P-26 Relationship of Chewing Rate and Body Mass in West Indian Manatees
Abstract
This study investigates the intraspecific relationship between body mass and chewing cycle duration (CCD) among West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus). We recorded 18 captive manatees of varying body lengths consuming two food types. Additionally, nine manatees were recorded on two separate occasions (2012 and 2018) allowing us to control for individual variation to test whether CCD increases as the manatees grow. CCD was determined from the recordings using Raven Pro 1.5 sound analysis software. We modeled CCD, taking into account body size, food type, and individual variation to test what factors significantly influence CCD.
Location
Buller Hall Lobby
Start Date
3-8-2019 2:30 PM
P-26 Relationship of Chewing Rate and Body Mass in West Indian Manatees
Buller Hall Lobby
This study investigates the intraspecific relationship between body mass and chewing cycle duration (CCD) among West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus). We recorded 18 captive manatees of varying body lengths consuming two food types. Additionally, nine manatees were recorded on two separate occasions (2012 and 2018) allowing us to control for individual variation to test whether CCD increases as the manatees grow. CCD was determined from the recordings using Raven Pro 1.5 sound analysis software. We modeled CCD, taking into account body size, food type, and individual variation to test what factors significantly influence CCD.
Acknowledgments
Supervising Professor: Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske