Raptor talon shape and biomechanical performance are controlled by relative prey size but not by allometry.

ABSTRACT: Most birds of prey (raptors), rely heavily on their talons for capturing prey. However, the relationship between talon shape and the ability to take prey is poorly understood. In this study we investigate whether raptor talons have evolved primarily in response to adaptive pressures exerted by different dietary demands, or if talon morphology is largely constrained by allometric or phylogenetic factors. We focus on the hallux talon and include 21 species in total varying greatly in body mass and feeding ecology, ranging from active predation on relatively large prey to obligate scavenging. To quantify the variation in talon shape and biomechanical performance within a phylogenetic framework, we combined three dimensional (3D) geometric morphometrics, finite element modelling and phylogenet

SUBMITTER: Tsang LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6506530 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature