Extremely fast feeding strikes are powered by elastic recoil in a seahorse relative, the snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax

We present evidence for elastic recoil-powered feeding in snipefish (Macroramphosus scolopax) from kinematics, dynamics and morphology. High-speed videos of strikes show they achieve extremely fast head and hyoid rotational velocities, resulting in rapid prey capture in as short a duration as 2 ms. The maximum instantaneous muscle-mass-specific power requirement for head rotation in snipefish was above the known vertebrate maximum, which is evidence that strikes are not the result of direct muscle power. Finally, we show that the over-centre conformation of the four-bar linkage mechanism coupling head elevation to hyoid rotation in snipefish can function as a torque reversal latch, preventing the head from rotating and providing the opportunity for elastic energy storage. The presence of elastic recoil feeding in snipefish means that this high-performance mechanism is not restricted to the Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefish) and may have evolved in parallel.

Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences - July 4, 2018 Category: Biology Authors: Longo, S. J., Goodearly, T., Wainwright, P. C. Tags: biomechanics Morphology and biomechanics Source Type: research