Locomotion

Abstract

Behaviour is anything an animal does. More technically, it is “the whole complex of observable, recordable, or measurable activities of a living animal” (Verplanck, 1957, p. 2). Thus, we label as behaviour any activities of animals that we, or our instruments, detect. These activities usually involve overt movements of the animal or some of its parts. Some classes of behaviour, such as resting, colour pattern changes and sound production, require little or no movement for their expression. Nevertheless, most behaviour that has been studied involves movement, and therefore knowledge of the variety of forms that locomotion can take, and of the forces regulating locomotion, is important for an understanding of fish behaviour. The subject has recently been reviewed at length by Lindsey (1978) and is given briefer treatment here.