Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Vervust, B., Brecko, J., & Herrel, A. (2010). Temperature effects on snapping performance in the common snapper chelydra serpentina (reptilia, testudines). Journal of Experimental Biology A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, (early view).
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (12 Dec 2010 20:43:16 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article DOI: 10.1002/jez.650 BibTeX citation key: Vervust2010 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Chelydra, Chelydra serpentina, Chelydridae, Physiologie = physiology, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Brecko, Herrel, Vervust Collection: Journal of Experimental Biology A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology |
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| Abstract |
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Studies on the effect of temperature on whole-animal performance traits other than locomotion are rare. Here we investigate the effects of temperature on the performance of the turtle feeding apparatus in a defensive context. We measured bite force and the kinematics of snapping in the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) over a wide range of body temperatures. Bite force performance was thermally insensitive over the broad range of temperatures typically experienced by these turtles in nature. In contrast, neck extension (velocity, acceleration, and deceleration) and jaw movements (velocity, acceleration, and deceleration) showed clear temperature dependence with peak acceleration and deceleration capacity increasing with increasing temperatures. Our results regarding the temperature dependence of defensive behavior are reflected by the ecology and overall behavior of this species. These data illustrate the necessity for carefully controlling Tb when carrying out behavioral and functional studies on turtles as temperature affects the velocity, acceleration, and deceleration of jaw and neck extension movements. More generally, these data add to the limited but increasing number of studies showing that temperature may have important effects on feeding and defensive performance in ectotherms.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |