Respirometry and swimming dynamics of the giant australian cuttlefish, sepia apama (mollusca, cephalopoda)

Abstract

Swimming dynamics of the giant Australian cuttlefish, Sepia apama, were investigated using swimtunnel respirometry. Relationships between jet pressure, fin frequency, swimming speed and oxygen consumption were defined. Laboratory calibration of swimming parameters is necessary to allow estimates of swimming costs in the field.

Jet pressure was the best predictor of oxygen consumption with an averaged equation of MO₂ = 722 (jet pressure) + 107 r ² = 0.51. Individually, fin frequency and jet pressure correlated highly to swimming speed, but due to the complicated usage of finning and jetting, the correlation between swimming speed and oxygen consumption was weaker. Cuttlefish were not optimal swimtunnel subjects and could not swim at high speeds for extended periods. At 15°C and a swimming speed of 0.06 m s⁻¹, the gross cost of transport was calculated to be 10.1 kg⁻¹ m ⁻¹, with a net cost of 4.1 kg⁻¹ m⁻¹.

Keywords:

• Cuttlefish
• Sepia apama
• Swimtunnel
• Respirometry
• Jet pressure
• Finning

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Dale Webber for help with respirometry and cleaning of the raw data, and Dr. Brian McCabe for statistical consultation. This work was part of a M.Sc. thesis funded by NSERC and Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada.