Using cone beam <scp>CT</scp> scans to reveal headfirst ingestion and possible prey manipulation tactics in sawsharks

Burke, Patrick J.; Williamson, Jane E.

doi:10.1111/jfb.14692

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Following head-first capture of prey in engulfers, prey processing was not observed for engulfers that ‘‘engulf”’ their prey whole and head-first. A preference for head-first ingestion of prey by piscivorous fishes has been recorded in several studies ( Hoyle and Keast 1988 ; Mihalitsis and Bellwood 2017 ; Burke and Williamson 2021 ). Given that appendages on prey (spines, fin rays, scales, and opercula) tend to lay flat when prey is oriented head-first during ingestion, oesophageal abrasion arising from these structures is reduced during swallowing ( Reimchen 1991 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Forensic odontology: Assessing bite wounds to determine the role of teeth in piscivorous fishes

Muruga

Bellwood

Mihalitsis

2022

Integrative Organismal Biology

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Teeth facilitate the acquisition and processing of food in most vertebrates. However, relatively little is known about the functions of the diverse tooth morphologies observed in fishes. Piscivorous fishes (fish-eating fish) are crucial in shaping community structure and rely on their oral teeth to capture and/or process prey. However, how teeth are utilised in capturing and/or processing prey remains unclear. Most studies have determined the function of teeth by assessing morphological traits. The behaviour during feeding however, is seldom quantified. Here, we describe the function of teeth within piscivorous fishes by considering how morphological and behavioural traits interact during prey capture and processing. This was achieved through aquarium-based performance experiments, where prey fish were fed to 12 species of piscivorous fishes. Building on techniques in forensic odontology, we incorporate a novel approach to quantify and categorise bite damage on prey fish that were extracted from piscivore stomachs immediately after being ingested. We then assess the significance of morphological and behavioural traits in determining the extent and severity of damage inflicted on prey fish. Results show that engulfing piscivores capture their prey whole and head-first. Grabbing piscivores capture prey tail-first using their teeth, process them using multiple headshakes and bites, before spitting them out, and then re-capturing prey head-first for ingestion. Prey from engulfers sustained minimal damage, whereas prey from grabbers sustained significant damage to the epaxial musculature. Within grabbers, headshakes were significantly associated with more severe damage categories. Headshaking behaviour damages the locomotive muscles of prey, presumably to prevent escape. Compared to non-pharyngognaths, pharyngognath piscivores inflict significantly greater damage to prey. Overall, when present, oral jaw teeth appear to be crucial for both prey capture and processing (immobilisation) in piscivorous fishes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Forensic odontology: Assessing bite wounds to determine the role of teeth in piscivorous fishes

Muruga

Bellwood

Mihalitsis

2022

Integrative Organismal Biology

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“…Saws are multifunctional and primarily used for hunting and feeding. They stun or kill prey through rapid, lateral strikes and manipulate it towards the mouth, sometimes by pinning it to the substrate (Wueringer et al, 2012a;Nevatte et al, 2017;Burke & Williamson, 2021). They are also covered in hundreds of sensory organs, the ampullae of Lorenzini, that detect the electric fields emitted by prey (Wueringer et al, 2011(Wueringer et al, , 2012b(Wueringer et al, , 2021.…”

Section: Saws and Their Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pristification: Defining the convergent evolution of saws in sharks and rays (Chondrichthyes, Neoselachii)

GREENFIELD

2024

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Convergent evolution is the development of analogous structures or bauplans in at least two independent lineages of organisms. Convergence is driven by the occupation of similar ecological niches and by various physical and phylogenetic constraints (McGhee, 2011). Despite the wide recognition of this phenomenon in evolutionary biology, formal terms and definitions for specific examples are rare. The most notable is carcinisation, which refers to the appearances of a crab-like bauplan among crustaceans (Keiler et al., 2017). Here the term ‘pristification’ is proposed for the convergence of saws in sharks and rays. It was coined previously in a preliminary publication (Greenfield, 2021a) but is formally defined for the first time. Not only does it highlight a remarkable convergent structure, but it also serves as a template for future terminology.

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“…bite wounds from males (Pratt and Carrier 2001;Ritter and Amin 2019)] and this may also be true for sawsharks. While their mating behaviour has not been observed, the toothed rostrum used by sawsharks for sensing, capturing, and manipulating prey (Nevatte et al 2017b;Burke and Williamson 2021;Wueringer et al 2021) could inflict injuries when copulating.…”

Section: Multiple Paternitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many aspects of the biology of these species remain poorly known, with detailed investigations having occurred only in recent years. These include studies of age and growth (Raoult et al 2017;Burke et al 2020b), trophic ecology and possible feeding behaviour (Raoult et al 2015;Nevatte et al 2017b;Burke and Williamson 2021), movement and population structure (Burke et al 2020a;Nevatte et al 2021), and sensory systems (Nevatte et al 2017a;Wueringer et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First evidence of multiple paternity and hybridisation in Australian sawsharks

2023

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Context. Knowledge of sawshark reproductive biology is limited to general parameters such as reproductive mode and litter size. The mating system is currently unknown. Aim. To test for multiple paternity in the common (Pristiophorus cirratus) and southern (Pristiophorus nudipinnis) sawshark and investigate the occurrence of hybridisation between these two species. Methods. Pups from a single litter of each species and an adult P. nudipinnis displaying mismatches in its morphology and mitochondrial DNA were genotyped with nuclear single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Multiple paternity was assessed using pairwise relatedness and sibship analysis, and hybridisation was examined using three approaches (principal-component analysis, admixture analysis and clustering with NewHybrids). Key results. Multiple paternity was detected in both species, with two males siring the seven-pup litter in P. cirratus and two males siring the twopup litter in P. nudipinnis. Hybridisation between the two species was also confirmed, with the mismatched adult identified as a first-generation hybrid. Conclusions. The mating system of sawsharks involves polyandry, and hybridisation between the two co-occurring Australian species is possible. Implications. These results provide new information on sawshark reproductive biology and highlight the need for combined use of mitochondrial and nuclear markers in future genetic studies involving these species.

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Using cone beam CT scans to reveal headfirst ingestion and possible prey manipulation tactics in sawsharks

Cited by 6 publications

References 28 publications

Forensic odontology: Assessing bite wounds to determine the role of teeth in piscivorous fishes

Forensic odontology: Assessing bite wounds to determine the role of teeth in piscivorous fishes

Pristification: Defining the convergent evolution of saws in sharks and rays (Chondrichthyes, Neoselachii)

First evidence of multiple paternity and hybridisation in Australian sawsharks

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