Scott Seamone

• PhD
• Marine Biologist at Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute

The ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) is a negatively buoyant and dorsoventrally flattened fish, resembling a hydrofoil, that swims extremely close to the substrate in South American river basins. Previous research, utilizing force transducers and particle image velocimetry (PIV), demonstrated that P. motoro exhibited positive lift-drag...

Morphological scaling describes changes in the size or shape of one morphological character (e.g. mass, length, width, area etc.) as another increases in size. Understanding how morphological characters scale with body size can shed light on how natural selection influences morphology, and the nature of ecomorphological relationships through ontoge...

Elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) exhibit a wide range of body forms adapted to various ecological niches. Body form differs not only between species, but between life stages of individual species as a result of ontogenetic allometry. In sharks, it has been proposed that these ontogenetic shifts in body form result from shifts in trophic and/or spati...

Disproportional changes (i.e. allometry) in shark morphology have been attributed to shifts in function associated with niche shifts in life history, such as in habitat and diet. Photographs of blue sharks ( Prionace glauca , 26-145 kg) were used to analyze changes in parameters of body and fin morphology with increasing mass that are fundamental t...

Particle image velocimetry and video analysis were employed to determine the pectoral‐fin mechanism used by the stingray Potamotrygon motoro to bury into sand. Rapid oscillations of the body and folding motions of the posterior portion of the pectoral fin suspended sediment beneath the pectoral disc and directed vortices of sediment onto the dorsal...

Video and particle image velocimetry analysis were employed to discern and describe the mechanism used by the stingray Potamotrygon motoro to bury into the substrate. P. motoro repeatedly and rapidly pumped the body up and down while folding the posterior portion of the pectoral fins up and over, drawing water in and suspending sediment beneath the...

We explored how the flattened and rounded pectoral disc of the ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro (Müller and Henle, 1841)) enables them to use the benthic plane during fast-start escape. Escape responses were elicited via prodding different locations around the pectoral disc and were recorded using video. Modulation of pectoral-fin movem...

Fishing is a popular and lucrative sport around the world and, in some cases, may contribute to declining fish stocks. To mediate this problem and maintain fish biomass in aquatic ecosystems, catchand- release fishing, whereby a fish is caught and immediately released, has been implemented in many countries. It is unclear whether the injuries to th...

The alteration of form and function through the life of a fish can have profound impacts on the ability to move through water. Although several studies have examined morphology and function in relation to body size, there is a paucity of data for chondrichthyans, an ancient group of fishes. Ratfishes are interesting in that they utilize flapping pe...

1. Introduction2. Fiber Types 2.1. Metabolic Profiles2.2. Distribution and Contributions to Swimming2.3. Ultrastructure2.4. Innervation2.5. Membrane Potential and Activation3. Contractile Properties 3.1. Mechanics and Energetics of Contraction3.2. Axial Variation3.3. Thermal Sensitivity3.4. Scaling4. Summary5. Future DirectionsThe skeletal muscles...