David P. Hocking
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View article: Kinematics of strikes in venomous snakes
Kinematics of strikes in venomous snakes Open
Venomous snakes owe their evolutionary success in part to the effectiveness of their strike. The success of a strike depends on reaching the prey quickly before it startles and has the chance to escape. Here, we present the first ever larg…
View article: Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Trace Elemental Indicators of Life History in Marsupial Teeth
Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Trace Elemental Indicators of Life History in Marsupial Teeth Open
As teeth develop, their mineralised composition is a bio-recorder of diet, environment, and growth. High-resolution elemental mapping provides a tool to reveal records of life history within teeth. The relative concentrations of a range of…
View article: Is a blunt sword pointless? Tooth wear impacts puncture performance in Tasmanian devil canines
Is a blunt sword pointless? Tooth wear impacts puncture performance in Tasmanian devil canines Open
As teeth wear, their shapes change and functional features can be dulled or lost, presumably making them less effective for feeding. However, we do not know the magnitude and effect of this wear. Using Tasmanian devil canines as a case stu…
View article: Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (<i>Hydrurga leptonyx</i>)
Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (<i>Hydrurga leptonyx</i>) Open
While terrestrial breeding in polygynous species of pinnipeds allows for observations of reproductive behavior (Atkinson, 1997), similar opportunities are limited for cryptic, nonpolygynous, aquatic-breeding species. The isolated nature of…
View article: Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the albatross compound bill
Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the albatross compound bill Open
Albatross are the largest seabirds on Earth and have a suite of adaptations for their pelagic lifestyle. Rather than having a bill made of a single piece of keratin, Procellariiformes have a compound rhamphotheca, made of several joined pl…
View article: Supplementary Material E: eBird Range Maps for Wandering, Sooty and Light-mantled Albatross. from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill
Supplementary Material E: eBird Range Maps for Wandering, Sooty and Light-mantled Albatross. from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill Open
eBird Range Maps for Wandering, Sooty and Light-mantled Albatross.
View article: Supplementary Material A - Classifiers & Covariates from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill
Supplementary Material A - Classifiers & Covariates from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill Open
Classifiers and Covariates for each albatross individual.
View article: Supplementary Material C: Pairwise differences in bill shape and size between species. from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill
Supplementary Material C: Pairwise differences in bill shape and size between species. from Intrinsic & extrinsic drivers of shape variation in the Albatross compound bill Open
Pairwise differences in bill shape and size between species. Upper half gives p-values from 1000 permutations in species assignment, with bold indicating significance. Lower half gives distance between species means.
View article: Eye in the sky: observing wild dingo hunting behaviour using drones
Eye in the sky: observing wild dingo hunting behaviour using drones Open
Context The behaviours used by mammalian predators to track, kill, and consume prey are some of the most dynamic interspecific interactions in nature. However, they are often challenging to follow through the landscape and observe directly…
View article: Taking a stab at modelling canine tooth biomechanics in mammalian carnivores with beam theory and finite-element analysis
Taking a stab at modelling canine tooth biomechanics in mammalian carnivores with beam theory and finite-element analysis Open
Canine teeth are vital to carnivore feeding ecology, facilitating behaviours related to prey capture and consumption. Forms vary with specific feeding ecologies; however, the biomechanics that drive these relationships have not been compre…
View article: Drone Observations of Marine Life and Human–Wildlife Interactions off Sydney, Australia
Drone Observations of Marine Life and Human–Wildlife Interactions off Sydney, Australia Open
Drones have become popular with the general public for viewing and filming marine life. One amateur enthusiast platform, DroneSharkApp, films marine life in the waters off Sydney, Australia year-round and posts their observations on social…
View article: Fang shape varies with ontogeny and sex in the venomous elapid snake <i>Pseudonaja affinis</i>
Fang shape varies with ontogeny and sex in the venomous elapid snake <i>Pseudonaja affinis</i> Open
A predator's preferred prey often changes over the course of its life as it grows from an inexperienced juvenile through to a sexually mature adult. For species with highly specialised feeding strategies, this may require its anatomy to ch…
View article: Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in New Zealand Waters Predating on Chondrichthyans
Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in New Zealand Waters Predating on Chondrichthyans Open
Leopard seals ( Hydrurga leptonyx ) are top-order predators that prey on a wide variety of species including crustaceans, cephalopods, fishes, birds, and pinnipeds. While multiple diet studies have been conducted worldwide, there are no pr…
