Experimental Morphology of the Feeding Mechanism in Salamanders
نویسندگان
چکیده
USTRACT The subarcualis rectus I muscle (SAR) in the feeding mechanism of four tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) was removed early in ontogeny and these individuals were allowed to complete metamorphosis. This procedure resulted in postmetamorphic tiger salamanders which differed from control individuals in the size (and thus force generating capacity) of the SAR muscle. The experimental manipulation of muscle ontogeny allowed a test of previous hypotheses of SAR function in postmetamorphic individuals. Multivariate analysis of variance for kinematic variables measured from high-speed video records of feeding revealed that experimentally modified tiger salamanders did not protract the hyobranchial apparatus or project the tongue from the mouth during feeding. Removal of the S A R muscle resulted in significantly reduced hyobranchial elevation in the buccal cavity and reduced maximum tongue projection distance.
منابع مشابه
Functional morphology of the feeding mechanism in aquatic ambystomatid salamanders.
This study addresses four questions in vertebrate functional morphology through a study of aquatic prey capture in ambystomatid salamanders: How does the feeding mechanism of aquatic salamanders function as a biomechanical system? How similar are the biomechanics of suction feeding in aquatic salamanders and ray-finned fishes? What quantitative relationship does information extracted from elect...
متن کاملKinetics of Tongue Projection in Ambystoma tigrinum: Quantitative Kinematics, Muscle Function, and Evolutionary Hypotheses
The projectile tongue of caudate amphibians has been studied from many perspectives, yet a quantitative kinetic model of tongue function has not yet been presented for generalized (nonplethodontid) terrestrial salamanders. The purposes of this paper are to describe quantitatively the kinematics of the feeding mechanism and to present a kinetic model for the function of the tongue in the ambysto...
متن کاملBiomechanics and hydrodynamics of prey capture in the Chinese giant salamander reveal a high-performance jaw-powered suction feeding mechanism
During the evolutionary transition from fish to tetrapods, a shift from uni- to bidirectional suction feeding systems followed a reduction in the gill apparatus. Such a shift can still be observed during metamorphosis of salamanders, although many adult salamanders retain their aquatic lifestyle and feed by high-performance suction. Unfortunately, little is known about the interplay between jaw...
متن کاملAquatic Prey Transport and the Comparative Kinematics of Ambystoma Tigrinum Feeding Behaviors
Four definable feeding behaviors used during the metamorphic life history of tiger salamanders are terrestrial prey capture and transport (as adults) and aquatic prey capture and transport (as larvae). Previous studies have focused primarily on the first three of these behaviors and thus aquatic prey transport is poorly understood. These studies have indicated that terrestrial prey capture has ...
متن کاملFunctional Design of the Feeding Mechanism in Salamanders: Causal Bases of Ontogenetic Changes in Function
Many correlated changes in the structure and function of the skull occur during metamorphosis in salamanders. To separate correlated from causal changes in form and function, we experimentally converted the unidirectional flow feeding system in axolotls (Ainbystonta mexicanum) to a bidirectional system by suturing closed the gill slits. This mimics one of the major structural changes in the fee...
متن کامل