Diving behavior of blue-footed boobies Sula nebouxii in northern Peru in relation to sex, body size and prey type

Hybridization between Blue-Footed (Sula nebouxii) and Peruvian (Sula variegate) Boobies in Northern Peru

Waterbirds ◽

10.1675/063.033.0215 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 251-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Scott A. Taylor ◽

Carlos B. Zavalaga ◽

Vicki L. Friesen

Keyword(s):

Sula Nebouxii ◽

Northern Peru

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New beaked whales from the late Miocene of Peru and evidence for convergent evolution in stem and crown Ziphiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.2479 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. e2479 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Giovanni Bianucci ◽

Claudio Di Celma ◽

Mario Urbina ◽

Olivier Lambert

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Late Miocene ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Large Body ◽

Diving Behavior ◽

Species Number ◽

Facial Morphology ◽

Deep Diving ◽

Southeastern Pacific ◽

Beaked Whales

The Ziphiidae (beaked whales) represent a large group of open-ocean odontocetes (toothed cetaceans), whose elusive and deep diving behavior prevents direct observation in their natural habitat. Despite their generally large body size, broad geographical distribution, and high species number, ziphiids thus remain poorly known. Furthermore, the evolutionary processes that have led to their extreme adaptations and impressive extant diversity are still poorly understood. Here we report new fossil beaked whales from the late Miocene of the Pisco Formation (southern Peru). The best preserved remains here described are referred to two new genera and species, the MessinianChavinziphius maxillocristatusand the TortonianChimuziphius coloradensis, based on skull remains from two marine vertebrate-rich localities: Cerro Los Quesos and Cerro Colorado, respectively.C. maxillocristatusis medium sized retains a complete set of functional lower teeth, and bears robust rostral maxillary crests similar to those of the extantBerardius. By contrast,C. coloradensisis small and characterized by large triangular nasals and moderately thickened premaxillae that dorsally close the mesorostral groove. Both species confirm the high past diversity of Ziphiidae, the richest cetacean family in terms of the number of genera and species. Our new phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses depart markedly from earlier studies in dividing beaked whales into two major clades: theMessapicetusclade, which, along with other stem ziphiids, once dominated the southeastern Pacific and North Atlantic; and crown Ziphiidae, the majority of which are found in deep-water regions of the Southern Ocean, with possible subsequent dispersal both globally (MesoplodonandZiphius) and to the cooler waters of the northern oceans (BerardiusandHyperoodon). Despite this relatively clear separation, both lineages seem to follow similar evolutionary trends, including (1) a progressive reduction of dentition; (2) an increase in the compactness and thickness of the rostral bones; (3) similar changes in facial morphology (e.g., elevation of the vertex); and (4) an increase of body size. We suggest that these trends may be linked to a convergent ecological shift to deep diving and suction feeding.

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Body size, body size ratio, and prey type influence the functional response of damselfly nymphs

Oecologia ◽

10.1007/s00442-017-3963-8 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 185 (3) ◽

pp. 339-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Stella F. Uiterwaal ◽

Courtney Mares ◽

John P. DeLong

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Functional Response ◽

Prey Type ◽

Size Ratio

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At-sea movement patterns and diving behavior of Peruvian boobies Sula variegata in northern Peru

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps08490 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 404 ◽

pp. 259-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

CB Zavalaga ◽

JN Halls ◽

GP Mori ◽

SA Taylor ◽

G Dell’omo

Keyword(s):

Movement Patterns ◽

Diving Behavior ◽

Northern Peru ◽

Sula Variegata

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Influence of Body Size and Prey Type on the Willingness of Age-0 Fish to Forage under Predation Risk

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society ◽

10.1577/t09-098.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 139 (4) ◽

pp. 969-975 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Joseph J. Parkos ◽

David H. Wahl

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Predation Risk ◽

Prey Type

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Ontogenetic shift in diet of a large elapid snake is facilitated by allometric change in skull morphology

10.21203/rs.3.rs-853742/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Brenton Patterson ◽

Ashleigh K Wolfe ◽

Patricia A Fleming ◽

Philip W Bateman ◽

Meg Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Full Range ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Prey Type ◽

Postnatal Ontogeny ◽

Shape Variation ◽

Ontogenetic Changes ◽

Skull Morphology ◽

Skull Shape

Abstract As snakes are limbless, gape-limited predators, their skull is the main feeding structure involved in prey handling, manipulation and feeding. Ontogenetic changes in prey type and size are likely to be associated with distinct morphological changes in the skull during growth. We investigated ontogenetic variation in diet from stomach contents of n = 161 dugite specimens (Pseudonaja affinis, Elapidae) representing the full range of body size for the species, and skull morphology of 46 specimens (range 0.25–1.64 m snout-vent-length; SVL). We hypothesised that changes in prey type throughout postnatal ontogeny would coincide with distinct changes in skull shape. Dugites demonstrate a distinct size-related shift in diet: the smallest individuals ate autotomised reptile tails, medium-sized individuals predominantly ate small reptiles (as snakes grew larger there was an increased likelihood of feeding on reptiles head-first), and the largest individuals (> 0.8 m SVL) ate mammals and large reptiles. Morphometric analysis revealed that ~ 40% of the variation in skull shape was associated with body size (SVL). Through ontogeny, skulls changed from a smooth, bulbous cranium with relatively small trophic bones (upper and lower jaws and their attachments), to more rugous bones (as an adaption for muscle attachment) and relatively longer trophic bones that would extend gape. Individual shape variation in trophic bone dimensions was greater in larger adults and this likely reflects natural plasticity of individuals feeding on different prey sizes/types. Rather than a distinct morphological shift with diet, the ontogenetic changes were consistent, but positive allometry of individual trophic bones resulted in disproportionate growth of the skull, reflected in increased gape size and mobility of jaw bones in adults to aid the ingestion of larger prey and improve manipulation and processing ability. These results indicate that allometric scaling is an important mechanism by which snakes can change their dietary niche.

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Diving behavior of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Punta Tombo, Argentina

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z03-142 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 81 (9) ◽

pp. 1471-1483 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Brian G Walker ◽

P Dee Boersma

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Reproductive Success ◽

Body Condition ◽

Temporal Variability ◽

Diving Behavior ◽

Trip Length ◽

Spheniscus Magellanicus ◽

Magellanic Penguins ◽

Foraging Ability ◽

Breeding Seasons

Geographic and temporal variability in the marine environment affects seabirds' ability to find food. Similarly, an individual's body size or condition may influence their ability to capture prey. We examined the diving behavior of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Punta Tombo, Argentina, as an indicator of variation in foraging ability. We studied how body size affected diving capability and how diving varies among years and within breeding seasons. We also compared diving patterns of Magellanic penguins at Punta Tombo with those of birds in two colonies at the opposite end of the species' breeding range. Larger penguins tended to dive deeper and for longer than smaller birds. Trips were longer during incubation and in the years and colonies with lower reproductive success, which suggests that in those instances birds were working hard to recover body condition and feed chicks. Average dive depths, average dive durations, and percentages of time spent diving were always similar. We found that the only parameter these penguins consistently modified while foraging was the length of their foraging trip, which suggests that penguins at Punta Tombo were diving at maximum rates to find their preferred prey. Increasing trip length, we suggest, is a physiologically conservative solution for increasing the likelihood of encountering prey.

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