1
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Shelley SP, James RS, Tallis J. The effects of muscle starting length on work loop power output of isolated mouse soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247158. [PMID: 38584504 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Force-length relationships derived from isometric activations may not directly apply to muscle force production during dynamic contractions. As such, different muscle starting lengths between isometric and dynamic conditions could be required to achieve maximal force and power. Therefore, this study examined the effects of starting length [±5-10% of length corresponding to maximal twitch force (L0)] on work loop (WL) power output (PO), across a range of cycle frequencies, of the soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL; N=8-10) isolated from ∼8 week old C57 mice. Furthermore, passive work was examined at a fixed cycle frequency to determine the association of passive work and active net work. Starting length affected maximal WL PO of the SOL and EDL across evaluated cycle frequencies (P<0.030, ηp2>0.494). For the SOL, PO produced at -5% L0 was greater than that at most starting lengths (P<0.015, Cohen's d>0.6), except -10% L0 (P=0.135, d<0.4). However, PO produced at -10% L0 versus L0 did not differ (P=0.138, d=0.35-0.49), indicating -5% L0 is optimal for maximal SOL WL PO. For the EDL, WL PO produced at -10% L0 was lower than that at most starting lengths (P<0.032, d>1.08), except versus -5% L0 (P=0.124, d<0.97). PO produced at other starting lengths did not differ (P>0.163, d<1.04). For the SOL, higher passive work was associated with reduced PO (Spearman's r=0.709, P<0.001), but no relationship was observed between passive work and PO of the EDL (Pearson's r=0.191, r2=0.04, P=0.184). This study suggests that starting length should be optimised for both static and dynamic contractions and confirms that the force-length curve during dynamic contractions is muscle specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharn P Shelley
- Research Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Science, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Rob S James
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Jason Tallis
- Research Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Science, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
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2
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Dumith MT, Santos AFGN. Use of trophic ecology of omnivorous fish and abiotic factors as supporting tools for assessing environmental impacts in a neotropical river. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:780-796. [PMID: 37984817 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The study of diet is one of the mechanisms by which competition for resources between species that cohabit in the same ecosystem can be inferred. Therefore, the relationships of the indices that measure specialization in the diet of fish species are necessary to characterize the nutritional quality of these populations and the ecosystem's environmental health. Three species of catfish were selected: one invasive (Clarias gariepinus) and two natives (Trachelyopterus striatulus and Rhamdia quelen), with similar distribution along the Guapi-Macacu River, in the Guapimirim Protection Area (Rio de Janeiro). Fifty-nine catfish of the three species were collected in total, along 32 collection points in the Guapi-Macacu River in two periods (dry and rainy) in 2018. Non-parametric statistics showed the partition of resources between species and the influence of abiotic factors (temperature, pH, transparency, and dissolved oxygen) contributing to the selection of available resources in the environment. Diet-related indices-repletion index (RI), condition factor (K), niche width, and trophic position (TP) of the specimens collected-contributed to measuring the nutritional status of each of these catfish species, showing that R. quelen has a relationship between RI and K, tending to absorb and metabolize nutrients faster than other species. In addition, the invasive species occupies a wide range of TPs compared to native species, confirming its feeding plasticity. On the contrary, T. striatulus needs large amounts of terrestrial insects to maintain its poor condition factor. Also, the RI showed direct influences of abiotic variables, with the temperature being the most prominent. Our results suggest that the invasive species can benefit from this environment that shows signs of environmental degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Torres Dumith
- Graduate Program in Ocean and Terrestrial Dynamics, Department of Geology, Geosciences Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Alejandra F G N Santos
- Department of Animal Science and Sustainable Social-Environmental Development, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
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3
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Jimenez YE, Parsons JW, Brainerd EL. Epaxial and hypaxial co-contraction: a mechanism for modulating strike pressure and accuracy during suction feeding in channel catfish. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286795. [PMID: 36715010 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Most fish species use concentric epaxial and hypaxial contractions to suction feed, whereby both muscle groups produce cranial expansion and negative intraoral pressures. In contrast, channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) suction feed with little to no cranial elevation and epaxial shortening, generating suction power primarily with hypaxial shortening and pectoral girdle retraction. We hypothesized that channel catfish (1) actively anchor the head via isometric contraction of the epaxials and (2) vary feeding performance by modulating the absolute and relative outputs of the co-contracting muscles. We used a combination of electromyography, intraoral pressure recordings and specimen manipulation, and developed a new dual-lever model to explore this idea. We detected epaxial and hypaxial co-contraction prior to suction force development in all strikes. Our model revealed that the differential between the co-contracting muscles may be used to modulate suction pressure and strike accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yordano E Jimenez
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.,Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Jake W Parsons
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Brainerd
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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4
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Gladman NW, Askew GN. The mechanical properties of the mantle muscle of European cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). J Exp Biol 2022; 225:286004. [PMID: 36416079 PMCID: PMC10112868 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The circular muscles surrounding the mantle cavity of European cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) generate the mechanical power to compress the cavity, forcing a jet of water out of the funnel, propelling the animal during jet propulsion swimming. During ontogeny, jetting frequency decreases in adults compared with juveniles, and this is expected to be reflected in the contractile properties of the locomotory muscles. To develop greater insight into how the locomotion of these animals is powered during ontogeny, we determined the mechanical properties of bundles of muscle fascicles during isometric, isotonic and cyclic length changes in vitro, at two life stages: juveniles and adults. The twitch kinetics were faster in juveniles than in adults (twitch rise time 257 ms compared with 371 ms; half-twitch relaxation 257 ms compared with 677 ms in juveniles and adults, respectively); however, twitch and tetanic stress, the maximum velocity of shortening and curvature of the force-velocity relationship did not differ. Under cyclic conditions, net power exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with cycle frequency in both juveniles and adults; the frequency at which maximum net power was achieved was shifted to lower cycle frequencies with increased maturity, which is consistent with the slower contraction and relaxation kinetics in adults compared with juveniles. The cycle frequency at which peak power was achieved during cyclical contractions in vitro was found to match that seen in vivo in juveniles, suggesting power is being maximised during jet propulsion swimming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Gladman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Graham N Askew
