Summary
We quantified midline kinematics with synchronized electromyograms (emgs) from the red and white muscles on both sides of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) during escape behaviors which were elicited from fish both at a standstill and during steady speed swimming. Analyses of variance determined whether or not kinematic and emg variables differed significantly between muscle fiber types, among longitudinal positions, and between swimming versus standstill trials.
At a given longitudinal location, both the red and white muscle were usually activated synchronously during both stages of the escape behavior. Stage 1 emg onsets were synchronous; however, the mean durations of stage 1 emgs showed a significant increase posteriorly from about 11 to 15 ms. Stage 2 emgs had significant posterior propagation, but the duration of the stage 2 emgs was constant (17 ms). Posterior emgs from both stages occurred during lengthening of the contractile tissue (as indicated by lateral bending). Steady swimming activity was confined to red muscle bursts which were propagated posteriorly and had significant posterior decrease in duration from about 50% to 37% of a cycle. Fish performed escape responses during all phases of the steady swimming motor pattern. All kinematic events were propagated posteriorly. Furthermore, no distinct kinematic event corresponded to the time intervals of the stage 1 and 2 emgs. The rate of propagation of kinematic events was always slower than that of the muscle activity. The phase relationship between lateral displacement and lateral bending also changed along the length of the fish. Escape responses performed during swimming averaged smaller amplitudes of stage 2 posterior lateral displacement; however, most other kinematic and emg variables did not vary significantly between these two treatments.
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Abbreviations
- A:
-
angle of lateral flexion (bending) of midline at a single point in time
- A1, A2:
-
change in A from T0 to T1 and from T1 to T2
- AMX:
-
maximal lateral flexion concave towards the side of the stage 1 emg
- AMXR:
-
equals AMX minus A at T0
- AT1, AT2:
-
lateral flexion at T1 and T2
- DUR1, DUR2:
-
durations of stage 1 and stage 2 emgs
- emg:
-
electromyogram
- ON2:
-
onset time of stage 2 emg
- RELDUR:
-
relative duration of steady swimming emg
- T0, T1, T2 :
-
times of stage 1 emg onset, latest stage 1 emg offset and latest stage 2 emg offset standardized such that T0 = 0
- TAMX, TAMN, TYMX:
-
times of maximal lateral flexion, no lateral flexion and maximum lateral displacement
- Y1, Y2:
-
amounts of lateral displacement from T0 to T1 and from T1 to T2
- YMXR:
-
relative amount of lateral displacement from T0 to TYMX
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Jayne, B.C., Lauder, G.V. Red and white muscle activity and kinematics of the escape response of the bluegill sunfish during swimming. J Comp Physiol A 173, 495–508 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193522
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193522