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| Natchev, N.; Tzankov, N.; Vergilov, V.; Kummer, S.; Handschuh, S.. |
| The snake-eyed skink Ablepharus kitaibelii is one of the smallest European lizards, but despite its minute size it is able to feed on comparatively large prey. Here we investigate the diet of A. kitaibelii and the mechanisms that allow the skink to overpower relatively large and even noxious prey. High-speed cinematography showed that A. kitaibelii uses a series of shaking and battering movements to immobilise and kill prey prior to swallowing. During this process, the skinks rises up on the hind limbs and then whacks the prey sidewise on the substrate by twisting the trunk, neck and head laterally. Our analysis showed that the shaking kinematics is very uniform among the investigated specimens. The morphological investigation of the cranio-cervical system... |
| Tipo: Article / Letter to the editor |
Palavras-chave: Evolution; Feeding; Neck; Odontoid; Parallel; Skink; ΜCT; 42.82. |
| Ano: 2015 |
URL: http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/record/515947 |
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| Natchev, N.; Heiss, E.; Singer, K.; Kummer, S.; Salaberger, D.; Weisgram, J.. |
| The present study examined the kinematic patterns of initial food uptake, food transport, pharyngeal packing and swallowing in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus. These data are supplemented by morphological descriptions of the skull and the hyolingual complex. Although the hyoid is mainly cartilaginous, S. odoratus still use exclusively hydrodynamic mechanisms in prey capture and prey transport. The tongue is relatively small, with weakly developed intrinsic musculature. We propose that the elasticity of the hypoglossum and the hyoid body impacts the capability of S. odoratus to suction feed, but allows these turtles to effectively re-position the food items within the oropharyngeal cavity during transport, manipulation and pharyngeal packing.... |
| Tipo: Article / Letter to the editor |
Palavras-chave: Feeding behaviour; Head morphology; Motion analysis; Mud turtles; Suction; 42.82. |
| Ano: 2011 |
URL: http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/record/377200 |
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