title: Cranial adaptations for feeding on snails in species of Sibynomorphus (Dipsadidae: Dipsadinae).
abstract: Neotropical "goo-eating" dipsadine snakes display a set of morphological and histo-chemical adaptations linked to the capture of their soft-bodied, viscous invertebrate prey. Within this group, species from the genus Sibynomorphus feed chiefly on snails and slugs. Here, we analyzed a series of skull and mandible characters in S. mikanii, S. neuwiedi and S. turgidus using geometric morphometrics, with the aim of assessing morphological adaptations related to slug- and snail-feeding in that genus. We further compared the results with Leptodeira annulata, a species that feeds on vertebrates. To evaluate shape differences of the skull and mandible between species we performed a multivariate analysis of variance and a linear discriminant analysis. Our results show that the narrow, elongate skull in S. mikanii may help with slug ingestion, while asymmetry in teeth number and mandibular shape in S. neuwiedi and S. turgidus are likely related to snail feeding.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Herpetologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral 1901, CP 399, 66017-970, Belém, Brazil. Electronic address: mary_meireles@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marina Meireles
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Herpetologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral 1901, CP 399, 66017-970, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Magalhães
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Museu Biológico, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil 21500, 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hingst-Zaher
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia-Genética, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio Andrade
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Nazaré, 481, 04263-000, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hussam El Dine
authors.initials: HED
authors.lastname: Zaher
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Herpetologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral 1901, CP 399, 66017-970, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia da Costa
authors.initials: ALDC
authors.lastname: Prudente
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D012908:Snails; D012911:Snakes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Convergence; Dipsadinae; Geometric morphometrics; Malacophagy; Sibynomorphus