Etude de l'organisation des mouvements de nage au cours de l'ontogenèse chez Dicentrarchus labrax (Teleostei, Serranidae): Approche quantitative

The swimming movements of Dicentrarchus labrax larvae were recorded with a high-speed video camera (500 fps) from 0 to 288 hours post-hatching. Three indices were used to investigate the establishment (coefficient of determination r²; coefficient of variation of r²) and the efficiency (Strouhal number) of the swimming movements. Movements of juveniles (960 to 2496 hours post-hatching) were also recorded to make comparisons with larvae.
At hatching, larvae were unable to swim with well-sinusoidal movements. During growth, there was an improvement in the sinusoidal path of the swimming movement until the size of 5.2 mm TL where all larvae performed sinusoidal movements. The swimming speed had a strong effect on indices; all larvae with a burst swim performed sinusoidal movement as soon as at a size of 3.2 mm TL. The swimming efficiency improved with the Reynolds number and so with the size and the swimming speed. The maximal lateral amplitude of the various body parts decreased progressively during growth. At last, a switch from anguilliform to subcarangiform swimming mode occurred during the transition to the juvenile stage.