TURINGAN, R.G.*; BECK, J.L.; Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne; Texas A & M, Galveston: Early ontogeny of prey capture performance in the teleost fish, Sciaenops ocellatus

The kinematics of prey capture in the teleost fish (red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus) larvae was analyzed to explore stage-specific differences in feeding performance during early ontogeny. Larvae at first-feeding through metamorphosis were recorded using digital high-speed videography while feeding on three types of zooplankton. Red drum larvae in the first-feeding stage (hyoid stage) successfully captured rotifer; attempts to capture one-day old brine shrimp were not successful. In contrast, red drum larvae in the metamorphosis stage (hyoid-opercular stage) successfully captured one- and two-day old brine shrimp; larvae at this stage did not feed on rotifer. A series of t-tests revealed stage-specific differences in most kinematic excursion variables (e.g., gape and hyoid depression). However, except for gape cycle duration, the timing of kinematic events did not vary between developmental stages. Interestingly, prey type did not influence the kinematics of prey capture within each stage of larval development. Stage-specific differences in the kinematics of prey capture in red drum larvae reflect stage-specific variation in the development of the functional morphology of the feeding mechanism.