10.5061/DRYAD.0FG55
Michel, Krijn B.
University of Antwerp
Heiss, Egon
University of Antwerp
Aerts, Peter
University of Antwerp
Van Wassenbergh, Sam
Ghent University
Data from: A fish that uses its hydrodynamic tongue to feed on land
Dryad
dataset
2015
mudskipper
Tongue
prey capture
newt
hyoid
Periophthalmus barbarus
2015-02-19T17:52:14Z
2015-02-19T17:52:14Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.0057
2643015211 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
To capture and swallow food on land, a sticky tongue supported by the
hyoid and gill arch skeleton has evolved in land vertebrates from aquatic
ancestors that used mouth-cavity-expanding actions of the hyoid to suck
food into the mouth. However, the evolutionary pathway bridging this
drastic shift in feeding mechanism and associated hyoid motions remains
unknown. Modern fish that feed on land may help to unravel the physical
constraints and biomechanical solutions that led to terrestrialization of
fish-feeding systems. Here, we show that the mudskipper emerges onto land
with its mouth cavity filled with water, which it uses as a protruding and
retracting ‘hydrodynamic tongue’ during the initial capture and subsequent
intra-oral transport of food. Our analyses link this hydrodynamic action
of the intra-oral water to a sequence of compressive and expansive cranial
motions that diverge from the general pattern known for suction feeding in
fishes. However, the hyoid motion pattern showed a remarkable resemblance
to newts during tongue prehension. Consequently, although alternative
scenarios cannot be excluded, hydrodynamic tongue usage may be a
transitional step onto which the evolution of adhesive mucosa and
intrinsic lingual muscles can be added to gain further independence from
water for terrestrial foraging.
Mud_Per1Individual 1 Lateral and Ventral external 500 HzMud_Per2Individual
2 Lateral and Ventral external 500 HzMud_Per4Individual 3 Lateral and
Ventral external 500 HzMud_Per5Individual 4 Lateral and Ventral external
500 HzWaterAbsorbPeriophthalmus absorptionxrayvidsComparison Highspeed
X-ray Video of Lepomis gibbosus and Triturus carnifex Hyoid
movementsHyoidXRHighspeed X-ray videos of Hyoid movement in
PeriophthalmusCT_Buccal_VolumeCT-Scan internal buccal cavity volume WRL
fileReadmeRead this file for information on the files presented here