The rostral micro-tooth morphology of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans
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The rostral micro-tooth morphology of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans. / Pacher, Korbinian; Breuker, Michael; Hansen, Matthew J.; Kurvers, Ralf H.J.M.; Häge, Jan; Dhellemmes, Felicie; Domenici, Paolo; Steffensen, John F.; Krause, Stefan; Hildebrandt, Thomas; Fritsch, Guido; Bach, Pascal; Sabarros, Philippe S.; Zaslansky, Paul; Mahlow, Kristin; Müller, Johannes; Armas, Rogelio González; Ortiz, Hector Villalobos; Galván-Magaña, Felipe; Krause, Jens.
In: Journal of Fish Biology, Vol. 104, No. 3, 2024, p. 713-722.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The rostral micro-tooth morphology of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans
AU - Pacher, Korbinian
AU - Breuker, Michael
AU - Hansen, Matthew J.
AU - Kurvers, Ralf H.J.M.
AU - Häge, Jan
AU - Dhellemmes, Felicie
AU - Domenici, Paolo
AU - Steffensen, John F.
AU - Krause, Stefan
AU - Hildebrandt, Thomas
AU - Fritsch, Guido
AU - Bach, Pascal
AU - Sabarros, Philippe S.
AU - Zaslansky, Paul
AU - Mahlow, Kristin
AU - Müller, Johannes
AU - Armas, Rogelio González
AU - Ortiz, Hector Villalobos
AU - Galván-Magaña, Felipe
AU - Krause, Jens
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Billfish rostra potentially have several functions; however, their role in feeding is unequivocal in some species. Recent work linked morphological variation in rostral micro-teeth to differences in feeding behavior in two billfish species, the striped marlin (Kajikia audax) and the sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus). Here, we present the rostral micro-tooth morphology for a third billfish species, the blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), for which the use of the rostrum in feeding behavior is still undocumented from systematic observations in the wild. We measured the micro-teeth on rostrum tips of blue marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish using a micro–computed tomography approach and compared the tooth morphology among the three species. This was done after an analysis of video-recorded hunting behavior of striped marlin and sailfish revealed that both species strike prey predominantly with the first third of the rostrum, which provided the justification to focus our analysis on the rostrum tips. In blue marlin, intact micro-teeth were longer compared to striped marlin but not to sailfish. Blue marlin had a higher fraction of broken teeth than both striped marlin and sailfish, and broken teeth were distributed more evenly on the rostrum. Micro-tooth regrowth was equally low in both marlin species but higher in sailfish. Based on the differences and similarities in the micro-tooth morphology between the billfish species, we discuss potential feeding-related rostrum use in blue marlin. We put forward the hypothesis that blue marlin might use their rostra in high-speed dashes as observed in striped marlin, rather than in the high-precision rostral strikes described for sailfish, possibly focusing on larger prey organisms.
AB - Billfish rostra potentially have several functions; however, their role in feeding is unequivocal in some species. Recent work linked morphological variation in rostral micro-teeth to differences in feeding behavior in two billfish species, the striped marlin (Kajikia audax) and the sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus). Here, we present the rostral micro-tooth morphology for a third billfish species, the blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), for which the use of the rostrum in feeding behavior is still undocumented from systematic observations in the wild. We measured the micro-teeth on rostrum tips of blue marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish using a micro–computed tomography approach and compared the tooth morphology among the three species. This was done after an analysis of video-recorded hunting behavior of striped marlin and sailfish revealed that both species strike prey predominantly with the first third of the rostrum, which provided the justification to focus our analysis on the rostrum tips. In blue marlin, intact micro-teeth were longer compared to striped marlin but not to sailfish. Blue marlin had a higher fraction of broken teeth than both striped marlin and sailfish, and broken teeth were distributed more evenly on the rostrum. Micro-tooth regrowth was equally low in both marlin species but higher in sailfish. Based on the differences and similarities in the micro-tooth morphology between the billfish species, we discuss potential feeding-related rostrum use in blue marlin. We put forward the hypothesis that blue marlin might use their rostra in high-speed dashes as observed in striped marlin, rather than in the high-precision rostral strikes described for sailfish, possibly focusing on larger prey organisms.
KW - billfish
KW - blue marlin
KW - micro-tooth morphology
KW - rostrum
U2 - 10.1111/jfb.15608
DO - 10.1111/jfb.15608
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37987173
AN - SCOPUS:85178227219
VL - 104
SP - 713
EP - 722
JO - Journal of Fish Biology
JF - Journal of Fish Biology
SN - 0022-1112
IS - 3
ER -
ID: 379166633