Reilly S
J Exp Biol. 1995;198(Pt 3):701-8. doi: 10.1242/jeb.198.3.701.
To examine the extent to which aquatic prey-capture behavior in salamanders is stereotyped and how feeding kinematics scales with size, the ontogenetic variability of aquatic feeding behavior was examined in eight Salamandra salamandra. Feeding kinematics (seven duration and angular displacement variables), kinematic variance and capture performance were quantified and compared in the first several feedings after birth with a series of feedings 8 weeks later, just prior to metamorphosis. Analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant ontogenetic differences in the kinematic variables, and individual differences were found in only two variables (maximum gape angle and gape cycle time). A comparison of the relative kinematic variance within individuals revealed no significant differences in variance during ontogeny. In addition, capture success rate did not change. The strike is significantly faster than that of other salamanders. These results indicate that the initial prey-capture behavior remains unchanged throughout larval ontogeny. Thus, aquatic strike behavior in S. salamandra is developmentally fixed (innate) and does not appear to be influenced by learning or improvement in 'skill', supporting the hypothesis that aquatic salamander feeding is a highly stereotyped, unmodulated behavior. In addition, the lack of kinematic change through ontogeny indicates that feeding kinematics do not scale with body size, contrary to predictions that movements should be slower in larger animals.
为了研究蝾螈的水生猎物捕获行为在多大程度上是刻板的，以及摄食运动学如何随体型变化，对8只火蝾螈的水生摄食行为的个体发育变异性进行了研究。对出生后的最初几次喂食以及8周后（即将变态前）的一系列喂食中的摄食运动学（7个持续时间和角位移变量）、运动学方差和捕获性能进行了量化和比较。方差分析显示，运动学变量在个体发育上没有统计学上的显著差异，仅在两个变量（最大张口角度和张口周期时间）中发现了个体差异。对个体内相对运动学方差的比较显示，在个体发育过程中方差没有显著差异。此外，捕获成功率没有变化。其攻击速度明显快于其他蝾螈。这些结果表明，最初的猎物捕获行为在整个幼体个体发育过程中保持不变。因此，火蝾螈的水生攻击行为在发育上是固定的（先天的），似乎不受学习或“技能”提高的影响，支持了水生蝾螈摄食是一种高度刻板、无调节行为的假设。此外，个体发育过程中缺乏运动学变化表明，摄食运动学并不随体型变化，这与大型动物运动应该更慢的预测相反。
