RESUMO
Two specimens of Stenella attenuata, trained to chase a winchtowed lure, reached a top speed of 11.03 meters per second (21.4 knots) in 2.0 seconds. The maximum power output, occurring 1.5 seconds after the start, was calculated from measured values of acceleration and drag coefficient. The maximum power output per unit body weight was 50 percent greater than for human athletes. The measured drag coefficient, obtained from periods of coasting, was approximately the same as that of an equivalent rigid body with a near-turbulent boundary layer.
Assuntos
Comportamento Animal , Cetáceos/fisiologia , Natação , Animais , Medicina EsportivaRESUMO
Four kinds of speed runs showed a Pacific bottlenose porpoise (Tursiops gilli) to have a top speed of 29.9 kilometers per hour (16.1 knots) for 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 21.9 kilometers per hour (11.8 knots) for 50 seconds. These results compare closely with highest predictions based upon rigid body drag calculations, the same power output per unit body weight as for athletes, and a propulsive efficiency of 85 percent.