Helping my daughter with school holiday project about whale evalotion. We have learned that whales swim with a up down motion of the tail because they were once land animals and there spines are evolved for running, so they sortnof swim like us with flippers on but what we can't find out is which is more efficient fish with a side to side or whales up and down, I think it must be fish longer to evolve that way, any thoughts
Stupid question
- Thread starter dan518
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This is an interesting question. And that's interesting about their spines. I've never heard that.
The shape of their tails also has something to do with helping the breach the surface too.... I think.
I would think that if the spine of marine mammals is designed for running the the that of fish is solely designed for swimming. Making the fish a more efficient swimmer. I think marine mammals also eat a lot more relative to size than most fish. So I would also think that fish are more efficient because they're better at not needing to replenish energy as often.
I'm not a biologist just tossing some stuff out there.
The shape of their tails also has something to do with helping the breach the surface too.... I think.
I would think that if the spine of marine mammals is designed for running the the that of fish is solely designed for swimming. Making the fish a more efficient swimmer. I think marine mammals also eat a lot more relative to size than most fish. So I would also think that fish are more efficient because they're better at not needing to replenish energy as often.
I'm not a biologist just tossing some stuff out there.
I belive that the direction of the tail fin does not make a difference. I feel that fish with the side to side movement with their tails being vertical just have a better ability at turning and changing directions. fish fins would be like the rudder on a boat. figuratively if the tails are the same size both would push the same amount of water regardless of the direction the tail is. wave your hand like a fan on your face up amd down then side to side. both ways seem to provide the same movememt of air. so I say that the only benefit is in changing direction
They might eat more because their metabolisms are a lot faster. Or because of what I originally said, they burn more energy because of who they swim. I honestly don't know. I'm just making speculations.
wales and porpoises and the such are warm blooded. they need to eat more to keep a fat layer up. as they are warm blooded they need a good thick wet suit per say. there up and down has everything to do with there evolution, as to if they are better swimmers? faster? more agile? that's a tuff question.
