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Raptorial jaws in the throat help moray eels swallow large prey

Author

Listed:
  • Rita S. Mehta

    (Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, USA)

  • Peter C. Wainwright

    (Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, USA)

Abstract

Up in the mouth Most fish capture their prey by opening their mouths, sucking them in and then processing them with 'pharyngeal' jaws, a second set of jaws, derived from the gill skeleton, that lies deep within the throat. Moray eels, though, have a problem. Despite being rapacious predators, they are too long and narrow for conventional suction mechanisms to work. So instead of sucking food down to the pharyngeal jaws, these jaws project forward into the mouth cavity and seize the prey — an innovation that may have contributed to the success of morays as reef predators. It all sounds rather spectacular, so it's worth watching the movie on http://tinyurl.com/2ybys3 .

Suggested Citation

  • Rita S. Mehta & Peter C. Wainwright, 2007. "Raptorial jaws in the throat help moray eels swallow large prey," Nature, Nature, vol. 449(7158), pages 79-82, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:449:y:2007:i:7158:d:10.1038_nature06062
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06062
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