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.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Evidence against a hydrodynamic function for fish schools

Nature volume 279, pages 418–419 (1979)Cite this article

Abstract

THERE are numerous explanations for the formation of fish schools1,2, one of the most popular being that the members gain hydrodynamic advantage over solitary individuals3–6. The model proposed by Weihs5,6 for the first time makes precise predictions about school structure which can be verified. We report here the first empirical test of this model, and demonstrate that three species of schooling fish do not swim in appropriate positions to gain hydrodynamic advantage.

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

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Breder, C. M. Bull. Am. Mus. nat. Hist. 117, 397–481 (1959); Zoologica 52, 25–40 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cushing, D. H. & Harden Jones, F. R. Nature 281, 918–920 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Breder, C. M. Zoologica 50, 97–114 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Belyayev, N. & Zuyev, G. V. J. Ichthyol. 9, 589–594 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Weihs, D. Nature 241, 290–291 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Weihs, D. in Symposium on Swimming and Flying in Nature (eds Wu, T. et al.) (Pasadena, California, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Partridge, B. L. thesis, Oxford Univ. (1978); The Structure and Function of Fish Schools (Oxford University Press, in the press).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Partridge, B. L., Pitcher, T. J. & Cullen, J. M. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. (in the press).

  9. Partridge, B. L. Anim. Behav. (in the press).

  10. Pitcher, T. J., Partridge, B. L. & Wardle, C. S. Science 194, 963–965 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Oshima, Y. J. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish. 16, 195–200 (1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Pitcher, T. J. Anim. Behav. 21, 673–686 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Williams, G. C. Adaptation and Natural Selection (Princeton University Press, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Dawkins, R. The Selfish Gene (Oxford University Press, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Maynard Smith, J. & Price, G. Nature 246, 15–18 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rosen, M. W. US Naval Ordnance Test Report NOTS T. P. 2298 (1959).

  17. McCutcheon, C. W. J. exp. Biol. 65, 11–20 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Aleev, Y. G. & Oucherov, O. P. Zool. Zh. 48, 781–790 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. B. L. PARTRIDGE

    Present address: A-002 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, 92093

  2. T. J. PITCHER

    Present address: Department of Zoology, University College of North Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK

    B. L. PARTRIDGE

  2. School of Biological and Environmental Studies, New University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

    T. J. PITCHER

Authors
  1. B. L. PARTRIDGE
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. J. PITCHER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

PARTRIDGE, B., PITCHER, T. Evidence against a hydrodynamic function for fish schools. Nature 279, 418–419 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/279418a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/279418a0

Search

Advanced 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