Hit or miss: Functional mechanisms underlying prey capture efficiency in three cordylid lizards

• Published in: Journal of arid environments 2015-09, Vol.120, p.72-74
• Main Authors: Broeckhoven, Chris, Mouton, P. le Fras N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cordylidae; Feeding behaviour; Foraging mode; Prehension mode
• ISSN: 0140-1963; 1095-922X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.04.012

Prey capture is one of the most important behaviours in organisms as it directly determines energy acquisition, which in turn is vital for fitness and survival. The contribution of specific prey capture mechanisms to prey capture efficiency, however, remains largely unresolved, especially in groups where a variety of mechanisms is present, such as lizards. Using three sympatric cordylid lizards as model organisms, we investigated (1) the effect of lingual prehension on prey capture efficiency when feeding on small prey (i.e. termites) and (2) whether in species that use jaw prehension to capture prey, prey capture efficiency decreases with increasing predator-prey size ratio. Prey capture efficiency, defined as the proportion of termites that was captured at first attempt, was higher in the species using lingual prehension than in the similarly-sized species using jaw prehension. In contrast, the two species using jaw prehension had a similar prey capture efficiency, despite differences in body size. The observed variation in prey capture efficiency between lingual and jaw prehension is discussed in the light of foraging mode in lizards. •The effect of prehension mode on prey capture efficiency was investigated in lizards.•Lingual prehension is more efficient than jaw prehension in similarly-sized species.•Prey capture efficiency does not decrease with increasing predator-prey size ratio.•Alternative prey capture mechanisms might increase the efficiency of jaw prehension.•Foraging mode appears to play an important role in the evolution of prehension mode.