Feeding kinematics of the grotto salamander, Eurycea spelaea

All larval salamanders that have been studied capture prey using inertial suction feeding, and the kinematics were at one time thought to be highly stereotypical. Many salamanders have been studied, but the life history of Eurycea spelaea, the grotto salamander, is unique among the troglobitic plethodontids. This cave salamander transforms at metamorphosis into a terrestrial adult, but the eyes recede and the adult is blind. The feeding behavior of larval E. spelaea was measured to determine stereotypy using high-speed videography and kinematic analysis, and then was compared across several taxa. The salamander feeds using the conserved aquatic feeding pattern with three observable stages: expansion, compression, and recovery. Like other inertial suction feeders, the prey item is brought into the buccal cavity using a strong hyoid depression that generates buccal expansion and therefore negative pressure within the buccal cavity. Four of thirteen kinematic variables were found to be stereotyped, and five more were slightly stereotypical based on a stereotyped to variable continuum. The length of the gape cycle of E. spelaea corroborates with earlier findings that the time of movements are directly proportional to linear body size. Future studies should include buccal pressure measurements and analysis of the feeding behavior of the transformed adult.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Grigsby, Melannie

• Organism biology

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14751

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/14751