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9JT, UK
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5
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Li EY, Kaczmarek EB, Olsen AM, Brainerd EL, Camp AL. Royal knifefish generate powerful suction feeding through large neurocranial elevation and high epaxial muscle power. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275363. [PMID: 35543020 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Suction feeding in ray-finned fishes involves powerful buccal cavity expansion to accelerate water and food into the mouth. Previous XROMM studies in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) have shown that more than 90% of suction power in high performance strikes comes from the axial musculature. Thus, the shape of the axial muscles and skeleton may impact suction feeding mechanics. Royal knifefish (Chitala blanci) have an unusual postcranial morphology, with a ventrally flexed vertebral column and relatively large mass of epaxial muscle. Based on their body shape, we hypothesized that royal knifefish would generate high power strikes by utilizing large neurocranial elevation, vertebral column extension, and epaxial shortening. As predicted, C. blanci generated high suction expansion power compared to the other three species studied to date (up to 160 W), which was achieved by increasing both the rate of volume change and the intraoral subambient pressure. The large epaxial muscle (25% of body mass) shortened at high velocities to produce large neurocranial elevation and vertebral extension (up to 41 deg, combined), as well as high muscle mass-specific power (up to 800 W kg-1). For the highest power strikes, axial muscles generated 95% of the power, and 64% of the axial muscle mass consisted of the epaxial muscles. The epaxial-dominated suction expansion of royal knifefish supports our hypothesis that postcranial morphology may be a strong predictor of suction feeding biomechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Y Li
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, UK
| | - Elska B Kaczmarek
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, UK
| | - Aaron M Olsen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, UK.,3D Anatomy Studios, Providence RI, UK
| | - Elizabeth L Brainerd
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, UK
| | - Ariel L Camp
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, UK.,Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
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6
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Shelley S, James RS, Eustace SJ, Eyre E, Tallis J. Effect of stimulation frequency on force, power, and fatigue of isolated mouse extensor digitorum longus muscle. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275021. [PMID: 35413119 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effect of stimulation frequency (140, 200, 230 and 260 Hz) on isometric force, work loop (WL) power, and the fatigue resistance of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle (n=32), isolated from 8-10-week-old CD-1 female mice. Stimulation frequency had significant effects on isometric properties of isolated mouse EDL, whereby increasing stimulation frequency evoked increased isometric force, quicker activation, and prolonged relaxation (P <0.047), until 230 Hz and above, thereafter force and activation did not differ (P >0.137). Increasing stimulation frequency increased maximal WL power output (P <0.001; 140 Hz, 71.3±3.5; 200 Hz, 105.4±4.1; 230 Hz, 115.5±4.1; 260 Hz, 121.1±4.1 W.kg-1), but resulted in significantly quicker rates of fatigue during consecutive WL's (P <0.004). WL shapes indicate impaired muscle relaxation at the end of shortening and subsequent increased negative work appeared to contribute to fatigue at 230 and 260 Hz, but not at lower stimulation frequencies. Cumulative work was unaffected by stimulation frequency, except at the start of fatigue protocol where 230 and 260 Hz produced more work than 140 Hz (P <0.039). We demonstrate that stimulation frequency affects force, power, and fatigue, but effects are not uniform between different assessments of contractile performance. Therefore, future work examining contractile properties of isolated skeletal muscle should consider increasing stimulation frequency beyond that needed for maximal force when examining maximal power but utilise a sub-maximal stimulation frequency for fatigue assessments to avoid high degree of negative work atypical of in vivo function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharn Shelley
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Rob S James
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Steven J Eustace
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Emma Eyre
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Jason Tallis
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
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7
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Olivier D, Van Wassenbergh S, Parmentier E, Frédérich B. Unprecedented Biting Performance in Herbivorous Fish: How the Complex Biting System of Pomacentridae Circumvents Performance Trade-Offs. Am Nat 2021; 197:E156-E172. [DOI: 10.1086/713498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Camp AL, Olsen AM, Hernandez LP, Brainerd EL. Fishes can use axial muscles as anchors or motors for powerful suction feeding. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/18/jeb225649. [PMID: 32948649 PMCID: PMC7520451 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.225649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Some fishes rely on large regions of the dorsal (epaxial) and ventral (hypaxial) body muscles to power suction feeding. Epaxial and hypaxial muscles are known to act as motors, powering rapid mouth expansion by shortening to elevate the neurocranium and retract the pectoral girdle, respectively. However, some species, like catfishes, use little cranial elevation. Are these fishes instead using the epaxial muscles to forcefully anchor the head, and if so, are they limited to lower-power strikes? We used X-ray imaging to measure epaxial and hypaxial length dynamics (fluoromicrometry) and associated skeletal motions (XROMM) during 24 suction feeding strikes from three channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). We also estimated the power required for suction feeding from oral pressure and dynamic endocast volume measurements. Cranial elevation relative to the body was small (<5 deg) and the epaxial muscles did not shorten during peak expansion power. In contrast, the hypaxial muscles consistently shortened by 4–8% to rotate the pectoral girdle 6–11 deg relative to the body. Despite only the hypaxial muscles generating power, catfish strikes were similar in power to those of other species, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), that use epaxial and hypaxial muscles to power mouth expansion. These results show that the epaxial muscles are not used as motors in catfish, but suggest they position and stabilize the cranium while the hypaxial muscles power mouth expansion ventrally. Thus, axial muscles can serve fundamentally different mechanical roles in generating and controlling cranial motion during suction feeding in fishes. Highlighted Article: Channel catfish use their dorsal body muscles to stabilize the head during suction feeding, while the ventral body muscles power mouth expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L Camp
- Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Aaron M Olsen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - L Patricia Hernandez
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Brainerd
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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9
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Spatial and temporal changes in buccal pressure during prey-capture in the trumpetfish (Aulostomus maculatus). ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-019-00470-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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10
