The relationship between skull morphology, biting performance and foraging mode in Kalahari lacertid lizards

摘要: Lizards are a diverse clade in which one radiation consists entirely of sit-and-wait foragers and another wide foragers. utilizing these two foraging modes known to differ diet, but little is about how feeding morphology relates diet and/or mode. This study tested the hypothesis that skull biting performance related preference, consequently, coevolve with Four species lacertid lizard were studied because they vary mode, their phylogenetic relationships well ecologically. Using an ‘ecomorphological’ approach, quantified mapped on phylogeny for species. The results indicate have shorter, wider skulls than species, all significantly different overall head shape. had similar values performance; however, clear patterns covariation not present between either or morphology. Thus, influence mode Instead it likely other factors such as seasonal prey availability life history strategy shape decisions. © 2004 Linnean Society London, Zoological Journal Society, 2004, 140, 403‐416. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: bite force ‐ functional Lacertidae mapping.