Table 1.

Proposed trophic ecomorphological variables and their piscivorous states in crocodylians

Variable	Piscivorous state	Function and performance	Reference
Snout shape	Long and slender	Higher angular velocity of jaw tip during lateral head sweeping and jaw closing, thus favorable for catching small agile prey	Taylor, 1987; Thorbjarnarson, 1990; McHenry et al. 2006
Degree of heterodonty (tooth size disparity)	Less degree of heterodonty (coupled with less undulated jaw margin)	Efficient for detaining relatively docile prey, but inefficient for holding larger prey firmly	Iordansky, 1973; Busbey, 1995
Spacing of teeth	Widely spaced	Striking and impaling prey	Langston, 1973
Tooth count	Increased in number	Increase the chance of catching prey and facilitates transport of the food items towards the pharynx (while inertial feeding)	Busbey, 1995
Tooth shape	Long, slender and recurved	Striking and impaling prey, and maneuvering fish back toward gullet	Langston, 1973; Massare, 1987; Busbey, 1995
Size of STF	Increased	Increased mass of M. pseudotemporalis, which is assciated with rapid but weak jaw adduction	Iordansky, 1964; Endo et al. 2002
Ventral extension of pterygoid flange	Reduced	Reduced mass and moment arm of Mm. pterygoidei dorsalis et ventralis (strong jaw adductors), and reduction in maximal mouth opening	Iordansky, 1964; Endo et al. 2002; Piras et al. 2014
Development of basioccipital tubera	Highly developed and pendulous	Modified neck musculature (M. longissimus capitis profundus and M. rectus capitis anticus major; Tsuihiji 2007) advantageous for head motions during fish eating (e.g. lateral head sweeping)	Langston, 1973
Length of lower jaw symphysis	Elongated	Incur higher strain under loads used for feeding upon large prey	Walmsley et al. 2013

STF, supratemporal fenestra.