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Moyer JK, Shannon SF, Irschick DJ. Bite performance and feeding behaviour of the sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 95:881-892. [PMID: 31265127 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the feeding behaviour and kinematics of three sub-adult sand tiger sharks Carcharias taurus on display at Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, Connecticut, USA). Using high-speed video data from 52 bites, we identify kinematic variables associated with the expansive and compressive phases of the bite. The mean bite duration from the onset of the expansive phase to the conclusion of the compressive phase is mean (± SE) 0.14 ± 0.01 s and across the 10 fastest bites of each individual, the maximum performance average is 0.13 ± 0.01 s. Values of maximum performance do not vary significantly among individuals. When compared with kinematic bite data from species studied previously, these results indicate that body size is not the only determinant factor of bite duration. This study also provides detailed descriptions of feeding behaviours in C. taurus and presents documentation of tooth loss both prior to and during feeding, suggesting that there are multiple mechanisms of tooth loss and use in C. taurus. Finally, we discuss the behavioural and ecological components of prey capture in C. taurus and suggest points of consideration to facilitate interspecific comparisons of prey capture performance in ram-feeding, macrophagous elasmobranchs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K Moyer
- Graduate Program in Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Duncan J Irschick
- Graduate Program in Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Huby A, Lowie A, Herrel A, Vigouroux R, Frédérich B, Raick X, Kurchevski G, Godinho AL, Parmentier E. Functional diversity in biters: the evolutionary morphology of the oral jaw system in pacus, piranhas and relatives (Teleostei: Serrasalmidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Serrasalmid fishes form a highly specialized group of biters that show a large trophic diversity, ranging from pacus able to crush seeds to piranhas capable of cutting flesh. Their oral jaw system has been hypothesized to be forceful, but variation in bite performance and morphology with respect to diet has not previously been investigated. We tested whether herbivorous species have higher bite forces, larger jaw muscles and more robust jaws than carnivorous species. We measured in vivo and theoretical bite forces in 27 serrasalmid species. We compared the size of the adductor mandibulae muscle, the jaw mechanical advantages, the type of jaw occlusion, and the size and shape of the lower jaw. We also examined the association between bite performance and functional morphological traits of the oral jaw system. Contrary to our predictions, carnivorous piranhas deliver stronger bites than their herbivorous counterparts. The size of the adductor mandibulae muscle varies with bite force and muscles are larger in carnivorous species. Our study highlights an underestimated level of functional morphological diversity in a fish group of exclusive biters. We provide evidence that the trophic specialization towards carnivory in piranhas results from changes in the configuration of the adductor mandibulae muscle and the lower jaw shape, which have major effects on bite performance and bite strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Huby
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Aurélien Lowie
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR7179 MNHN/CNRS, National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France
- Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Régis Vigouroux
- HYDRECO GUYANE, Laboratory Environment of Petit Saut, Kourou, French Guiana
| | - Bruno Frédérich
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Xavier Raick
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gregório Kurchevski
- Fish Passage Center, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Eric Parmentier
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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12
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De Meyer J, Goethals T, Van Wassenbergh S, Augustijns T, Habraken J, Hellemans J, Vandewiele V, Dhaene J, Bouillart M, Adriaens D. Dimorphism throughout the European eel's life cycle: are ontogenetic changes in head shape related to dietary differences? J Anat 2018; 233:289-301. [PMID: 29855043 PMCID: PMC6081510 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A well-known link exists between an organism's ecology and morphology. In the European eel, a dimorphic head has been linked to differences in feeding ecology, with broad-headed eels consuming harder prey items than narrow-headed ones. Consequently, we hypothesized that broad-heads should exhibit a cranial musculoskeletal system that increases bite force and facilitates the consumption of harder prey. Using 3D-reconstructions and a bite model, we tested this hypothesis in two life stages: the sub-adult yellow eel stage and its predecessor, the elver eel stage. This allowed us to test whether broad- and narrow-headed phenotypes show similar trait differences in both life stages and whether the dimorphism becomes more pronounced during ontogeny. We show that broad-headed eels in both stages have larger jaw muscles and a taller coronoid, which are associated with higher bite forces. This increased bite force together with the elongated upper and lower jaws in broad-headed eels can also improve grip during spinning behavior, which is used to manipulate hard prey. Head shape variation in European eel is therefore associated with musculoskeletal variation that can be linked to feeding ecology. However, although differences in muscle volume become more pronounced during ontogeny, this was not the case for skeletal features.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. De Meyer
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - T. Goethals
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - S. Van Wassenbergh
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Département Adaptations du VivantUMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N.Paris Cedex 05France
| | - T. Augustijns
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - J. Habraken
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - J. Hellemans
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - V. Vandewiele
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - J. Dhaene
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUGCT – Radiation PhysicsGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - M. Bouillart
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - D. Adriaens
- Evolutionary Morphology of VertebratesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
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13
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Scaling of work and power in a locomotor muscle of a frog. J Comp Physiol B 2018; 188:623-634. [PMID: 29480359 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-018-1148-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Muscle work and power are important determinants of movement performance in animals. How these muscle properties scale determines, in part, the scaling of performance during movements, such as jump height or distance. Muscle-mass-specific work is predicted to remain constant across a range of scales, assuming geometric similarity, while muscle-mass-specific power is expected to decrease with increasing scale. We tested these predictions by examining muscle morphology and contractile properties of plantaris muscles from frogs ranging in mass from 1.28 to 20.60 g. Scaling of muscle work and power was examined using both linear regression on log10-transformed data (LR) and non-linear regressions on untransformed data (NLR). Results depended on the method of regression not because of large changes in scaling slopes, but because of changing levels of statistical significance using corrections for multiple tests, demonstrating the importance of careful consideration of statistical methods when analyzing patterns of scaling. In LR, muscle-mass-specific work decreased with increasing scale, but an accompanying positive allometry of muscle mass predicts constant movement performance at all scales. These relationships were non-significant in NLR, though scaling with geometric similarity also predicts constant jump performance across scales, because of proportional increases in available muscle energy and body mass. Both intrinsic shortening velocity and muscle-mass-specific power were positively allometric in both types of analysis. Nonetheless, scale accounts for little variation in contractile properties overall over the range examined, indicating that other sources of intraspecific variation may be more important in determining muscle performance and its effects on movement.
