Maximum swimming speeds of sailfish and three other large marine predatory fish species based on muscle contraction time and stride length: a myth revisited

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Billfishes are considered to be among the fastest swimmers in the oceans. Previous studies have estimated maximum speed of sailfish and black marlin at around 35 m s(-1) but theoretical work on cavitation predicts that such extreme speed is unlikely. Here we investigated maximum speed of sailfish, and three other large marine pelagic predatory fish species, by measuring the twitch contraction time of anaerobic swimming muscle. The highest estimated maximum swimming speeds were found in sailfish (8.3±1.4 m s(-1)), followed by barracuda (6.2±1.0 m s(-1)), little tunny (5.6±0.2 m s(-1)) and dorado (4.0±0.9 m s(-1)), although size-corrected performance was highest in little tunny and lowest in sailfish. Contrary to previously reported estimates, our results suggest that sailfish are incapable of exceeding swimming speeds of 10-15 m s(-1), which corresponds to the speed at which cavitation are predicted to occur, with destructive consequences for fin tissues.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftBiology Open
Vol/bind5
Udgave nummer10
Sider (fra-til)1415-1419
Antal sider5
ISSN2046-6390
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2016

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