View article: Torn limb from limb: the ethology of prey-processing in Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii)
Torn limb from limb: the ethology of prey-processing in Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) Open
The success of carnivorous mammals is determined not only by their ability to locate and kill prey, but also their efficiency at consuming it. Breaking large prey into small pieces is challenging due to the strong and tough materials that …
View article: Sharp and fully loaded: 3D tissue reconstruction reveals how snake fangs stay deadly during fang replacement
Sharp and fully loaded: 3D tissue reconstruction reveals how snake fangs stay deadly during fang replacement Open
Snake venom is produced, transported and delivered by the sophisticated venom delivery system (VDS). When snakes bite, the venom travels from the venom gland through the venom duct into needle‐like fangs that inject it into their prey. To …
View article: The killer’s toolkit: remarkable adaptations in the canine teeth of mammalian carnivores
The killer’s toolkit: remarkable adaptations in the canine teeth of mammalian carnivores Open
Often the first point of contact between predator and prey, mammalian canine teeth are essential for killing, dismembering and consuming prey. Yet despite their importance, few associations among shape, function and phylogeny are establish…
View article: Wearing the devil down: Rate of tooth wear varies between wild and captive Tasmanian devils
Wearing the devil down: Rate of tooth wear varies between wild and captive Tasmanian devils Open
Mammalian carnivores rely on their sharp teeth to effectively kill and consume prey. However, over time this causes wear and breakage that alters tooth shape, reducing their effectiveness. Extreme tooth wear and damage is especially preval…
View article: Fang evolution in venomous snakes: Adaptation of 3D tooth shape to the biomechanical properties of their prey
Fang evolution in venomous snakes: Adaptation of 3D tooth shape to the biomechanical properties of their prey Open
Venomous snakes are among the world's most specialized predators. During feeding, they use fangs to penetrate the body tissues of their prey, but the success of this penetration depends on the shape of these highly specialized teeth. Here,…
View article: Low elbow mobility indicates unique forelimb posture and function in a giant extinct marsupial
Low elbow mobility indicates unique forelimb posture and function in a giant extinct marsupial Open
Joint mobility is a key factor in determining the functional capacity of tetrapod limbs, and is important in palaeobiological reconstructions of extinct animals. Recent advances have been made in quantifying osteological joint mobility usi…
View article: Additional file 2 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells
Additional file 2 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells Open
Additional file 2: Data S1. Distance and cross-sectional area data for vertebrate teeth, cusps and tooth rows. Taxonomy, specimen number, institution, tooth type/position and measurements of cross-sectional area for 10 distances from tip o…
View article: Additional file 3 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells
Additional file 3 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells Open
Additional file 3: Data S2. Distance and cross-sectional area data for developmental simulations of seal teeth from model by Savriama et al. [41]. Model parameters and measurements of cross-sectional area for 10 distances from tip of tooth…
View article: Additional file 4 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells
Additional file 4 of A universal power law for modelling the growth and form of teeth, claws, horns, thorns, beaks, and shells Open
Additional file 4: Data S3. Distance and cross-sectional area data for non-tooth structures: antlers, beaks, chelicera, claws, hooves, horns, prickles, shells, spine and thorn. Taxonomy, specimen number, institution, structure type and mea…
View article: Prey Capture and Processing in Fur Seals, Sea Lions and the Walrus
Prey Capture and Processing in Fur Seals, Sea Lions and the Walrus Open
Otarioids (fur seals, sea lions and the walrus, Odobenus rosmarus) are an ancient group of marine mammals that have adapted to feeding in water in a variety of ways. Fur seals and sea lions (otariids) primarily feed on fish and cephalopods…
View article: A new large-bodied Pliocene seal with unusual cutting teeth
A new large-bodied Pliocene seal with unusual cutting teeth Open
Today, monachine seals display the largest body sizes in pinnipeds. However, the evolution of larger body sizes has been difficult to assess due to the murky taxonomic status of fossil seals, including fossils referred to Callophoca obscur…
View article: Percussive underwater signaling in wild gray seals
Percussive underwater signaling in wild gray seals Open
Sound plays a crucial role in marine mammal ecology, and has led numerous species to evolve a diverse vocal repertoire (Dudzinski & Gregg, 2017; Winn & Schneider, 1977). Nonvocal auditory behaviors like flipper slaps and breaches are also …
View article: Pliocene monachine seal (Pinnipedia: Phocidae) from Australia constrains timing of pinniped turnover in the Southern Hemisphere
Pliocene monachine seal (Pinnipedia: Phocidae) from Australia constrains timing of pinniped turnover in the Southern Hemisphere Open
A turnover of the pinniped fauna took place in the Southern Hemisphere during the Pliocene, based on evidence from South America and South Africa. This resulted in the extinction of early phocids, which were replaced by otariids dispersing…