COOPER, W. J.; WESTNEAT, M. W.; University of Chicago; Field Museum of Natural History: Damselfish jaws: comparative and functional morphometrics in labroid fishes Damselfishes (Labroidei, Pomacentridae) constitute a diverse group (> 340 sp.) of marine fishes that have been thought to exhibit little trophic diversity. Despite widespread interest in labroid feeding, the morphological and functional […]

MEYERS, J.J.; HERREL, A.; Northern Arizona University; University of Antwerp: The thorny devil’s furious flick: prey capture strategies of ant specialized lizards It has been suggested that lizards exhibit relatively little phenotypic specialization with regard to the feeding system. Although numerous lizard species appear to restrict their diet to specific prey, relative few studies have […]

MEHTA, Rita/S; MOON, Brad/R; University of Tennessee; University of Louisiana: Muscular Control of Constriction in Loxocemus bicolor The epaxial muscles of snakes control a diverse set of behavior patterns related to locomotion and feeding. Constriction is a prey-handling behavior in which prey is immobilized by two or more points on a snake�s body. This behavior […]

MONROY, Jenna/A; Northern Arizona University: Hypoglossal feedback as a function of prey location in Dyscophus guineti Like other microhylid frogs, Dyscophus guineti uses a muscular hydrostatic mechanism to elongate and aim its tongue independently of its head during prey capture. However, tongue projection velocities can be more than 10x higher than in other microhylids. Dyscophus […]

MCBRAYER, L.D.; Stephen F. Austin State University: Head shape and foraging mode in lizards: What is�or is there�a relationship? This study explores the potential relationship(s) between skull morphology, foraging mode, and phylogeny in lizards. For many vertebrates, there is close correspondence between skull morphology, diet, and foraging behavior, but comparatively little is known about these […]

GARTNER, G.E.A.*; GREENE, H.W.; University of Miami, FL; Cornell University, Ithaca NY: Functional morphology and feeding ecology in the African snake genus, Dasypeltis Distinctive morphological traits in organisms are often presumed to be adaptive. The six species of snake in the African genus, Dasypeltis, are all obligate egg eaters with a suite of morphological characters […]

STAYTON, C.T.; The University of Chicago: Functional and Morphological Evolution of Herbivory in Lizards Multiple, independent origins of herbivory within lizards (Sauria, Lacertilia) have repeatedly produced similar morphological and mechanical changes in the skull. Herbivory has evolved multiple times in lizards, but the morphological consequences of the evolution of this dietary strategy have never been […]

JANOVETZ, J.; Sweet Briar College: Functional Morphology of Feeding in the Scale-eating Piranha, Catoprion mento The Wimple piranha, Catoprion mento, has a narrow natural diet with fish scales comprising an important proportion of its total food intake. Scales are eaten throughout most of ontogeny and adults feed almost exclusively on this food source. Catoprion exhibits […]

O’GRADY, S; MORANDO, M; AVILA, L; DEARING, M/D; University of Utah; Brigham Young University; Brigham Young University; University of Utah: Correlates of herbivory in the lizard sub-family Liolaeminae Distinct differences in gut structure and function exist in herbivores and carnivores. Despite showing morphological differences between digestive strategies, most comparative studies highlighting specializations are confounded by […]

HUBER, D.R.; DEAN, M.N.; SUMMERS, A.P.; University of South Florida; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Irvine: The crushing bite of the water bunny Hydrolagus colliei Holocephalans, the sister group to the sharks, skates and rays, have their upper and lower dentition fused into a bony beak well suited for crushing hard prey. The […]