Feeding biomechanics of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, over ontogeny.

Reprodution of the Cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus Mitchill, 1815 (Elasmobranchii, Rhinopteridae), in captivity and newborn care.

Bio-inspired Robotic Cownose Ray Propelled by Electroactive Polymer Pectoral Fin

The cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) demonstrates excellent swimming capabilities; generating highly efficient thrust via flapping of dorsally flattened pectoral fins. In this paper, we present a bio-inspired and free swimming robot that mimics the swimming behavior of the cownose ray. The robot has two artificial pectoral fins to generate thrust through a twisted flapping motion. Each artifici...

Pectoral fin locomotion in batoid fishes: undulation versus oscillation.

This study explores the dichotomy between undulatory (passing multiple waves down the fin or body) and oscillatory (flapping) locomotion by comparing the kinematics of pectoral fin locomotion in eight species of batoids (Dasyatis americana, D. sabina, D. say, D. violacea, Gymnura micrura, Raja eglanteria, Rhinobatos lentiginosus and Rhinoptera bonasus) that differ in their swimming behavior, ph...

Deep mitochondrial divergence in Baja California populations of an aquilopelagic elasmobranch: the golden cownose ray.

Assessing the realized effect of dispersal in the genetic makeup of a species has significant evolutionary, ecological, and economical consequences. Here, we investigate the genetic diversity and population differentiation in the aquilopelagic golden cownose ray Rhinoptera steindachneri from the Gulf of California (GC) and the Pacific coast of Baja California (PCBC) using the mitochondrial NADH...

Biomechanical model of batoid (skates and rays) pectoral fins predicts the influence of skeletal structure on fin kinematics: implications for bio-inspired design.

Growing interest in the development of bio-inspired autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has motivated research in understanding the mechanisms behind the propulsion systems of marine animals. For example, the locomotive behavior of rays (Batoidea) by movement of the pectoral fins is of particular interest due to their superior performance characteristics over contemporary AUV propulsion syste...