Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology
Feeding kinematic studies inform our understanding of behavioral diversity and provide a framework for studying the flexibility and constraints of different prey acquisition strategies. However, little is known about the feeding behaviors used by many marine mammals. We characterized the feeding beh...
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ftcdlib:qt4j80v4j2 2023-05-15T16:06:25+02:00 Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology Kienle, Sarah S Hermann-Sorensen, Holly Costa, Daniel P Reichmuth, Colleen Mehta, Rita S jeb179424 - jeb179424 2018-08-01 application/pdf http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 english eng eScholarship, University of California qt4j80v4j2 http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 public Kienle, Sarah S; Hermann-Sorensen, Holly; Costa, Daniel P; Reichmuth, Colleen; & Mehta, Rita S. (2018). Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 221(15), jeb179424 - jeb179424. doi:10.1242/jeb.179424. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 Prey capture Foraging Pierce feeding Biting Pinniped Marine mammal Biological Sciences Medical And Health Sciences Physiology article 2018 ftcdlib https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.179424 2019-02-22T23:52:15Z Feeding kinematic studies inform our understanding of behavioral diversity and provide a framework for studying the flexibility and constraints of different prey acquisition strategies. However, little is known about the feeding behaviors used by many marine mammals. We characterized the feeding behaviors and associated kinematics of captive bearded (Erignathus barbatus), harbor (Phoca vitulina), ringed (Pusa hispida) and spotted (Phoca largha) seals through controlled feeding trials. All species primarily used a suction feeding strategy but were also observed using a biting strategy, specifically pierce feeding. Suction feeding was distinct from pierce feeding and was characterized by significantly faster feeding times, smaller gapes and gape angles, smaller gular depressions and fewer jaw motions. Most species showed higher variability in suction feeding performance than in pierce feeding, indicating that suction feeding is a behaviorally flexible strategy. Bearded seals were the only species for which there was strong correspondence between skull and dental morphology and feeding strategy, providing further support for their classification as suction feeding specialists. Harbor, ringed and spotted seals have been classified as pierce feeders based on skull and dental morphologies. Our behavioral and kinematic analyses show that suction feeding is also an important feeding strategy for these species, indicating that skull morphology alone does not capture the true diversity of feeding behaviors used by pinnipeds. The ability of all four species to use more than one feeding strategy is likely advantageous for foraging in spatially and temporally dynamic marine ecosystems that favor opportunistic predators. Article in Journal/Newspaper Erignathus barbatus Phoca vitulina Pusa hispida University of California: eScholarship Journal of Experimental Biology |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
English |
topic |
Prey capture Foraging Pierce feeding Biting Pinniped Marine mammal Biological Sciences Medical And Health Sciences Physiology |
spellingShingle |
Prey capture Foraging Pierce feeding Biting Pinniped Marine mammal Biological Sciences Medical And Health Sciences Physiology Kienle, Sarah S Hermann-Sorensen, Holly Costa, Daniel P Reichmuth, Colleen Mehta, Rita S Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
topic_facet |
Prey capture Foraging Pierce feeding Biting Pinniped Marine mammal Biological Sciences Medical And Health Sciences Physiology |
description |
Feeding kinematic studies inform our understanding of behavioral diversity and provide a framework for studying the flexibility and constraints of different prey acquisition strategies. However, little is known about the feeding behaviors used by many marine mammals. We characterized the feeding behaviors and associated kinematics of captive bearded (Erignathus barbatus), harbor (Phoca vitulina), ringed (Pusa hispida) and spotted (Phoca largha) seals through controlled feeding trials. All species primarily used a suction feeding strategy but were also observed using a biting strategy, specifically pierce feeding. Suction feeding was distinct from pierce feeding and was characterized by significantly faster feeding times, smaller gapes and gape angles, smaller gular depressions and fewer jaw motions. Most species showed higher variability in suction feeding performance than in pierce feeding, indicating that suction feeding is a behaviorally flexible strategy. Bearded seals were the only species for which there was strong correspondence between skull and dental morphology and feeding strategy, providing further support for their classification as suction feeding specialists. Harbor, ringed and spotted seals have been classified as pierce feeders based on skull and dental morphologies. Our behavioral and kinematic analyses show that suction feeding is also an important feeding strategy for these species, indicating that skull morphology alone does not capture the true diversity of feeding behaviors used by pinnipeds. The ability of all four species to use more than one feeding strategy is likely advantageous for foraging in spatially and temporally dynamic marine ecosystems that favor opportunistic predators. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kienle, Sarah S Hermann-Sorensen, Holly Costa, Daniel P Reichmuth, Colleen Mehta, Rita S |
author_facet |
Kienle, Sarah S Hermann-Sorensen, Holly Costa, Daniel P Reichmuth, Colleen Mehta, Rita S |
author_sort |
Kienle, Sarah S |
title |
Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
title_short |
Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
title_full |
Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
title_fullStr |
Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
title_sort |
comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 |
op_coverage |
jeb179424 - jeb179424 |
genre |
Erignathus barbatus Phoca vitulina Pusa hispida |
genre_facet |
Erignathus barbatus Phoca vitulina Pusa hispida |
op_source |
Kienle, Sarah S; Hermann-Sorensen, Holly; Costa, Daniel P; Reichmuth, Colleen; & Mehta, Rita S. (2018). Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 221(15), jeb179424 - jeb179424. doi:10.1242/jeb.179424. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 |
op_relation |
qt4j80v4j2 http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4j80v4j2 |
op_rights |
public |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.179424 |
container_title |
Journal of Experimental Biology |
_version_ |
1766402312724545536 |