Swimming kinematics of the Caribbean reef shark

Swimming kinematics of the Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi

Stephen M. Kajiura, John C. Loyer, Cassandra Ruddy, Marianne E. Porter

ABSTRACT:

The Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi, is known to rest on the substrate, a behavior not documented in any of its congeners. We quantified swimming kinematics of C. perezi in the wild and found that the head yawed at a frequency 15% greater than the tail beat, but that the amplitude of the tail exceeded the head yaw by approximately 80% across the range of velocities measured. We found that C. perezi velocity, head yaw frequency, and tailbeat frequency were all less than its obligate ram ventilating congener C. limbatus.

Journal of Fish Biology, DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15035.

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