Ciliary propulsion and metachronal coordination in reef coral larvae
Rebecca N. Poon, Timothy A. Westwood, Hannah Laeverenz-Schlogelhofer, Emelie Brodrick, Jamie Craggs, Eric E. Keaveny, Gáspár Jékely, Kirsty Y. Wan
Abstract
Many species of marine invertebrates have a motile stage. Reef corals spawn once a year to release many ciliated larvae, which swim vigorously before finding a suitable location to settle. The cilia exhibit diaplectic metachronal waves, which is a natural solution to coordinating dense arrays of cilia for efficient fluid pumping.
Topics & Concepts
Spawn (biology)Coral reefReefMarine invertebratesCoralBiologyLarvaFisheryOceanographyEcologyGeologyMicro and Nano RoboticsUnderwater Vehicles and Communication SystemsFluid Dynamics Simulations and Interactions