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Ontogenetic changes in bite force and gape in tufted capuchins
Myra F Laird1, Cláudia Misue Kanno2, Caitlin B Yoakum3
1Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030, USA.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|July 13, 2023
Summary
As primates develop, their bite force and gape increase with body mass and facial width. This study reveals how these feeding performance metrics change in developing tufted capuchins.
Area of Science:
- Primate biology
- Biomechanics
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Bite force and gape are key feeding performance metrics, inversely related due to muscle constraints.
- Understanding developmental changes in these metrics in primates is crucial but largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- Quantify in vivo bite forces and gapes across ontogeny in tufted capuchins.
- Examine relationships between bite force, gape, body mass, and cranial measurements.
- Investigate how bite force and gape relate to food accessibility, particularly for hard-shelled foods.
Main Methods:
- Collected bite force and gape data from 20 captive and semi-wild tufted capuchins (Sapajus spp.).
- Paired feeding data with body mass, photogrammetric cranial measurements (jaw length, facial width), and food properties.
- Analyzed data across an ontogenetic series from juveniles to adults.
Main Results:
- Larger body mass correlated with higher absolute bite forces and gapes.
- Wider faces were associated with absolutely higher bite forces.
- Juveniles exhibited significantly smaller bite forces and gapes compared to subadults and adults.
- Empirically demonstrated gapes for maximum bite force generation and linked them to food accessibility.
Conclusions:
- Tufted capuchin feeding performance metrics (bite force, gape) develop significantly with age and body size.
- These findings provide the first primate data linking bite force, gape, and food accessibility across ontogeny.
- Advances understanding of how primate feeding systems adapt to developmental changes and performance demands.
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