Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Biomaterials

Sharks shift their spine into high gear

Subjects

It emerges that a dogfish shark's spine becomes stiffer as the fish swims faster, enabling the animal to swim efficiently at different speeds. The finding could also provide inspiration for the design of robotic biomaterials.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Shark spine stiffness and swimming efficiency.

Notes

  1. See all news & views

References

  1. Porter, M. E., Ewoldt, R. H. & Long, J. H. J. Exp. Biol. 219, 2908–2919 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wainwright, S. A., Vosburgh, F. & Hebrank, J. H. Science 202, 747–749 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Blake, R. W. J. Fish Biol. 65, 1193–1222 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Porter, M. E. et al. Zoology 117, 19–27 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wasse, J. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 33, 87–88 (1724).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Park, S.-J. et al. Science 353, 158–162 (2016).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wilga, C. D. & Lauder, G. V. Nature 430, 850–850 (2004).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Maisey, J. G. J. Fish Biol. 80, 918–951 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Matthew A. Kolmann or Adam P. Summers.

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Biomechanics: Boxed up and ready to go

Biomechanics: Swimming in the Sahara

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kolmann, M., Summers, A. Sharks shift their spine into high gear. Nature 540, 532–533 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21102

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21102

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing