McBrayer, L.D.*; Reilly, S.M.: The variation in feeding behavior of scleroglossan and autarchoglossan lizards One of the primary goals of functional morphology is the quantification of behavior in relation to morphological variation. The two major clades of lizards, scleroglossa and autarchoglossa, show substantial variation in cranial morphology, hyoid apparatus, tongue musculature, and the functional morphology […]

MEYERS, J.J.*; HERREL, A.; NISHIKAWA, K.C.: Morphological Specializations of the Feeding System in Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma) Lizards of the genus Phrynosoma have long been noted as dietary specialists, feeding predominately on various species of ants. Several studies looking at the diet of the fourteen different species of Phrynosoma have noted that there appears to be […]

STARCK, J.M.: Morphological Flexibility of the Intestine of Snakes The small intestine of snakes responds to feeding by rapid upregulation of organ size. After absorption of nutrients the small intestine size is down regulated to fasting size. The mechanisms of the morphological flexibility of the small intestine are compared in Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) […]

DEUFEL, A.*; CUNDALL, D.: Feeding in stiletto snakes Stiletto snakes (Atractaspis) resemble vipers in having a short maxilla bearing a long fang associated with a large venom gland. Previous studies of Atractaspis have described an unusual envenomation strategy in which one fang is unilaterally everted from the closed mouth and stabbed into the prey by […]

LADUC, T.J.: Effects of body size on the predatory strike of the western diamondback rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox ) Changes in body size can be of particular importance to feeding mechanics, yet little information is available for allometric effects on terrestrial vertebrate feeding systems. The predatory strike of rattlesnakes, along with the great range of […]

Price, C.L.*; Meyers, J.J.; Herrel, A.; Nishikawa, K.C.: Scaling and kinematics of tongue projection in chameleons Within a year from hatching, chameleons can grow up to two orders of magnitude. This rapid increase in body size likely imposes constraints on the function of chameleon muscles used for prey capture. In this study, we looked at […]

LAPPIN, A.K.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.; PIEROTTI, D.J.: Isometric contractile properties of anuran jaw muscles and their relationship to feeding mechanics All terrestrial frogs examined to date use tongue prehension to capture prey. Three categories of feeding behavior have been identified in frogs with respect to tongue performance during prey capture. Tongue performance characteristics that vary markedly […]

DESROCHERS, D.M.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.: Hypoglossal sensory feedback control during feeding in the toad Bufo alvarius This study explores the role of hypoglossal sensory feedback during feeding in the toad Bufo alvarius. Prior studies indicate that sensory feedback from the hypoglossal nerves can trigger inhibition of both tonic and phasic activity of the jaw levator muscles. […]

CARRE-O, C.A.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.: Does morphology correlate with prey capture kinematics in leptodactylid frogs? Leptodactylid frogs exhibit diversity of the tongue and jaw mechanics during prey capture. Two mechanisms of prey capture have been seen in leptodactylids: inertial elongation and mechanical pulling. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that inertial elongation has evolved independently from mechanical pulling several […]

Zepnewski, E.*; Nishikawa, K.: Connective tissue in ballistic tongues Nerve transection experiments of the main tongue protractor muscle showed differences in feeding behavior between Rana pipiens and Bufo woodhousii. Bufo woodhousii shows a reduction in tongue protraction length without directional deviation. The tongueof R. pipiens, while also showing a reduction in extension, deviates toward the […]