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14
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De Meyer J, Van Wassenbergh S, Bouilliart M, Dhaene J, Adriaens D. Built to bite? Differences in cranial morphology and bite performance between narrow- and broad-headed European glass eels. J Morphol 2017; 279:349-360. [PMID: 29148085 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The presence of two phenotypes in a single species is a widespread phenomenon, also observed in European eel (Anguilla anguilla). This dimorphism has been related to dietary differences in the subadult elver and yellow eel stages, with broad-heads generally feeding on harder and/or larger-bodied prey items than narrow-heads. Nevertheless, both broad- and narrow-headed phenotypes can already be found among glass eels, the stage preceding the elver eel stage. As these glass eels are considered nonfeeding, we investigate here to what degree the observed variation in head width is reflected in variation in the musculoskeletal feeding system, as well as whether this reflects the same variation observed in the older, dimorphic yellow eels. Additionally, we investigate whether musculoskeletal differences between broad- and narrow-headed glass eels have implications on their feeding performance and could thus impact prey preference when eels start feeding. Therefore, we compared the cranial musculoskeletal system of five broad- and narrow-headed glass eels using 3D-reconstructions and simulated the glass eel's bite force using the data of the muscle reconstructions. We found that the variation in the musculoskeletal system of glass eels indeed reflects that of the yellow eels. Broader heads were related to larger jaw muscles, responsible for mouth closure. Accordingly, broad-heads could generate higher bite forces than narrow-headed glass eels. In addition, broader heads were associated with higher coronoid processes and shorter hyomandibulae, beneficial for dealing with higher mechanical loadings and consequently, harder prey. We, thus, show that head width variation in glass eels is related to musculoskeletal differences which, in turn, can affect feeding performance. As such, differences in prey preference can already take place the moment the eels start feeding, potentially leading to the dimorphism observed in the elver and yellow eel stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens De Meyer
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Sam Van Wassenbergh
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N., 57 rue Cuvier, Case Postale 55, Paris Cedex 05, 75231, France
| | - Mathias Bouilliart
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Jelle Dhaene
- UGCT - Radiation Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Dominique Adriaens
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
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15
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Schilder RJ, Raynor M. Molecular plasticity and functional enhancements of leg muscles in response to hypergravity in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:3508-3518. [PMID: 28978639 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.160523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Studies of organismal and tissue biomechanics have clearly demonstrated that musculoskeletal design is strongly dependent on experienced loads, which can vary in the short term, as a result of growth during life history and during the evolution of animal body size. However, how animals actually perceive and make adjustments to their load-bearing musculoskeletal elements that accommodate variation in their body weight is poorly understood. We developed an experimental model system that can be used to start addressing these open questions, and uses hypergravity centrifugation to experimentally manipulate the loads experienced by Drosophila melanogaster We examined effects of this manipulation on leg muscle alternative splicing of the sarcomere gene troponin T (Dmel\up; Fbgn0004169, herein referred to by its synonym TnT), a process that was previously demonstrated to precisely correlate with quantitative variation in body weight in Lepidoptera and rat. In a similar fashion, hypergravity centrifugation caused fast (i.e. within 24 h) changes to fly leg muscle TnT alternative splicing that correlated with body weight variation across eight D. melanogaster lines. Hypergravity treatment also appeared to enhance leg muscle function, as centrifuged flies showed an increased negative geotaxis response and jump ability. Although the identity and location of the sensors and effectors involved remains unknown, our results provide further support for the existence of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that translates signals that encode body weight into appropriate skeletal muscle molecular and functional responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf J Schilder
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, 501 Ag Sciences & Industries Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA .,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Megan Raynor
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Schilder RJ. (How) do animals know how much they weigh? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 219:1275-82. [PMID: 27208031 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.120410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Animal species varying in size and musculoskeletal design all support and move their body weight. This implies the existence of evolutionarily conserved feedback between sensors that produce quantitative signals encoding body weight and proximate determinants of musculoskeletal designs. Although studies at the level of whole organisms and tissue morphology and function clearly indicate that musculoskeletal designs are constrained by body weight variation, the corollary to this - i.e. that the molecular-level composition of musculoskeletal designs is sensitive to body weight variation - has been the subject of only minimal investigation. The main objective of this Commentary is to briefly summarize the former area of study but, in particular, to highlight the latter hypothesis and the relevance of understanding the mechanisms that control musculoskeletal function at the molecular level. Thus, I present a non-exhaustive overview of the evidence - drawn from different fields of study and different levels of biological organization - for the existence of body weight sensing mechanism(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf J Schilder
- Department of Entomology and Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 501 Ag Sci Ind Bldg, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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17
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Goulet CL, Smith HJ, Maie T. Comparative lever analysis and ontogenetic scaling in esocid fishes: Functional demands and constraints in feeding biomechanics. J Morphol 2016; 277:1447-1458. [PMID: 27552975 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
When animals grow, the functional demands that they experience often change as a consequence of their increasing body size. In this study, we examined the feeding biomechanics in esocid species that represent different size classes (small, Esox americanus; intermediate, Esox niger; large, Esox lucius), and how their bite forces and associated functional variables change as they grow. In order to evaluate bite performance through ontogeny, we dissected and measured dimensions of the feeding apparatus and the adductor mandibulae muscle complex with its segmentum facialis subdivisions such as the ricto-malaris, stegalis and endoricto-malaris across a wide range of body sizes. The collected morphological data was used as input variables for a published anatomical model to simulate jaw function in these fish species. Maximum bite forces for both anterior bite and posterior bite increased in isometry in E. americanus and E. niger. The posterior bite of E. lucius also increases in isometry, however, the anterior bite increases in positive allometry. Intraspecific comparison within E. lucius indicated the increase of bite forces in more developed individuals accelerated after the fish grew out of fingerling stage. In addition, our analysis indicated functional differentiation between subdivisions of the adductor mandibulae segmentum facialis, as well as interspecific differences in the pattern of contribution to the bite performance by these subdivisions. Our study provides insights into not only the musculoskeletal basis of the jaw function of esocid species, but also the feeding capacity of this species in relation to the functional demands it faces as one of the top predators in lake and river systems. J. Morphol. 277:1447-1458, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney L Goulet
- Department of Biological Sciences, St. Cloud State University, Wick Science Building, 720 Fourth Avenue South, St. Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
| | - Harrison J Smith
- Department of Biology, Lynchburg College, 225 Hobbs-Sigler Hall, School of Science, 1501 Lakeside Drive, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24501
| | - Takashi Maie
- Department of Biology, Lynchburg College, 225 Hobbs-Sigler Hall, School of Science, 1501 Lakeside Drive, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24501.
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18
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Van Wassenbergh S, Heiss E. Phenotypic flexibility of gape anatomy fine-tunes the aquatic prey-capture system of newts. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29277. [PMID: 27383663 PMCID: PMC4935879 DOI: 10.1038/srep29277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
