Work

Morphological adaptations of cavefish support enhanced hydrodynamic perception for underwater environmental monitoring

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: species, that these structures dramatically amplify differential pressure signals (by up to 429.8%) and near-wall velocity gradients (by up to 69.2%) while extending perceptual range. Regions of maximal hydrodynamic variation predicted by the models closely match the observed distribution of canal and superficial neuromasts, revealing a clear biomimetic design principle: sensors should be positioned where flow-field gradients are strongest. These findings establish a quantitative, evolution-guided framework for optimizing artificial lateral line (ALL) sensor arrays, enabling autonomous underwater vehicles to perform energy-efficient, high-fidelity monitoring in some of the planet's most sensitive and data-scarce aquatic environments.

Source: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2026.100677