanford University
R.P. Wilson (Author/Creator) - Swansea University
Publication Details: Nature Communications, Vol.2(1)
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Identifiers: 991005541241307891
Copyright: © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.2 Marine Biology; 3.2.92 Fisheries Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Zoology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science