Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

DOI

10.1242/jeb.250186

Publication Title

Journal of Experimental Biology

Pages

37 pp.

Abstract

Turning is critical for survival in the ocean, as marine animals need to maneuver to capture prey, elude predators, and navigate complex environments. While prior research has focused on turning performance of adult swimmers, less is known about early ontogenetic stages that locomote within lower Reynolds number (Re) regimes, especially young jetters. To evaluate squid paralarval turning proficiency and the role of the pulsed jet in maneuvers, recently hatched longfin squid Doryteuthis pealeii swimming in a viewing chamber were studied using digital particle image velocimetry and kinematic motion analyses. Paralarvae exhibited a wide repertoire of turning behaviors, including those performed arms-first and tail-first. Paralarval turns were broader [higher mean length-specific turning radii (R/Lmean)] and faster [higher mean angular velocity (Ωmean)] than older squids, with some turns (∼8%) involving peak angular velocities (Ωmax)>2,000 deg s-¹. Relative to cuttlefish hatchlings, squid paralarvae exhibited lower R/Lmeanand higher Ωmean and Ωmax. Higher angular jet impulse produced turns of greater Ωmean and total angular displacement, and R/Lmean and Ωmean increased with higher Resquid. Paralarval jets ranged from isolated vortex rings (short pulses), some of which occurred near the viscous dominated condition of Re< 1, to elongated vorticity structures with and without leading edge vortex ring formation (long pulses). Despite the range of jet flows produced, strong relationships between jet length-to-diameter ratios and kinematic properties were not observed. The ability of paralarvae to produce a diversity of directed jets at low/intermediate Re is integral to their turning versatility and ultimately survival.

Rights

© 2025. Published by The Company of Biologists.

Included in accordance with publisher policy.

Data Availability

Article states: "Data sets and code used in this study are available upon request from the authors."

Original Publication Citation

Bartol, I. K., Ganley, A. M., Krueger, P. S., & Thompson, J. T. (2025). Squid paralarvae turn with high agility using jets near the Reynolds number threshold for viscous domination. Journal of Experimental Biology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250186

ORCID

0000-0001-9006-8727 (Bartol)

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