Turning performance and wake dynamics of neritic squids

Turning is important for ecological success in the oceans. It is essential for capturing prey, escaping predators, and navigating complex environments. Although squids are central to food web dynamics, little is known quantitatively about their turning dynamics. To assess turning capacity of neritic squids, quantify the role of propulsors and orientation in turning, and determine if jet flow is predictive of performance, kinematic and 3D velocimetry data were collected from the longfin squid Doryteuthis pealeii and shortfin squid Illex illecebrosus and combined with a subset of data from a prior study of brief squid Lolliguncula brevis . All animals were captured in Maine (43.8° N, 69.6° W) and Virginia (37.6° N, 75.7° W) waters. Experiments were conducted in July–October 2018 and 2019. Lolliguncula brevis was the most proficient at turning, with the highest mean and maximum angular velocity ( mean , max ) and the lowest minimum length-specific turning radius ( R/L min ). Relative to the fins, the pulsed jet contributed to a greater percentage of impulse magnitude and angular impulse (71–72