Collective effect of damage prevention in taenioglossan radular teeth is related to the ecological niche in Paludomidae (Gastropoda: Cerithioidea).

Abstract The molluscan radula, a thin membrane with embedded rows of teeth, is the structure for food processing and gathering. For proper functioning, radular failures must be either avoided or reduced when interacting with the preferred food, as this might be of high significance for the individual fitness. Thus, the analysis of structural failure in radular teeth could be included in studies on trophic specializations. Here, we tested the failure of non-mineralized, chitinous radular teeth from taxa, belonging to an African paludomid species flock from Lake Tanganyika and surrounding river systems. These species are of high interest for evolutionary biologists since they represent a potential result of an adaptive radiation including trophic specialisations to distinct substrates, the food is attached to. In a biomechanical experiment a shear load was applied to tooth cusps with a force transducer connected to a motorized stage until structural failure occurred. Subsequently broken areas were measured and breaking stress was calculated. As the experiments were carried out under dry and wet conditions, the high influence of the water content on the forces, teeth were capable to resist, could be documented. Wet teeth were able to resist higher forces, because of their increased flexibility and the flexibility of the embedding membrane, which enabled them either to slip away or to gain support from adjacent teeth. This mechanism can be understood as collective effect reducing structural failure without the mineralisation with wear-minimizing elements, as described for Polyplacophora and Patellogastropoda. Since the documented mechanical behaviour of radular teeth and the maximal forces, teeth resist, can directly be related to the gastropod ecological niche, both are here identified as an adaptation to preferred feeding substrates. Statement of significance The radula, a chitinous membrane with teeth, is the molluscan feeding structure. Here we add onto existing knowledge about the relationship between tooth's mechanical properties and species’ ecology by determining the tooth failure resistance. Six paludomid species (Gastropoda) of a prominent species flock from Lake Tanganyika, foraging on distinct feeding substrates, were tested. With a force transducer wet and dry teeth were broken, revealing the high influence of water content on mechanical behaviour and force resistance of teeth. Higher forces were needed to break wet radulae due to an increased flexibility of teeth and membrane, which resulted in an interlocking or twisting of teeth. Mechanical behaviour and force resistance were both identified as trophic adaptations to feeding substrate.