Kinematics of prey capture in iguanid lizards: comparison between Anolis equestris (Anolinae) and Oplurus cuvieri (Oplurinae).

Prey capture in Anolis equestris MERREM, 1820 and Oplurus cuvieri (GRAY, 1831) involves tongue prehension. Prey capture is a complex motor pattern involving displacements of the body and the head toward the prey related to the gape-tongue cycle. At short distances between the lizard and the prey (less-than-or-equal-to 15 cm), the gape cycle begins prior to or simultaneously with the lizard's displacement toward the prey. At long distances (greater-than-or-equal-to 15 cm), the jaws are always opened after displacement of the lizard toward the prey. The role of the tongue is (1) pressing the prey onto the substratum and (2) retracting the prey into the buccal cavity. Retraction of the tongue is short (about 0.03 s). The gape cycle is divided into four stages : slow opening I (SO I), slow opening II (SO II), fast opening (FO), and fast closing (FC) in both iguanids. In O. cuvieri, SO II is shorter for short prey-lizard distance, and often absent in A. equestris.