Editing Amphiuma (section)

=== Jaw muscles ===
[[File:Musculature_of_upper_and_lower_Jaw_in_Amphiuma.jpg|thumb|Musculature of upper and lower Jaw in Amphiuma. Specimen from the Pacific Lutheran University Natural History collection, dissection and photos by Misty Lang and Nina Thach]]

Amphiuma are primarily carnivorous amphibians that consume crayfish, insects, and other small invertebrates. Similar to many [[salamander]]s, the amphiuma has two distinct forms of suction feeding procedures: stationary and strike.<ref name=":0">{{Cite thesis |last=Erdman |first=Susan E. |date=1983 |title=Form and function of the feeding apparatus of ''Amphiuma tridactylum'' |url=https://preserve.lehigh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3330&context=etd |type=MSc thesis |publisher=Lehigh University }}</ref> Stationary suction feeding involve little to no movement where it opens the mouth with buccal expansion but no forward movement of the body.<ref name=":0" /> strike suction is rapid motion where the mouth opens and buccal expansion occurs synchronously leading to a quick attack.<ref name=":0" /> These two feeding habits give the amphiuma the ability to have a larger variety of food (live or dead). amphiuma's ability to displace its jaw to feed means they can consume a large variety of organisms as well. But amphiuma's narrow jaw makes it harder for them to fully consume large prey such as crayfish or mice. In these cases, they will use one of the forms of suction feeding and then rip the prey into pieces until fully consumed.<ref name=":0" /> Small prey will be pulled completely into the mouth before being eaten. Structure of the teeth within the jaw tend to be arched caudal on the head.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hilton |first=William |date=1951 |title=Teeth of salamanders |jstor=27669689 |journal=Herpetologica |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=133–136}}</ref> The muscles of the jaw give them the ability to grab and hold on to prey as well as create a negative pressure to suck in the prey and displace the jaw. Muscles of note in the amphiuma include: the levator mandibulae anterior and levator mandibulae externus, which elevate the lower jaw of the amphiuma while the depressor mandibulae depresses the lower jaw.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|title=Laboratory Anatomy of Necturus|last=Chiasson|first=Robert|publisher=University of Arizona|year=1973|isbn=978-0-697-04605-5|location=Arizona|pages=14–19}}</ref> The intermandubularis works by tensing the mouth floor. The branchiohyoideus and geniohyoideus draws the hyoid arch which causes the suction and displacement.<ref name=":7" />