Flexible feeding kinematics of a tropical carnivorous anuran tadpole


Autoria(s): Sousa, V. T. T. de; Nomura, F.; Venesky, M. D.; Rossa-Feres, D. C.; Pezzuti, T. L.; Andrade, G. V.; Wassersug, R. J.
Contribuinte(s)

Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)

Data(s)

03/12/2014

03/12/2014

01/07/2014

Resumo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Processo FAPESP: 10/52321-7

Processo FAPESP: 11/51724-3

Leptodactylus labyrinthicus tadpoles are known predators of anuran eggs and hatchlings, but they are also able to filter-feed in the water column and scrape food off of firm substrates. We evaluated and compared these alternative feeding behaviors in relation to feeding kinematics and the shape of the mouth with high-speed digital imaging. We tested the hypotheses that (1) L.labyrinthicus tadpoles use functionally different feeding kinematics when feeding on alternative food sources and (2) that the jaw sheaths of L.labyrinthicus tadpoles deform less during filter-feeding and substrate grazing compared with more common tadpoles not so specialized for macrophagous carnivory. Our results show that filtering and scraping feeding behaviors differ significantly in both kinematics and shape of the mouth. During filter-feeding, tadpoles display longer gape cycles and attain a narrower maximum gape earlier in the cycle compared with substrate grazing. Jaw deformation during opening and closing phases of the gape cycle is more pronounced during grazing on firm substrates. This deformation contributes to the achievement of a wider maximum gape during feeding. These differences appear to reflect behavioral adjustments by the tadpoles to maximize food intake. Feeding in tadpoles of L.labyrinthicus is not restrained by their typical carnivorous morphology. On the contrary, L.labyrinthicus tadpoles seem to be opportunistic feeders able to obtain nutrients from a variety of food sources by using different feeding strategies.

Formato

204-210

Identificador

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12135

Journal Of Zoology. Hoboken: Wiley-blackwell, v. 293, n. 3, p. 204-210, 2014.

0952-8369

http://hdl.handle.net/11449/112936

10.1111/jzo.12135

WOS:000337972800007

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

Wiley-Blackwell

Relação

Journal of Zoology

Direitos

closedAccess

Palavras-Chave #Anura #behavioral plasticity #biomechanics #geometric morphometrics #food source
Tipo

info:eu-repo/semantics/article