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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology

Influence of Habitat Use on Prey Capture Behavior and Kinematics in the Pyrenean Brook Newt ( Calotriton asper )

  • Noah Heier1
  • Isabelle Toussaint‐Lardé1,2,3
  • Olivier Guillaume4
  • Anthony Herrel1,2,5,6
  • Anne‐Claire Fabre2,3,7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS Paris France
  2. 2Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern Bern Switzerland
  3. 3Institute of Ecology & Evolution, Universität Bern Bern Switzerland
  4. 4Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale (SETE), UAR2029 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Moulis France
  5. 5Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates Ghent University Ghent Belgium
  6. 6Department of Biology University of Antwerp Wilrijk Belgium
  7. 7Department of Life Sciences Natural History Museum London UK
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Abstract

Consequently, many cave dwellers show extreme adaptations such as the loss of eyes, depigmentation, and a low resting metabolic rate. Yet, how the initial stages of adaptation to these extreme environments take place remains poorly understood. Calotriton asper is a species of salamander that is ideal to understand the initial stages of adaptation to underground environments. This species presents two genetically distinct morphotypes that live either in surface streams or in cave streams, yet without showing obvious morphological differences. Here, we test for differences in the capacity to locate prey and differences in feeding kinematics between cavedwelling and surface-dwelling populations under different light conditions. To do so, we quantified prey location ability using a Y-maze and filmed animals capturing prey using high-speed video cameras, both in light and in full darkness. Our results show that animals change capture style and exploration behavior in function of light conditions suggesting an intrinsic plasticity in the species allowing it to feed in both environments. However, the kinematics of capture suggest population-specific behaviors allowing cave-dwellers to be more efficient in capturing prey under total darkness.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{heier2026influence,
  title = {{Influence of Habitat Use on Prey Capture Behavior and Kinematics in the Pyrenean Brook Newt ( Calotriton asper )}},
  author = {Noah Heier and Isabelle Toussaint‐Lardé and Olivier Guillaume and Anthony Herrel and Anne‐Claire Fabre},
  journal = {Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1002/jez.70131},
  url = {https://hal.science/hal-05763679v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Influence of Habitat Use on Prey Capture Behavior and Kinematics in the Pyrenean Brook Newt ( Calotriton asper )
AU  - Noah Heier
AU  - Isabelle Toussaint‐Lardé
AU  - Olivier Guillaume
AU  - Anthony Herrel
AU  - Anne‐Claire Fabre
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/14
JO  - Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology
DO  - 10.1002/jez.70131
UR  - https://hal.science/hal-05763679v1
AB  - Consequently, many cave dwellers show extreme adaptations such as the loss of eyes, depigmentation, and a low resting metabolic rate. Yet, how the initial stages of adaptation to these extreme environments take place remains poorly understood. Calotriton asper is a species of salamander that is ideal to understand the initial stages of adaptation to underground environments. This species presents two genetically distinct morphotypes that live either in surface streams or in cave streams, yet without showing obvious morphological differences. Here, we test for differences in the capacity to locate prey and differences in feeding kinematics between cavedwelling and surface-dwelling populations under different light conditions. To do so, we quantified prey location ability using a Y-maze and filmed animals capturing prey using high-speed video cameras, both in light and in full darkness. Our results show that animals change capture style and exploration behavior in function of light conditions suggesting an intrinsic plasticity in the species allowing it to feed in both environments. However, the kinematics of capture suggest population-specific behaviors allowing cave-dwellers to be more efficient in capturing prey under total darkness.
SN  - 2471-5638
SN  - 2471-5646
ER  -