Functional morphology of the head of the inertial suction feeding butterflyfish, Chaetodon miliaris (perciformes, chaetodontidae).

The structure and mechanism involved in jaw movements are described for an inertial high-speed suction feeding fish, Chaetodon miliaris. Jaw biomechanics were studied by (1) manipulation of live and fresh-killed specimens, (2) electrical muscle stimulation of anesthetized live specimens, (3) connective tissue severance experiments of fresh-killed and live anesthetized specimens, and (4) cine photography of live unimpaired and surgically impaired specimens. Three couplings appear to be involved in jaw opening: a levator operculi-opercular-interopercular-mandible coupling; and epaxial complex and/or hypaxial/sternohyoideus complex-hyoid apparatus-uncontracted protractor hyoideus-mandible coupling. Jaw opening, protrusion, closing of the protruded mouth, and jaw retraction occur in 60-110 msec. Jaw protrusion coincides with mandible depression during opening of the mouth. Closure of the protruded mouth is apparently the result of contractions of pars A1 and A2 of the adductor mandibulae muscle. Pars A3 and Aw may induce retraction of the jaws in the closed-protruded state. Jaw closure in the retracted, nonprotruded state may involve all branches of the adductor mandibulae. The importance of these findings is discussed in light of previous studies as are some proposed functions of jaw protrusion in this species.