BIOD43H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Undulatory Locomotion
Tutorial questions can be found in the tutorial folder
1. Penguins have heavier bones that help them overcome to the buoyancy of water
allowing them to dive. They also can adjust the volume of O2 in the lungs, the
negative pressure is acting against buoyancy, thus they can be lighter allowing them
to float upwards. Penguins also have modified type of feathers (small) and the flipper
size also allows them to decrease in drag. Despite it being small, it generates enough
lift for swimming this is important for the environment which they’re moving.
2. During the intermediate steps its better to have smaller tail as the muscular structure
is not developed for this behaviour → HIgher energetic cost to move the tails and also
unable to move it.
a. More efficient to move smaller tail
b. For penguins, imagine if they had bigger wings, it would make them harder to
swim thus over time they adapted to use a smaller wing.
3. They're look at the function/evolution of flatten tail they needed to have a snake that
is able to swim in water but don’t have flatten tail. The only thing in the structure that
changes is the shape of the tail instead of other physiological changes
a. Because you don't want them to not be swimming because they don’t know
how to swim.
4. Caudel fins can move efficiently because the tail itself is flexible but is strong
(edges/ends of tails), but the point of articulation which allows for lateral undulation is
very flexible. If you have a rigid structure but you don’t have a joint to help with the
movement then it will be very difficult to move.
a. Very good design and good methods, not as simple as the tail may not be a
good stimulation of a natural tail.
b. The difference in rigidity for caudel fish determines their locomotion.
5. The author finds empirical support to support for gradualism hypothesis. This is a
behaviour/trait which could be passed down if it is proven to be advantagist.
Oral presentation:
After reading week, 4 people will present each week. 3 People will be giving feedback and
MUST read the paper.
Check online for the date.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Tutorial questions can be found in the tutorial folder: penguins have heavier bones that help them overcome to the buoyancy of water allowing them to dive. They also can adjust the volume of o2 in the lungs, the negative pressure is acting against buoyancy, thus they can be lighter allowing them to float upwards. Penguins also have modified type of feathers (small) and the flipper size also allows them to decrease in drag. This is a behaviour/trait which could be passed down if it is proven to be advantagist. After reading week, 4 people will present each week.