A unique example of phenotypic flexibility of the oral apparatus is present in newts (Salamandridae) that seasonally change between an aquatic and a terrestrial habitat. Newts grow flaps of skin between their upper and lower jaws, the labial lobes, to partly close the corners of the mouth when they adopt an aquatic lifestyle during their breeding season. Using hydrodynamic simulations based on μCT-scans and cranial kinematics during prey-capture in the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), we showed that this phenotypic flexibility is an adaptive solution to improve aquatic feeding performance: both suction distance and suction force increase by approximately 15% due to the labial lobes. As the subsequent freeing of the corners of the mouth by resorption of the labial lobes is assumed beneficial for the terrestrial capture of prey by the tongue, this flexibility of the mouth fine-tunes the process of capturing prey throughout the seasonal switching between water and land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Van Wassenbergh
- Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Departement d’Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Muséum National d’ Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, Case postale 55, 75231, Paris Cedex 5, France
| | - Egon Heiss
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erbertstraße 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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19
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Kolmann MA, Huber DR, Motta PJ, Grubbs RD. Feeding biomechanics of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, over ontogeny. J Anat 2015; 227:341-51. [PMID: 26183820 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth affects the performance of structure, so the pattern of growth must influence the role of a structure and an organism. Because animal performance is linked to morphological specialization, ontogenetic change in size may influence an organism's biological role. High bite force generation is presumably selected for in durophagous taxa. Therefore, these animals provide an excellent study system for investigating biomechanical consequences of growth on performance. An ontogenetic series of 27 cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) were dissected in order to develop a biomechanical model of the feeding mechanism, which was then compared with bite forces measured from live rays. Mechanical advantage of the feeding apparatus was generally conserved throughout ontogeny, while an increase in the mass and cross-sectional area of the jaw adductors resulted in allometric gains in bite force generation. Of primary importance to forceful biting in this taxon is the use of a fibrocartilaginous tendon associated with the insertion of the primary jaw adductor division. This tendon may serve to redirect muscle forces anteriorly, transmitting them within the plane of biting. Measured bite forces obtained through electrostimulation of the jaw adductors in live rays were higher than predicted, possibly due to differences in specific tension of actual batoid muscle and that used in the model. Mass-specific bite forces in these rays are the highest recorded for elasmobranchs. Cownose rays exemplify a species that, through allometric growth of bite performance and morphological novelties, have expanded their ecological performance over ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Kolmann
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Daniel R Huber
- Department of Biology, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Philip J Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - R Dean Grubbs
- Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory, St Teresa, FL, USA
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20
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de Sousa VTT, Nomura F, de C Rossa-Feres D, Andrade GV, Pezzuti TL, Wassersug RJ, Venesky MD. Differential effects of temperature on the feeding kinematics of the tadpoles of two sympatric anuran species. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:456-65. [PMID: 26055073 DOI: 10.1002/jez.1941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Temperature impacts ectotherm performance by influencing many biochemical and physiological processes. When well adapted to their environment, ectotherms should perform most efficiently at the temperatures they most commonly encounter. In the present study, we tested how differences in temperature affects the feeding kinematics of tadpoles of two anuran species: the benthic tadpole of Rhinella schneideri and the nektonic tadpole of Trachycephalus typhonius. Benthic and nektonic tadpoles have segregated distributions within ponds and thus tend to face different environmental conditions, such as temperature. Muscle contractile dynamics, and thus whole organism performance, is primarily temperature dependent for ectotherms. We hypothesized that changes in mean temperatures would have differential effects on the feeding kinematics of these two species. We conducted a laboratory experiment in which we used high-speed videography to record tadpoles foraging at cold and warm temperatures. In general, tadpoles filmed at warm temperatures opened their jaws faster, attained maximum gape earlier, and exhibited shorter gape cycles than tadpoles in cold temperatures, irrespective of species. We also found species x temperature interactions regarding the closing phase velocity, and the percentage of time it takes tadpoles to achieve maximum gape and to start closing their jaws. These interactions could indicate that these two co-occurring species differ in their sensitivity to differences in water temperature and have temperature-dependent feeding strategies that maximize feeding performance in their preferred environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fausto Nomura
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Denise de C Rossa-Feres
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gilda V Andrade
- Departamento de Biologia, Campus do Bacanga, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luis, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Tiago L Pezzuti
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Richard J Wassersug
- Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Department of Urologic Sciences, Gordon & Leslie Diamond Care Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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21
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Day SW, Higham TE, Holzman R, Van Wassenbergh S. Morphology, Kinematics, and Dynamics: The Mechanics of Suction Feeding in Fishes. Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:21-35. [PMID: 25980568 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Suction feeding is pervasive among aquatic vertebrates, and our understanding of the functional morphology and biomechanics of suction feeding has recently been advanced by combining experimental and modeling approaches. Key advances include the visualization of the patterns of flow in front of the mouth of a feeding fish, the measurement of pressure inside their mouth cavity, and the employment of analytical and computational models. Here, we review the key components of the morphology and kinematics of the suction-feeding system of anatomically generalized, adult ray-finned fishes, followed by an overview of the hydrodynamics involved. In the suction-feeding apparatus, a strong mechanistic link among morphology, kinematics, and the capture of prey is manifested through the hydrodynamic interactions between the suction flows and solid surfaces (the mouth cavity and the prey). It is therefore a powerful experimental system in which the ecology and evolution of the capture of prey can be studied based on first principals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W Day
- *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium Steven.Day@RIT
| | - Timothy E Higham
- *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Roi Holzman
- *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Sam Van Wassenbergh
- *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel; Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
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22
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Van Wassenbergh S, Day SW, Hernández LP, Higham TE, Skorczewski T. Suction power output and the inertial cost of rotating the neurocranium to generate suction in fish. J Theor Biol 2015; 372:159-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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23
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Ferguson AR, Huber DR, Lajeunesse MJ, Motta PJ. Feeding performance of king Mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:399-413. [PMID: 25845956 DOI: 10.1002/jez.1933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Feeding performance is an organism's ability to capture and handle prey. Although bite force is a commonly used metric of feeding performance, other factors such as bite pressure and strike speed are also likely to affect prey capture. Therefore, this study investigated static bite force, dynamic speeds, and predator and prey forces resulting from ram strikes, as well as bite pressure of the king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla, in order to examine their relative contributions to overall feeding performance. Theoretical posterior bite force ranged from 14.0-318.7 N. Ram speed, recorded with a rod and reel incorporated with a line counter and video camera, ranged from 3.3-15.8B L/s. Impact forces on the prey ranged from 0.1-1.9 N. Bite pressure, estimated using theoretical bite forces at three gape angles and tooth cross-sectional areas, ranged from 1.7-56.9 MPa. Mass-specific bite force for king mackerel is relatively low in comparison with other bony fishes and sharks, with relatively little impact force applied to the prey during the strike. This suggests that king mackerel rely on high velocity chases and high bite pressure generated via sharp, laterally compressed teeth to maximize feeding performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber R Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Daniel R Huber
