The relationship between bite force, morphology, and diet in southern African agamids

Abstract Background Many animals display morphological and behavioural adaptations to the habitats in which they live resources exploit. Bite force is an important whole-organism performance trait that allows increase dietary breadth, inclusion of novel prey diet, territory predatory defence, during mating many lizards. Methods Here, we study six species southern African agamid lizards from three habitat types (ground-dwelling, rock-dwelling, arboreal) investigate whether use constrains head morphology bite performance. We further tested evolve as diet by analysing a subset these for data were available. Results Overall, both jaw length its out-lever are excellent predictors across all species. Rock-dwelling have flatter relative their size than other species, possibly adaptation crevice use. However, even when correcting length, rock-dwelling harder ground-dwelling Diet analyses demonstrate body not directly related although greater in-levers closing (positively force) associated hard diet. Ground-dwelling consume more ants Conclusions Our results illustrate role driving how impacts but agamids. Although with variation it only partially responsible observed differences