Durophagous biting in sea otters (<i>Enhydra lutris</i>) differs kinematically from raptorial biting of other marine mammals

Timm-Davis, Lori L.; Davis, Randall W.; Marshall, Christopher D.

doi:10.1242/jeb.162966

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 90 publications

(127 reference statements)

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“…Another North Pacific innovation with large ripple effects was the in situ evolution of durophagy, defined as the predation of hard-shelled animals by means of breakage or other extractive techniques. The most important durophages in the North Pacific are large mammals, beginning with Kolponomos in the Late Oligocene [6] and followed successively by walruses (Odobenidae) and the extinct sea-lion genus Gomphotaria [7,8] during the Late Miocene, and the sea otter Enhydra during the Pliocene [9,10]. In each of these lineages, durophagy is a derived condition evolving from more raptorial modes of predation on more active prey.…”

Section: (A) North Pacific Innovationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative biogeography: innovations and the rise to dominance of the North Pacific biota

Vermeij

2018

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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The North Pacific is the largest cold-water source of lineages spreading to other modern marine temperate biotas. How this status was achieved remains unclear. One hypothesis is that functional innovations of large effect, defined as departures from the norm in temperate clades and which confer competitive or defensive benefits, increase resource availability, and raise performance standards in the biota as a whole, evolved earlier and more frequently in the North Pacific than elsewhere in the temperate zone. In support of this hypothesis, phylogenetic and fossil evidence reveals 47 temperate marine innovations beginning in the latest Eocene, of which half arose in the North Pacific. Of the 22 innovations of large effect, 13 (39%) evolved in the North Pacific, including basal growth in kelps and bottom-feeding herbivory and durophagy in mammals. Temperate innovations in the Southern Hemisphere and the North Atlantic appeared later and were less consequential. Most other innovations arose in refuges where the risks of predation and competition are low. Among temperate marine biotas, the North Pacific has the highest incidence of unique innovations and the earliest origins of major breakthroughs, five of which spread elsewhere.

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Section: (A) North Pacific Innovationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative biogeography: innovations and the rise to dominance of the North Pacific biota

Vermeij

2018

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…A biting feeding strategy is characterized by prey being seized by the jaws and/or teeth and is divided into three subcategories: crushing, grip and tear feeding, and pierce feeding. Crushers break and reduce hard-shelled prey into pieces using powerful jaws and teeth (Riedman and Estes, 1990;Timm-Davis et al, 2017). Grip and tear feeders capture prey with powerful teeth, limbs and/or jaws, shake or rip prey apart and then consume the prey in pieces (King, 1983;Stirling, 1990;Hocking et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology

Kienle

Hermann-Sorensen

Costa

et al. 2018

Journal of Experimental Biology

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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 (), harbor (), ringed () and spotted () 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.

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“…By manipulating prey using its dexterous forelimbs, Enaliarctos would have been able to control which teeth it used during processing, allowing it to either cut or tear its prey. An interesting parallel of this is found in sea otters ( Enhydra lutris ) which use crushing molars to crack open hard-shelled prey, while soft prey is torn between their anterior teeth and forelimbs [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clawed forelimbs allow northern seals to eat like their ancient ancestors

et al. 2018

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Streamlined flippers are often considered the defining feature of seals and sea lions, whose very name ‘pinniped’ comes from the Latin pinna and pedis, meaning ‘fin-footed’. Yet not all pinniped limbs are alike. Whereas otariids (fur seals and sea lions) possess stiff streamlined forelimb flippers, phocine seals (northern true seals) have retained a webbed yet mobile paw bearing sharp claws. Here, we show that captive and wild phocines routinely use these claws to secure prey during processing, enabling seals to tear large fish by stretching them between their teeth and forelimbs. ‘Hold and tear’ processing relies on the primitive forelimb anatomy displayed by phocines, which is also found in the early fossil pinniped Enaliarctos. Phocine forelimb anatomy and behaviour therefore provide a glimpse into how the earliest seals likely fed, and indicate what behaviours may have assisted pinnipeds along their journey from terrestrial to aquatic feeding.

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Durophagous biting in sea otters (Enhydra lutris) differs kinematically from raptorial biting of other marine mammals

Cited by 6 publications

References 90 publications

Comparative biogeography: innovations and the rise to dominance of the North Pacific biota

Comparative biogeography: innovations and the rise to dominance of the North Pacific biota

Comparative feeding strategies and kinematics in phocid seals: suction without specialized skull morphology

Clawed forelimbs allow northern seals to eat like their ancient ancestors

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