Sticking to it: testing passive pull-off forces in waterfall-climbing fishes across challenging substrates

Abstract

The pelvic sucker of Hawaiian waterfall climbing gobies allows these fishes to attach to substrates while climbing waterfalls 10s-100s of meters tall. Climbing ability varies by species and may be further modulated by the physical characteristics of the waterfall substrate. In this study, we investigated the influence of surface wettability (hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic surface charges) and substrate roughness on the passive adhesive system of four species of gobies with different climbing abilities. Overall, passive adhesive performance varied by species and substrate with the strongest climbers showing the highest shear pull-off forces, particularly on rough surfaces. Thus, differences in passive adhesive performance may help to explain the ability of some species to migrate further upstream than others and contribute to their ability to invade new habitats.