A comparative study of locomotion in the caecilians Dermophis mexicanus and Typhlonectes natans (Amphibia: Gymnophiona)

Summers, Adam P.; O’Reilly, James C.

doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1997.tb00147.x

Cited by 49 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Precisely how these movements are achieved in S. stimpsoni is difficult to evaluate from our ventral-view video footage. The close attachment of the skin to the underlying musculature and, thereby, to the vertebral column in most fishes (Wainwright, Vosburgh & Hebrank, 1978) suggests that the use of internal concertina mechanisms (similar to those used by some caecilians: Summers & O'Reilly, 1997) is unlikely. An 'inch-worm' mechanism (with dorsoventral flexion) seems a more viable possibility, but it is unclear how this would be controlled.…”

Section: Structures Contributing To Propulsion In Powerburst and Inchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematics of waterfall climbing in Hawaiian freshwater fishes (Gobiidae): vertical propulsion at the aquatic–terrestrial interface

2003

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To reach adult habitats, juveniles of three species of Hawaiian gobies (fishes under 3 cm long) climb waterfalls up to 350 m high, over 10 000 times their body length. The demands of moving through such an extreme environment could constrain the range of viable locomotor mechanisms that these fishes use. Previous qualitative observations indicated that Lentipes concolor and Awaous guamensis use 'powerbursts' of axial undulation to climb, whereas Sicyopterus stimpsoni 'inches up' vertical surfaces by alternately attaching oral and pelvic suckers to the substrate. To compare these propulsive mechanisms and their physiological requirements, high-speed video footage of climbing by juveniles from these three species on an artificial waterfall were collected, and climbing kinematics and performance for the two climbing styles were quantified. Bouts of powerburst climbing by L. concolor and A. guamensis typically begin in or near direct water flow and are initiated by a single, rapid adduction of the pectoral fins. Powerburst climbing bouts are rapid (12.4 ± 1.0 body lengths (BL) s −1 ), but short in duration (0.07 ± 0.02 s)with few continuous locomotor cycles (3.8 ± 1.3 cycles bout −1 ). Powerburst climbers use high amplitude undulations along the entire body, but minimum resultant velocities of these undulations are high (> 6 BL s −1 ). This suggests that these species may hybridize terrestrial propulsive mechanisms with aquatic mechanisms. In contrast, climbing by inching in S. stimpsoni involves little axial undulation or fin movement. Sicyopterus stimpsoni typically exit the water outside of direct flow and seem to use terrestrial propulsive mechanisms. As the oral disc attaches to the substrate, it expands to almost twice its resting area, after which the posterior body is pulled upwards; once the pelvic disc attaches, the oral disc releases and the anterior body advances. Climbing bouts include several continuous cycles of disc attachment (11.0 ± 1.4 cycles bout −1 ) and last several seconds at velocities of 0.21 ± 0.01 BL s −1 . Before climbing waterfalls during migration to adult habitats, S. stimpsoni undergo a nonfeeding metamorphosis that leads to the development of the mouth as a secondary locomotor organ. The unusual behaviour and ontogenetic strategy of S. stimpsoni seem to be evolutionary novelties, rather than ancestral retentions, suggesting that the evolution of these features may have been closely correlated. The substantial performance and kinematic distinctions between powerburst and inching climbing indicate that considerable locomotor diversity can evolve even in the context of extreme environmental demands.

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Section: Structures Contributing To Propulsion In Powerburst and Inchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematics of waterfall climbing in Hawaiian freshwater fishes (Gobiidae): vertical propulsion at the aquatic–terrestrial interface

2003

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“…In these elongate fish species, points do not always follow the exact same path, body regions sometimes appear to slide unexpectedly and movements occasionally appear uncoordinated. Some previous studies have used pegboards to elicit lateral undulation (Bennet et al, 1974;Jayne, 1986;Gans and Gasc, 1990;Summers and O'Reilly, 1997), and this structured environment may constrain study organisms to move in a more predictable fashion. However, some of these differences in movement between fish and snakes are probably due, at least in part, to differences in musculature and morphology.…”

Section: Do Distantly Related Amphibious Fishes Demonstrate Similar Mmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor behavior across an environmental transition in the ropefish,Erpetoichthys calabaricus

Pace

Gibb

2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYMany amphibious organisms undergo repeated aquatic to terrestrial transitions during their lifetime; limbless, elongate organisms that make such transitions must rely on axial-based locomotion in both habitats. How is the same anatomical structure employed to produce an effective behavior across such disparate habitats? Here, we examine an elongate amphibious fish, the ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus), and ask: (1) how do locomotor movements change during the transition between aquatic and terrestrial environments and (2) do distantly related amphibious fishes demonstrate similar modes of terrestrial locomotion? Ropefish were examined moving in four experimental treatments (in which the water level was to lowered mimic the transition between environments) that varied from fully aquatic to fully terrestrial. Kinematic parameters (lateral excursion, wavelength, amplitude and frequency) were calculated for points along the midline of the body and compared across treatments. Terrestrial locomotion in the ropefish is characterized by long, slow, large-amplitude undulations down the length of the body; in contrast, aquatic locomotion is characterized by short-wavelength, small-amplitude, high-frequency undulations that gradually increase in an anterior to posterior direction. Experimental treatments with intermediate water levels were more similar to aquatic locomotion in that they demonstrated an anterior to posterior pattern of increasing lateral excursion and wave amplitude, but were more similar to terrestrial locomotion with regard to wavelength, which did not change in an anterior to posterior direction. Finally, the ropefish and another elongate amphibious fish, the eel, consistently exhibit movements characterized by 'path following' when moving on land, which suggests that elongate fishes exhibit functional convergence during terrestrial locomotion. Supplementary material available online at

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“…Vermiform bending movements of the vertebral column and associated axial muscles occur independently of (and within) the sheath of skin and more super®cial trunk muscles. Summers and O'Reilly (1997) concluded that this form of locomotion was present in the last common ancestor of crown-group caecilians. If so, then the extended basapophyseal processes may characterise crown-group taxa and their immediate ancestors.…”

Section: Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

A stem‐group caecilian (Lissamphibia: Gymnophiona) from the Lower Cretaceous of North Africa

Evans

Sigogneau-Russell

2001

Palaeontology

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ABSTRACT. Of living amphibian groups, the limbless burrowing caecilians are amongst the most highly specialised, but are the least known. Their fossil record is extremely poor, leaving unresolved questions as to their origins, relationships and early distribution. We describe here caecilian remains from a Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian) microfossil locality near Anoual, Morocco. This material represents the second oldest record for the group, after the Jurassic Eocaecilia of North America, and the earliest caecilian record for Gondwana. It forms the basis of a new genus, Rubricacaecilia, which appears slightly more derived than Eocaecilia, but lacks major features of crown-group taxa. We support the use of Apoda Oppel, 1811 for the crown-group alone, and Gymnophiona Ra®nesque 1814 for the clade comprising stemgroup taxa Apoda.

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A comparative study of locomotion in the caecilians Dermophis mexicanus and Typhlonectes natans (Amphibia: Gymnophiona)

Cited by 49 publications

References 23 publications

Kinematics of waterfall climbing in Hawaiian freshwater fishes (Gobiidae): vertical propulsion at the aquatic–terrestrial interface

Kinematics of waterfall climbing in Hawaiian freshwater fishes (Gobiidae): vertical propulsion at the aquatic–terrestrial interface

Locomotor behavior across an environmental transition in the ropefish,Erpetoichthys calabaricus

A stem‐group caecilian (Lissamphibia: Gymnophiona) from the Lower Cretaceous of North Africa

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