Shell alters buoyancy: green turtle

1 of 1 Hawaii turtle 2 / Mila Zinkova / License

The shell of some sea turtles allows for different levels of buoyancy for juveniles and adults by changing shape.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Modify >
	Modify physical state >
	Buoyancy

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Identifying design features for safe and efficient passenger ferry systems. Shape for underwater transport devices.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Sea turtles sometimes swim on the surface; Jeanette Wyneken tells me that the flared, V-shaped bottom is characteristic of buoyant baby sea turtles, which are obligatory surface swimmers. With maturity and the shift to submerged swimming, the hull shape changes to one more characteristic of submarines." (Vogel 2003:116)

About the inspiring organism

Green Turtle
Chelonia mydas LINNAEUS 1758
[Suppenschildkrote]

IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Habitat(s): Marine Coastal/Supratidal, Marine Intertidal, Marine Neritic, Marine Oceanic

Some organism data provided by: TIGR Reptile Database
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Identifying design features for safe and efficient passenger ferry systems. Shape for underwater transport devices.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Transportation, boats, submarines

Experts

Department of Biological Sciences
Jeanette Wyneken
Florida Atlantic University

References

Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.

Shell alters buoyancy: green turtle

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