Meeting Abstract

P2.57  Friday, Jan. 4  EVOLUTION OF A MODULATED NOVEL FEEDING BEHAVIOR IN BONY-TONGUED FISHES (OSTEOGLOSSOMORPHA; TELEOSTEI) GUREVICH, A.; KONOW, N.; SANFORD*, C.*; Hofstra University, New York; Hofstra University, New York; Hofstra University, New York christopher.p.sanford@hofstra.edu

The ability to modulate feeding behavior in response to different stimuli is a common feature among teleost fishes, often linked to increased performance and dietary breadth. However, the ability to modulate feeding behavior has not been examined within a phylogenetic context. We used high-speed video and motion analyses to quantify the kinematics of a novel post-capture feeding behavior present in two osteoglossomorph fishes. Raking was examined in the goldeye, Hiodon alosoides and the Australian arowana, Scleropages jardinii when presented with two different prey types. Scleropages, a derived member of the group, exhibited increased pectoral girdle movements and quicker gape movements when raking on a worm compared to a goldfish. Previous work has also shown that an intermediate taxon Chitala, modulates raking kinematics in response to prey-type differences. In contrast, Hiodon, the most basal member of the osteoglossomorphs, did not show a significant behavioural difference when raking on the two different prey types. Taken in context with previous work, this study supports the hypothesis that modulation of raking in osteoglossomorphs is a derived condition that arose after the split of the Hiodontidae, and before the origin of Notopteridae. Supported by NSF IOB 0444891 and DBI 0420440.