DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Biochemical and Neuromuscular Basis of Prey Capture Behavior in Flatfishes

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9623627 Lauder Natural selection is believed to maintain symmetry in vertebrate jaws because any deviation from symmetry would negatively affect the ability to acquire food. Yet, as adults, flatfish have morphologically asymmetrical jaws and might exhibit asymmetrical prey capture. This project will determine if and how functional asymmetry is produced in two flatfish species using high-speed video analysis, morphological description, electromyography, and three- dimensional modeling of jaw mechanisms. Preliminary results indicate that one flatfish species produces asymmetrical gape and bending of the jaws out of the midline during prey capture. However, another species does not experience jaw bending or asymmetrical gape. This project will focus on modifying current two-dimensional models to produce three- dimensional models which can accurately predict functional asymmetry. Models generated will be used in the future to predict prey capture behavior in other flatfishes and applied to symmetrical fishes to gain a better understanding of the three-dimensional nature of prey capture mechanisms. This project will add to our understanding of morphological diversity, and related diversity in the capture of prey, that can exist in an important group of organisms.