- Department of Biology, University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida
| | - Marc J Lajeunesse
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Philip J Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
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24
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Coughlin DJ, Akhtar M. Contractile properties of the myotomal muscle of sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:169-78. [PMID: 25676176 DOI: 10.1002/jez.1904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Revised: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Swimming in fishes is powered by myotomal red, white and pink skeletal muscle. Slow swimming is powered by the red (slow-twitch muscle), fast speeds are achieved by the white (fast-twitch) muscle and pink muscle apparently serves an intermediate function. In recent years, the physiological properties and molecular composition of red (slow) and white (fast) muscle fibers have been well studied, while the intermediate pink muscle, which falls in a thin sheet between the superficial red muscle and deeper white muscle, has received less attention. The goal of this study is to determine the contractile properties of red, pink, and white muscle and to establish the molecular basis of fiber type variations in contractile properties in a sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus). Isometric and isovelocity muscle mechanics experiments demonstrated a general pattern of increasing contractile speed from red to pink to white muscle, although red and pink muscle did not differ significantly for most contraction kinetics variables. As myosin heavy chain (MyHC) is the most important structural protein found in the muscle fibers, MyHC content was examined through immunohistochemistry. Myosin antibodies suggest a gradient in myosin content corresponding to differences in muscle contraction kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Coughlin
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania
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25
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Van Wassenbergh S, Dries B, Herrel A. New insights into muscle function during pivot feeding in seahorses. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109068. [PMID: 25271759 PMCID: PMC4185880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Seahorses, pipefish and their syngnathiform relatives are considered unique amongst fishes in using elastic recoil of post-cranial tendons to pivot the head extremely quickly towards small crustacean prey. It is known that pipefish activate the epaxial muscles for a considerable time before striking, at which rotations of the head and the hyoid are temporarily prevented to allow energy storage in the epaxial tendons. Here, we studied the motor control of this system in seahorses using electromyographic recordings of the epaxial muscles and the sternohyoideus-hypaxial muscles with simultaneous high-speed video recordings of prey capture. In addition we present the results from a stimulation experiment including the muscle hypothesised to be responsible for the locking and triggering of pivot feeding in seahorses (m. adductor arcus palatini). Our data confirmed that the epaxial pre-activation pattern observed previously for pipefish also occurs in seahorses. Similar to the epaxials, the sternohyoideus-hypaxial muscle complex shows prolonged anticipatory activity. Although a considerable variation in displacements of the mouth via head rotation could be observed, it could not be demonstrated that seahorses have control over strike distance. In addition, we could not identify the source of the kinematic variability in the activation patterns of the associated muscles. Finally, the stimulation experiment supported the previously hypothesized role of the m. adductor arcus palatini as the trigger in this elastic recoil system. Our results show that pre-stressing of both the head elevators and the hyoid retractors is taking place. As pre-activation of the main muscles involved in pivot feeding has now been demonstrated for both seahorses and pipefish, this is probably a generalized trait of Syngnathidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Van Wassenbergh
- Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Billy Dries
- Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Département d’Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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26
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Millot S, Parmentier E. Development of the ultrastructure of sonic muscles: a kind of neoteny? BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:24. [PMID: 24507247 PMCID: PMC3924398 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-14-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Drumming muscles of some sound-producing fish are ‘champions’ of contraction speed, their rate setting the fundamental frequency. In the piranha, contraction of these muscles at 150 Hz drives a sound at the same frequency. Drumming muscles of different not closely related species show evolutionary convergences. Interestingly, some characters of sonic muscles can also be found in the trunk muscles of newly hatched larvae that are able to maintain tail beat frequencies up to 100 Hz. The aim of this work was to study the development of sound production and sonic and epaxial muscles simultaneously in the red bellied piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri) to seek for possible common characteristics. Results Call, pulse and period durations increased significantly with the fish size, but the call dominant frequencies decreased, and the number of pulses and the call amplitude formed a bell curve. In epaxial muscles, the fibre diameters of younger fish are first positioned in the graphical slope corresponding to sonic muscles, before diverging. The fibre diameter of older fish trunk muscles was bigger, and the area of the myofibrils was larger than in sonic muscles. Moreover, in two of the biggest fish, the sonic muscles were invaded by fat cells and the sonic muscle ultrastructure was similar to the epaxial one. These two fish were also unable to produce any sound, meaning they lost their ability to contract quickly. Conclusions The volume occupied by myofibrils determines the force of contraction, the volume of sarcoplasmic reticulum sets the contraction frequency, and the volume of mitochondria sets the level of sustained performance. The functional outcomes in muscles are all attributable to shifts in the proportions of those structures. A single delay in the development restricts the quantity of myofibrils, maintains a high proportion of space in the sarcoplasm and develops sarcoplasmic reticulum. High-speed sonic muscles could thus be skeletal muscles with delayed development. This hypothesis has the advantage that it could easily explain why high-speed sonic muscles have evolved so many times in different lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Parmentier
- Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Institut de Chimie, B6C, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
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27
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Camp A, Brainerd E. Role of axial muscles in powering mouth expansion during suction feeding in Largemouth Bass. J Exp Biol 2013; 217:1333-45. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.095810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Suction-feeding fishes capture food by fast and forceful expansion of the mouth cavity, and axial muscles likely provide substantial power for this feeding behavior. Dorsal expansion of the mouth cavity can only be powered by the epaxial muscles, but both the sternohyoid, shortening against an immobile pectoral girdle to retract the hyoid, or the hypaxial muscles, shortening to retract both the pectoral girdle and hyoid, could contribute ventral expansion power. To determine 1) if hypaxial muscles generate power for ventral expansion, and 2) the rostrocaudal extent of axial muscle shortening during suction feeding, we measured skeletal kinematics and muscle shortening in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The 3D motions of the cleithrum and hyoid were measured with X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM), and muscle shortening was measured with fluoromicrometry, wherein changes in the distance between radio-opaque intramuscular markers are measured with biplanar x-ray video. We found that the hypaxials generated power for ventral suction expansion, shortening (mean of 6.2 mm) to rotate the pectoral girdle caudoventrally (mean of 9.3°) and retract the hyoid (mean of 8.5 mm). In contrast, the sternohyoid shortened minimally (mean of 0.48 mm), functioning like a ligament to transmit hypaxial shortening to the hyoid. Hypaxial and epaxial shortening were not confined to the rostral muscle regions, but extended more than halfway down the body during suction expansion. We conclude that hypaxial and epaxial muscles are both crucial for powering mouth expansion in largemouth bass, supporting the integration of axial and cranial musculoskeletal systems for suction feeding.
