Suction feeding biomechanicsMy PhD thesis work is examining the mechanics and evolution of successful suction feeding in early actinopterygian fishes. By using X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM) in the labs of Mark Westneat and Callum Ross I'm able to precisely reconstruct how cranial bones move during a feeding strike in a live animal. I'm focusing on Polypterus bichir and Amia calva with the goals of understanding the mechanics of jaw opening and primary bony drivers of volumetric expansion in the oral cavity. These two groups have a single lower jaw opening system thought to be driven only by hyoid motion, unlike most other fishes which use two different linkage systems to depress the jaw. Additionally, we're developing a method of iterative bone freezing to quantify the degree to which each skeletal element contributes to successful suction feeding.
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Locomotor mechanics of walking in lungfishesIn collaboration with Michael Granatosky, JD Laurence-Chasen, and Samantha Gartner, I've designed a series of projects examining the limb-like gait of lungfish. One of our goals is to understand how similar lungfish walking mechanics are to tetrapods, and whether they might be used as an analog for early fishes when they started walking underwater as part of the fin-to-limb transition. Using force-plate data, XROMM, and contrast-enhanced CT we are quantifying lungfish hindlimb function in unprecedented detail. We also hope to uncover properties of the functional "foot" lungfish make when walking.
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Anglerfish genotype-phenotype interactionsIn collaboration with the Mika lab I am exploring body and fin morphologies driving anglerfish diversity and habitat depth. We are currently assembling existing genomes and exploring connections between this dataset and head, fin, and body shape. Dr. Mika's lab is leading genomic analysis to understand the molecular effects of hydrostatic pressure. In coming years, I hope to expand this research beyond dry specimen work in two ways. First, by bringing frogfish into the lab I can analyze their swimming and feeding kinematics. Second, we are seeking funding to explore anglerfish ecology, habitat size, and behavior in the wild with a series of fieldwork trips.
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Swimming performance of knifefishDuring my Master’s in the Oufiero lab I investigated what it means to be a “knifefish”, a term used to describe non-monophyletic fishes that undulate an elongated ventral fin like a ribbon to produce thrust. Previous research proposed that this should be beneficial to maneuvering; therefore, I decided to test their ability to accelerate, cruise, and sprint by recording escape responses, sprint speeds, and metabolic rates of five knifefish and two closely related body-caudal fin swimmers. My work demonstrated that all knifefish have similar sprint speeds and energy consumption despite varying body dimensions and lack of common phylogenetic history.
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