RAMSAY , Jason B; WILGA, Cheryl D; University of Rhode Island; University of Rhode Island: Dual Function Shark Teeth Whitespotted bamboo sharks, Chiloscyllium plagiosum, readily feed on hard and soft prey. However, C. plagiosum does not possess dental morphology that is typically associated with prey crushing. Instead, they possess broad faced, cusped teeth commonly associated […]

BIRON, S.A.*; ELZEY, S.P.; HOWELL, W.H.; University of New Hampshire: Comparison of feeding habits between adult and juvenile smooth skate, Malacoraja senta, and the possible influence of tooth morphology The smooth skate, Malacoraja senta is a small species indigenous to the Gulf of Maine (GOM). Due to the lack of biological data and the decline […]

HUBER, D.R.; MOTTA, P.J.; University of South Florida; University of South Florida: Bite Force and Cranial Design of a Hard Prey Specialist, the Horn Shark Heterodontus francisci The application of engineering techniques to biological systems has often revealed the influence of structural principles in organismal design. Through mechanical analysis of the forces generated by the […]

GRUBICH, Justin R; WESTNEAT, Mark W; The Field Museum of Natural History; The Field Museum of Natural History: Biomechanical Modeling of Pharyngeal Jaw Bite Force in Sciaenid Fishes Pharyngeal jaws in many fishes process prey items for digestion by biting or crushing them with high compressive forces. Engineering principles of four-bar linkages were used to […]

SOCHA, J.J.; LEE, W.K.; WESTNEAT, M.W.; University of Chicago; Argonne National Laboratory; Field Museum: Beetle respiration mechanics analyzed with synchrotron x-ray imaging Many insects actively compress their tracheae to convectively move air through the body for respiration. Tracheae in the head of ground beetles are highly compressible, providing substantial tidal volume. Here we provide detailed […]

WILGA, C.D.; SANFORD, C.P.; University of Rhode Island, Kingston; Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY: Suction Generation In Bamboo Sharks Prey capture by suction is the result of rapid expansion of head, hyoid and branchial elements that draws water, and any prey contained therein, into the mouth. Although recent studies have increased our understanding of suction generation […]

CARROLL, Andrew; UC Davis: Muscle function during suction feeding in the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Activation and strain in the sternohyoideus (SH) were measured in vivo in five largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. The SH is thought to actuate lower jaw depression, hyoid depression, and suspensorial abduction during suction feeding in teleost fish. Sonomicrometry was used […]

HUSKEY, S.H.; Western Kentucky University: Modulation of prey-capture kinematics in largemouth bass, Micropterus spp. The feeding behavior of a predator may be as important as it�s morphology in shaping patterns of prey-resource use. The ability to modulate these predatory behaviors based on the perceived type and location of prey likely leads to a species� trophic […]

DEBAN, Stephen M.; O’REILLY, James C.; DICKE, Ursula; VAN LEEUWEN, Johan; Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City; Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables; Univ. of Bremen, Germany; Wageningen University, Netherlands: Extremely high-power tongue projection in plethodontid salamanders Plethodontid salamanders can project the tongue very rapidly for long distances. In many species, the tongue and its supporting […]

ZEPNEWSKI, E.D.*; NISHIKAWA, K.C.; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University: Does collagen fiber angle affect prey capture kinematics in inertial elongators? Inertial elongation is one of three non-exclusive feeding mechanisms that frogs use to protract their tongues. It is a ballistic mechanism in which the tongue is projected out of the mouth using angular momentum […]