Impalas (Aepyceros) are basically grazers.
However, unlike other grazing ungulates, they have a narrow muzzle.
How can this anomaly be explained?
RELATIONSHIP TO LAWNS
The relationship of impalas to lawns is somewhat confusing.
Impalas are not lawn-formers and -maintainers in the same sense as wildebeests (Connochaetes) and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).
However, they are
The latter relationship is epiphenomenal, in the sense that impalas congregate in treeless vegetation at night as an anti-predator tactic, and this then tends to lawn the grass.
USE OF THE TONGUE
Impalas resemble the African savanna buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in that they need grass taller than a lawn, for adequate foraging.
However, the reasons differ.
The African savanna buffalo uses its mouth differently from impalas. It has blunt, clumsy lips, but it uses its prehensile tongue to sweep grass into the mouth.
Impalas seem never to extend the tongue more than 1 centimeter during foraging. Instead, they reach into the sward, using the narrow muzzle to select the grass leaves while avoiding the culms.
Comentários
The following show the narrowness of the array of anterior teeth on the lower jaw in Aepyceros, compared to Cervus. The teeth in question are three incisors plus one canine on each side, left and right.
Aepyceros petersi:
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/close-up-of-an-impala-flehming-etosha-national-park-royalty-free-image/139141499?phrase=impala+head&adppopup=true
Cervus elaphus:
https://www.mediastorehouse.com/ardea-wildlife-pets-environment/uk-wildlife/red-deer-stag-scenting-females-close-richmond-8184228.html
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/noble-deer-on-reindeer-farm-feeding-1867754605
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/impala-in-green-grass-after-rain-samburu-county-samburu-news-photo/1835846111?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/impala-aepyceros-melampus-female-mpumalanga-south-royalty-free-image/1473675098?phrase=impala+the+animal&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/impala-female-calling-royalty-free-image/591672744?phrase=impala+the+animal&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/front-view-of-impala-royalty-free-image/90258671?phrase=impala+the+animal&adppopup=true
Dama dama
https://depositphotos.com/photo/deer-muzzle-close-while-animal-feeding-selective-sharpness-focus-deer-594666250.html
MUZZLE WIDTH
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1988.tb01513.x
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-abstract/92/3/267/2658262?login=false
https://www.academia.edu/263857/Correlation_of_Relative_Muzzle_Width_and_Relative_Incisor_Width_With_Dietary_Preference_In_Ungulates
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