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Campion LA, Choi S, Mistry HL, Coughlin DJ. Myosin heavy chain and parvalbumin expression in swimming and feeding muscles of centrarchid fishes: the molecular basis of the scaling of contractile properties. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2012; 163:223-30. [PMID: 22705556 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In centrarchid fishes, such as bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus, Rafinesque) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, Lacepède), the contractile properties of feeding and swimming muscles show different scaling patterns. While the maximum shortening velocity (V(max)) and rate of relaxation from tetanus of swimming or myotomal muscle slow with growth, the feeding muscle shows distinctive scaling patterns. Cranial epaxial muscle, which is used to elevate the head during feeding strikes, retains fast contractile properties across a range of fish sizes in both species. In bass, the sternohyoideous muscle, which depresses the floor of the mouth during feeding strikes, shows faster contractile properties with growth. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular basis of these different scaling patterns. We examined the expression of two muscle proteins, myosin heavy chain (MyHC) and parvalbumin (PV), that affect contractile properties. We hypothesized that the relative contribution of slow and fast MyHC isoforms will modulate V(max) in these fishes, while the presence of PV in muscle will enhance rates of muscle relaxation. Myotomal muscle displays an increase in sMyHC expression with growth, in agreement with its physiological properties. Feeding muscles such as epaxial and sternohyoideus show no change or a decrease in sMyHC expression with growth, again as predicted from contractile properties. PV expression in myotomal muscle decreases with growth in both species, as has been seen in other fishes. The feeding muscles again show no change or an increase in PV expression with growth, contributing to faster contractile properties in these fishes. Both MyHC and PV appear to play important roles in modulating muscle contractile properties of swimming and feeding muscles in centrarchid fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Campion
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA
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Van Wassenbergh S, Leysen H, Adriaens D, Aerts P. Mechanics of snout expansion in suction feeding seahorses: musculoskeletal force transmission. J Exp Biol 2012; 216:407-17. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.074658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Seahorses and other sygnathid fishes rely on a widening of the snout to create the buccal volume increase needed to suck prey into the mouth. This snout widening is caused by abduction of the suspensoria, the long and flat bones outlining the lateral sides of the mouth cavity. However, it remains unknown how seahorses can generate a forceful abduction of the suspensoria. To understand how force is transmitted to the suspensoria via the hyoid and the lower jaw, we performed mathematical simulations with models based on CT-scans of Hippocampus reidi. Our results show that the hinge joint between the left and right hyoid bars, as observed in H. reidi, allows for an efficient force transmission to the suspensorium from a wide range of hyoid angles, including the extremely retracted hyoid orientations observed in-vivo for syngnathids. Apart from the hyoid retraction force by the sternohyoideus-hypaxial muscles, force generated in the opposite direction on the hyoid by the mandibulohyoid ligament also has an important contribution to suspensorium abduction torque. Forces on the lower jaw contribute only for about 10% of the total suspensorium torque. In particular when dynamical aspects of hyoid retraction are included in the model, a steep increase is shown in suspensorium abduction torque at highly retracted hyoid positions, when the linkages to the lower jaw counteract further hyoid rotation in the sagittal plane. A delayed strain in these linkages allows syngnathids to postpone suction generation until the end of cranial rotation, a fundamental difference from non-syngnathiform fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peter Aerts
- Ghent University; Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
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30
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Carroll AM, Wainwright PC. Scaling of In Vivo Muscle Velocity during Feeding in the Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides (Centrarchidae). Physiol Biochem Zool 2011; 84:618-24. [DOI: 10.1086/662382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Ryerson WG, Deban SM. Buccal pumping mechanics of Xenopus laevis tadpoles: effects of biotic and abiotic factors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 213:2444-52. [PMID: 20581274 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.038976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Biotic factors such as body size and shape have long been known to influence kinematics in vertebrates. Movement in aquatic organisms can also be strongly affected by abiotic factors such as the viscosity of the medium. We examined the effects of both biotic factors and abiotic factors on buccal pumping kinematics in Xenopus tadpoles using high-speed imaging of an ontogenetic series of tadpoles combined with experimental manipulation of the medium over a 10-fold range of viscosity. We found influences of both biotic and abiotic factors on tadpole movements; absolute velocities and excursions of the jaws and hyoid were greater in higher viscosity fluid but durations of movements were unaffected. Smaller tadpoles have relatively wider heads and more robust hyoid muscles used in buccal expansion and compression. Lever arm ratios were found to be constant at all sizes; therefore, smaller tadpoles have relatively higher resolved muscle forces and, like tadpoles in more viscous medium, displayed higher absolute velocities of jaw and hyoid movements. Nonetheless, small tadpoles drew in water at lower Reynolds numbers (Re) than predicted by kinematics, due to negative allometry of the buccal pump. Finally, tadpoles transitioned from a flow regime dominated by viscous forces (Re=2) to an intermediate regime (Re=106).
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Affiliation(s)
- William G Ryerson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
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32
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Davis JL, Santana SE, Dumont ER, Grosse IR. Predicting bite force in mammals: two-dimensional versus three-dimensional lever models. J Exp Biol 2010; 213:1844-51. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.041129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Bite force is a measure of whole-organism performance that is often used to investigate the relationships between performance, morphology and fitness. When in vivo measurements of bite force are unavailable, researchers often turn to lever models to predict bite forces. This study demonstrates that bite force predictions based on two-dimensional (2-D) lever models can be improved by including three-dimensional (3-D) geometry and realistic physiological cross-sectional areas derived from dissections. Widely used, the 2-D method does a reasonable job of predicting bite force. However, it does so by over predicting physiological cross-sectional areas for the masseter and pterygoid muscles and under predicting physiological cross-sectional areas for the temporalis muscle. We found that lever models that include the three dimensional structure of the skull and mandible and physiological cross-sectional areas calculated from dissected muscles provide the best predictions of bite force. Models that accurately represent the biting mechanics strengthen our understanding of which variables are functionally relevant and how they are relevant to feeding performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. L. Davis
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - S. E. Santana
- Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - E. R. Dumont
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - I. R. Grosse
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Carroll AM, Wainwright PC. Energetic limitations on suction feeding performance in centrarchid fishes. J Exp Biol 2009; 212:3241-51. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.033092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Energetic analysis of ecologically relevant behaviors can be useful because animals are energetically limited by available muscle mass. In this study we hypothesized that two major determinants of suction feeding performance, the magnitudes of buccal volumetric expansion and subambient buccal pressure,would be correlated with, and limited by, available muscle mass. At least four individuals of three centrarchid species were studied: largemouth bass(Micropterus salmoides), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Buccal pressure was measured directly via cannulation of the buccal cavity with a catheter-tipped pressure transducer. Buccal expansion was estimated from lateral high-speed video (500 or 1000 Hz) sequences and published data on internal kinematics of largemouth bass. These estimates were calibrated from silicone casts made of the buccal cavity post-mortem. Estimated work and power were found to be significantly correlated with muscle mass over all individuals. The slopes of these relationships, estimates of mass-specific muscle work and power, were found to be 11±2 J kg–1 and 300±75 W kg–1, respectively. These estimates are consistent with observations made of in vivo and in vitro muscle use and with digital particle image velocimetry measurements of water flow in feeding centrarchids. A direct trade-off between mean pressure and change in volume was observed, when the latter was normalized to muscle mass. We conclude that available muscle mass may be a useful metric of suction feeding performance,and that the ratio of muscle mass to buccal volume may be a useful predictor of subambient buccal pressure magnitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Carroll
- Department of Biology, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN 47722,USA
| | - Peter C. Wainwright
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California at Davis, Davis,CA 95616, USA
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Neural control of unloaded leg posture and of leg swing in stick insect, cockroach, and mouse differs from that in larger animals. J Neurosci 2009; 29:4109-19. [PMID: 19339606 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5510-08.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stick insect (Carausius morosus) leg muscles contract and relax slowly. Control of stick insect leg posture and movement could therefore differ from that in animals with faster muscles. Consistent with this possibility, stick insect legs maintained constant posture without leg motor nerve activity when the animals were rotated in air. That unloaded leg posture was an intrinsic property of the legs was confirmed by showing that isolated legs had constant, gravity-independent postures. Muscle ablation experiments, experiments showing that leg muscle passive forces were large compared with gravitational forces, and experiments showing that, at the rest postures, agonist and antagonist muscles generated equal forces indicated that these postures depended in part on leg muscles. Leg muscle recordings showed that stick insect swing motor neurons fired throughout the entirety of swing. To test whether these results were specific to stick insect, we repeated some of these experiments in cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and mouse. Isolated cockroach legs also had gravity-independent rest positions and mouse swing motor neurons also fired throughout the entirety of swing. These data differ from those in human and horse but not cat. These size-dependent variations in whether legs have constant, gravity-independent postures, in whether swing motor neurons fire throughout the entirety of swing, and calculations of how quickly passive muscle force would slow limb movement as limb size varies suggest that these differences may be caused by scaling. Limb size may thus be as great a determinant as phylogenetic position of unloaded limb motor control strategy.
