Field swimming performance of bluegill sunfish, : implications for field activity cost estimates and laboratory measures of swimming performance.

Mobility is essential to the fitness of many animals, and the costs of locomotion can dominate daily energy budgets. Locomotor costs are determined by the physiological demands of sustaining mechanical performance, yet performance is poorly understood for most animals in the field, particularly aquatic organisms. We have used 3-D underwater videography to quantify the swimming trajectories and propulsive modes of bluegills sunfish (, Rafinesque) in the field with high spatial (1-3 mm per pixel) and temporal (60 Hz frame rate) resolution.

The effects of steady swimming on fish escape performance.

Escape maneuvers are essential to the survival and fitness of many animals. Escapes are frequently initiated when an animal is already in motion. This may introduce constraints that alter the escape performance.