Critical swimming speeds of wild-caught sand-smelt Atherina presbyter larvae

• Author(s): Faria, Ana Margarida ; Borges, Rita Alexandra ; Gonçalves, Emanuel João
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/3089
• Origin: Repositório do ISPA - Instituto Universitário
• Subject(s): Atherinidae; Dispersal; Larval swimming behaviour
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório do ISPA

Description

Swimming abilities of wild-caught sand-smelt Atherina presbyter larvae were assessed as critical swimming speed (Ucrit) throughout ontogeny. The mean Ucrit increased with size, ranging from 3⋅6 to 18⋅7 cms−1, over the size range of 6⋅6–21⋅0mm LT. This indicates that at hatching A. presbyter larvae, far from being passive floaters, are already capable of active behaviours, which may influence their dispersal patterns.