RapportFondation 2025 V02 EN light - Flipbook - Page 63
2024 REPORT
BELGIUM
A deep dive into the anatomy of swimmers
PAST AND PRESENT
AMOUNT COMMITTED TO DATE: WE CONTRIBUTE
THROUGH TIME-INVESTMENT OF OUR TEAMS.
2023 > 2024
Reptiles and mammals (such as plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs,
seals and whales) have returned to aquatic life numerous
times over the course of evolution. Their arms and hands
became flippers, optimised for moving through the water.
A project led by the University of Liège, in partnership with
Pairi Daiza and several palaeontologists, explores the
diversity of forms and structures of these fins in current species
and fossils. X-rays were taken of our walruses and Steller
sea lions, offering a unique view of the internal anatomy of
their limbs, without disturbing the animals.
The results show that animals that use underwater flight (such
as turtles, penguins and plesiosaurs) have long, thin fins,
while those that swim by undulating their bodies (dolphins, whales, ichthyosaurs) exhibit a wider variety of forms.
However, the internal structure of the fins is mainly influenced by how species are related to each other, rather than
by how they swim.
As well as explaining how extinct species lived,
this research could inspire future technological
innovations, particularly in the aerospace sector.
© Romain Cottereau
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