Altringham Lab

Biomechanics research

Changing patterns of muscle activation
and function in fish with different
body shapes and swimming modes

For many years my primary research interests were in how evolution shapes the form, physiology and mechanics of animals for locomotion, in particular for swimming and flying. To catch food, avoid becoming food, to find a mate or to migrate, animals must be able to move effectively and efficiently if they are to be successful in the evolutionary race. Integrating studies on muscle function with whole animal movement was a major theme of this research.

Yellowfin tuna, adapted for
high-speed, high-efficiency cruising

The internalised, endothermic muscle of tuna and
the kinematics and mechanics of swimming

A series of papers explores the relationships between body shape, muscle function, swimming mode and hydrodynamics in fish from eels to tuna. I have also studied the role of regional muscle endothermy in the high performance swimming of tuna and the changes in muscle function that accompanied the evolution of endothermy. Other work has examined the adaptation of fish muscle for performance in different environments, from the cold Antarctic Ocean to the tropics.

Selected publications

• PDF Altringham JD and Ellerby DJ. (1999) Fish Swimming: patterns in muscle function. J. Exp. Biol. 202, 3397-3403.
• PDF Altringham JD and Block BA. (1997) Why do tuna maintain elevated slow muscle temperatures? Power output of muscle isolated from endothermic and ectothermic fish. J. Exp. Biol. 200, 2617-2627.