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Carroll AM, Ambrose AM, Anderson TA, Coughlin DJ. Feeding muscles scale differently from swimming muscles in sunfish (Centrarchidae). Biol Lett 2009; 5:274-7. [PMID: 19126527 PMCID: PMC2665818 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2008] [Accepted: 12/03/2008] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The physiological properties of vertebrate skeletal muscle typically show a scaling pattern of slower contractile properties with size. In fishes, the myotomal or swimming muscle reportedly follows this pattern, showing slower muscle activation, relaxation and maximum shortening velocity (V(max)) with an increase in body size. We asked if the muscles involved in suction feeding by fishes would follow the same pattern. We hypothesized that feeding muscles in fishes that feed on evasive prey are under selection to maintain high power output and therefore would not show slower contractile properties with size. To test this, we compared contractile properties in feeding muscles (epaxial and sternohyoideus) and swimming muscle (myotomal) for two members of the family Centrarchidae (sunfish): the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Consistent with our predictions, the V(max) of myotomal muscle in both species slowed with size, while the epaxials showed no significant change in V(max) with size. In the sternohyoideus, V(max) slowed with size in the bluegill but increased with size in the bass. The results indicate that scaling patterns of contractile properties appear to be more closely tied to muscle function (i.e. locomotion versus feeding) than overall patterns of size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Carroll
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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36
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Frequency-dependent power output and skeletal muscle design. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2009; 152:407-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2008] [Revised: 09/12/2008] [Accepted: 11/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Van Wassenbergh S, Roos G, Genbrugge A, Leysen H, Aerts P, Adriaens D, Herrel A. Suction is kid's play: extremely fast suction in newborn seahorses. Biol Lett 2009; 5:200-3. [PMID: 19324657 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing anatomical development typically results in a gradual maturation of the feeding movements from larval to adult fishes. Adult seahorses are known to capture prey by rotating their long-snouted head extremely quickly towards prey, followed by powerful suction. This type of suction is powered by elastic recoil and requires very precise coordination of the movements of the associated feeding structures, making it an all-or-none phenomenon. Here, we show that newborn Hippocampus reidi are able to successfully feed using an extremely rapid and powerful snout rotation combined with a high-volume suction, surpassing that observed in adult seahorses. An inverse dynamic analysis shows that an elastic recoil mechanism is also used to power head rotation in newborn H. reidi. This illustrates how extreme levels of performance in highly complex musculoskeletal systems can be present at birth given a delayed birth and rapid development of functionally important structures. The fact that the head skeleton of newborn seahorses is still largely cartilaginous may not be problematic because the hydrodynamic stress on the rotating snout appeared considerably lower than in adult syngnathids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Van Wassenbergh
- Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerpen, Belgium.
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38
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Holzman R, Collar DC, Day SW, Bishop KL, Wainwright PC. Scaling of suction-induced flows in bluegill: morphological and kinematic predictors for the ontogeny of feeding performance. J Exp Biol 2008; 211:2658-68. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.018853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
During ontogeny, animals undergo changes in size and shape that result in shifts in performance, behavior and resource use. These ontogenetic changes provide an opportunity to test hypotheses about how the growth of structures affects biological functions. In the present study, we ask how ontogenetic changes in skull biomechanics affect the ability of bluegill sunfish, a high-performance suction feeder, to produce flow speeds and accelerations during suction feeding. The flow of water in front of the mouth was measured directly for fish ranging from young-of-year to large adults, using digital particle imaging velocimetry (DPIV). As bluegill size increased, the magnitude of peak flow speed they produced increased, and the effective suction distance increased because of increasing mouth size. However, throughout the size range, the timing of peak fluid speed remained unchanged, and flow was constrained to approximately one gape distance from the mouth. The observed scaling relationships between standard length and peak flow speed conformed to expectations derived from two biomechanical models, one based on morphological potential to produce suction pressure (the Suction Index model) and the other derived from a combination of morphological and kinematic variables (the Expanding Cone model). The success of these models in qualitatively predicting the observed allometry of induced flow speed reveals that the scaling of cranial morphology underlies the scaling of suction performance in bluegill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Holzman
- Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David C. Collar
- Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Steven W. Day
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, 76 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-5604, USA
| | - Kristin L. Bishop
- Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Peter C. Wainwright
- Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Konow N, Sanford CPJ. Is a convergently derived muscle-activity pattern driving novel raking behaviours in teleost fishes? J Exp Biol 2008; 211:989-99. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.013078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYBehavioural differences across prey-capture and processing mechanisms may be governed by coupled or uncoupled feeding systems. Osteoglossomorph and salmonid fishes process prey in a convergently evolved tongue-bite apparatus(TBA), which is musculoskeletally coupled with the primary oral jaws. Altered muscle-activity patterns (MAPs) in these coupled jaw systems could be associated with the independent origin of a novel raking behaviour in these unrelated lineages. Substantial MAP changes in the evolution of novel behaviours have rarely been quantified so we examined MAP differences across strikes, chewing and rakes in a derived raking salmonid, the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Electromyography, including activity onset timing, duration, mean amplitude and integrated area from five feeding muscles revealed significant differences between behaviour-specific MAPs. Specifically, early activity onset in the protractor hyoideus and adductor mandibularis muscles characterised raking, congruent with a recent biomechanical model of the component-mechanisms driving the raking preparatory and power-stroke phases. Oncorhynchus raking MAPs were then compared with a phylogenetically derived osteoglossomorph representative, the Australian arowana, Scleropages jardinii. In both taxa, early onset of protractor hyoideus and adductor mandibularis activity characterised the raking preparatory phase, indicating a convergently derived MAP, while more subtle inter-lineage divergence in raking MAPs resulted from onset-timing and duration differences in sternohyoideus and hypaxialis activity. Convergent TBA morphologies are thus powered by convergently derived MAPs, a phenomenon not previously demonstrated in feeding mechanisms. Between lineages, differences in TBA morphology and associated differences in the functional coupling of jaw systems appear to be important factors in shaping the diversification of raking behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolai Konow
- Department of Biology, 114 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549,USA
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40
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A force-similarity model of the activated muscle is able to predict primary locomotor functions. J Biomech 2008; 41:912-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2007] [Revised: 10/11/2007] [Accepted: 11/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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