Bigger fish jaws create drag that slows prey-catching speed.
Evidence
Jaw dimensions affect individual performance in two contexts: swallowing prey and catching prey in the first place. Larger jaws are definitely better for ingesting bigger and more diverse prey. But they are selected against due to the drag they incur as they’re pushed through the water. For many open-water predatory fish, natural selection for faster swimming speed acts in the opposite direction from selection for swallowing larger prey. Because the same fish must accomplish both tasks, the result is functional but unspectacular jaws and teeth, and modestly proportioned weapons. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 95
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Jaw length trades bite force against bite speed across carnivore species.; Predator weapons stay small because larger ones hinder hunting — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 83
Related
- Jaw length trades bite force against bite speed across carnivore species. (similarity 0.89)
- Loss of pursuit hunting drives evolution toward heavier jaws and teeth (similarity 0.83)
- Predator weapons stay small because larger ones hinder hunting (similarity 0.83)
- Jaw shape trades off between bite force and bite speed (similarity 0.82)
- Ambush predators depend on appendage speed more than body speed (similarity 0.81)
- Hyena jaw geometry trades closing speed for bone-crushing force (similarity 0.79)
Broader Connections
- Predator weapons stay small because larger ones hinder hunting
#corroborates(0.70) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 83