NOT SO STRAIGHT FORWARD: SWIMMING, MANEUVERING, AND FEEDING KINEMATICS OF THE SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD (SPHYRNA LEWINI)

Many studies on shark swimming have examined kinematic variables along straight tracks or under controlled flow speeds in flumes, but there is less known about unsteady swimming during maneuvering or feeding. Sharks may adjust their speed, undulatory kinematics, or body curvature to accommodate different actions. This study quantified variations in kinematics during straight swimming, maneuvering, and feeding in scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini). I obtained video of three juvenile scalloped hammerheads, developed an ethogram assessing three behavioral categories, and tracked points along the body’s midline. I found that velocity was lower during feeding compared to maneuvering and straight swimming, while body curvature increased during feeding turns but decreased with increasing velocity. These data will provide insight into kinematic variations in hammerhead sharks across ontogeny and among behaviors, ultimately expanding on the relationship between form and function. This also provides context for varying behaviors and trends within the movement ecology paradigm.