Archives
International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Review Article
Aquatic and aerodynamic adaptations of the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) for deep-sea foraging: A comprehensive review
Premavathy N, Muruganandham, Lavanya R, Senthilkumar G P and Nazreen B
Year : 2025 | Pages: 293-297
Received on: 22/09/2025
Revised on: 26/10/2025
Accepted on: 12/11/2025
Published on: 25/11/2025
-
Premavathy N, Muruganandham, Lavanya R, Senthilkumar G P and Nazreen B ( 2025).
Aquatic and aerodynamic adaptations of the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) for deep-sea foraging: A comprehensive review
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 10( 6), 293-297.
-
click to view the cite format
Abstract
The Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) of the Galápagos Islands exhibits remarkable evolutionary modifications that enable efficient underwater foraging in deep marine environments. Unlike other cormorants, this species has lost the ability to fly and instead developed physiological, anatomical, and behavioral adaptations suited for benthic and pelagic diving. Hydrostatic pressure, oxygen storage limitations, and buoyancy changes strongly influence diving performance, while modifications in plumage, musculature, and limb structure support powerful underwater propulsion. Increased blood volume, reduced wing size, strong webbed feet, and dense body feathers enhance the bird’s diving efficiency and stability in cold waters. Behavioral traits including synchronized foot paddling, wing-drying posture, and cooperative nest-building—further illustrate the species’ ecological specialization. Despite its evolutionary success, the flightless cormorant remains vulnerable due to restricted distribution, climate events, invasive predators, and human activities. This review summarizes current knowledge on the aquatic and aerodynamic adaptations of P. harrisi, highlighting its foraging ecology, diving physiology, reproductive behavior, and conservation concerns.
Keywords
Flightless Cormorant, Phalacrocorax harrisi, Aquatic adaptation, Diving physiology, Foraging behavior.
-
Full Article PDF (
19)
- View HTML Article
Copy Rights
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
