Methods for the study of amphipod swimming: behavior,morphology, and fluid dynamics

A thorough hydrodynamic approach to the study of swimming in amphipods demands a multipronged attack. A possible first step would be to gather swimming behavior data and determine the biomechanics and kinematics of pleopod beat. This requires careful observation of the swimming modes, swimming speeds, body positions and other aspects of behavior and limb motion that are crucial to swimming. Secondly, it is important to describe the morphology of the body and swimming appendages. Detailed drawings of body shape and design, skeletomusculature, condylic structure, and setal density and distribution on the pleopods and pereopods, are the tools required to ascribe hydrodynamic function to specific limb and body morphology. Finally, the information gathered from behavioral observations bolstered by functional morphology studies is applied to fluid dynamic calculations of drag, lift, and thrust. The theoretical calculations are then compared with empirical determinations of drag, wake generation, vortex shedding frequency, and flow patterns around an amphipod. The fluid dynamic facet of this research is the most challenging and requires an excellent grasp of the fundamental concepts of fluid flow and access to some highly technical equipment. The proposed tripartite approach for the study of amphipod swimming is by no means an exhaustive review of all the techniques that can be employed to quantify amphipod swimming. It will nevertheless permit a rigorous and systematic study of amphipod swimming.