Asymptotic prey profitability drives star-nosed moles to the foraging speed limit
Asymptotic prey profitability drives star-nosed moles to the foraging speed limit
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DOI：
10.1038/nature03250
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发表时间：
2005-02-03
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Remple, FE
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Catania, KC;Remple, FE
觅食理论提供了预测捕食者饮食选择的模型，假设自然选择有利于捕食者在觅食过程中最大化能量摄入率（1-6）。猎物的盈利能力（获得的能量除以猎物处理时间）是估计最佳饮食的一个重要变量。捕获和消耗猎物的时间限制通常会导致处理时间从几分钟到几秒钟不等，但当处理时间接近零时，盈利能力会急剧增加，这为在高遭遇率下增加捕食者速度提供了强大的方向选择潜力（速度的微小增量显着增加盈利能力，允许扩大较小猎物的饮食）。我们提供的证据表明，不寻常的解剖和行为的专业化特点星鼻鼹鼠导致逐步加强选择的速度，允许逐步增加小猎物到他们的饮食。在这里，我们报告处理时间短至120毫秒（平均227毫秒）的鼹鼠识别和吃猎物。在识别猎物的过程中，星鼻鼹鼠的“双重反应”表明，它们已经达到了处理触觉信息的速度极限。星鼻鼹鼠异常的速度，加上不寻常的专门寻找和吃微小的猎物，为最佳觅食理论提供了新的支持。
Foraging theory provides models for predicting predator diet choices assuming natural selection has favoured predators that maximize their rate of energy intake during foraging(1-6). Prey profitability ( energy gained divided by prey handling time) is an essential variable for estimating the optimal diet. Time constraints of capturing and consuming prey generally result in handling times ranging from minutes to seconds, yet profitability increases dramatically as handling time approaches zero, providing the potential for strong directional selection for increasing predator speed at high encounter rates ( tiny increments in speed increase profitability markedly, allowing expanded diets of smaller prey). We provide evidence that the unusual anatomical and behavioural specializations characterizing star-nosed moles resulted from progressively stronger selection for speed, allowing the progressive addition of small prey to their diet. Here we report handling times as short as 120 ms (mean 227 ms) for moles identifying and eating prey. 'Double takes' during prey identification suggest that star-nosed moles have reached the speed limit for processing tactile information. The exceptional speed of star-nosed moles, coupled with unusual specializations for finding and eating tiny prey, provide new support for optimal foraging theory.