Does anyone have any information about digestive systems of the gila monster?description, pictures, stories, biology, physiology
Posted by roseswillbloomagain
I don't but I would google it.
Posted by Ryan O
Try these websites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gila_monster
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry/gilamons
http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/gila.html
Posted by ChrisLM
"Variation in Diet
Although helodermatid lizards are specialists on vertebrate nests, they appear to be generalists regarding the kinds of nests they exploit.
A diversity of prey species and sizes has been documented in the diets of Beaded Lizards and Gila Monsters. Although some of these prey items are relatively small lizard and snake eggs, others, such as quail nets and nestling rabbits, are large and provice substantial energy gains per food item. A meal of cottontail nestlings can weigh over one-third the mass of an adult Gila Monster and provide nearly one-third of a Gila Monster's annual energy budget (Beck 1990; chap. 4). Along with these energy benefits come the basic mechanical challenges of swallowing a large meal or a hard-shelled egg. Egg-eating snakes of the genera Dasypeltis and Elachistodon have modifications of the jaws, teeth, skull, and even the vertebrae that allow them to efficiently swallow eggs (Gans 1974). Although helodermatid lizards are not so specialized, they do appear to use a few "tricks" to make eggs go down easier.
Feeding Behavior
How Prey are Eaten
Herrel et al. (1997) describe five stages of H. horridum eating quail eggs: approach, pierce, uptake, crush, and swallow. A Beaded Lizard first locates the egg, both visually and by tongue-flicking, then rises on its front legs and bites the egg with its front teeth, piercing it without breaking it. The piercing bite may be repeated several times, yet the egg remains intact. During the uptake phase, the lizard maneuvers its jaws around the egg by either flicking the egg in the air or pushing it against an object or the ground. The tongue aids in maneuvering the food object into the oral cavity, but the primary force used during the uptake phase is inertia generated by movements of the lizard's head, neck, and jaws. Such a feeding mechanism, called inertial feeding, contrasts with lingual feeding mechanisms (using the tongue to deliver food objects into the mouth) shown by most other lizards (Gans 1969)..."
Not information about the actual digestive system, but information about diet and feeding. This is an excerpt from Daniel D. Beck's new book.
Let me know if you want a photo of a Gila Monster!
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