- Body shape in fast swimmers. Large, fast-swimming vertebrates have relatively
rigid bodies, rigid cresent-shaped (lunate) tails, and a narrow tail-body transition
through which tendons transfer forces from body locomotor muscles to the rigid tail.
- A Shark.
- B Bony fish.
- C Extinct marine reptile (ichthyosaur).
- D Whale (because the tail moves dorsoventrally, a ventral view is shown).
Adopted from J. Lighthill 1974. Aerodynamic aspects of animal flight. pp. 423-492 IN T.Y.-T. Wu, C. d. Brokaw, and C. Brennen, editors, Swimming amd Flying in Nature. Plenum Press, New York.)
