I am a postdoctoral researcher at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
As a PhD student I studied evolutionary biology at the University of California, Berkeley in Charles Marshall's lab.
I use bone histology, morphology, and phylogenetics to explore the origins of living birds and mammals in the fossil record.
In a bigger sense, I investigate the links between animals' life history and the origin of major changes in the history of life leading to the establishment of ecosystems as we see them today. Life History - the series of changes and events that an organism goes through during its lifetime - is an integral component of what makes a species unique, connecting the inherited genes to the individual undergoing selection. Histology provides a unique way to access this process even through deep time.
Explore some of my work and collaborations with the links below!
As a PhD student I studied evolutionary biology at the University of California, Berkeley in Charles Marshall's lab.
I use bone histology, morphology, and phylogenetics to explore the origins of living birds and mammals in the fossil record.
In a bigger sense, I investigate the links between animals' life history and the origin of major changes in the history of life leading to the establishment of ecosystems as we see them today. Life History - the series of changes and events that an organism goes through during its lifetime - is an integral component of what makes a species unique, connecting the inherited genes to the individual undergoing selection. Histology provides a unique way to access this process even through deep time.
Explore some of my work and collaborations with the links below!
Pacific Ecosystems and
Marine Mammal Evolution
The marine ecosystems of the Pacific are an excellent window into an enormous transition: the mammalian return to the sea.
I work with collaborators on both coasts, primarily focusing on pinnipeds, but with more work coming soon on marine ecosystems and dugongs.
Future work will integrate histology to explore the growth of whales and pinnipeds as they adapted to their oceanic way of life.
Work on the terrestrial systems just on shore provides links to understanding past ecosystems and the geologic evolution of the entire Pacific Coast.
I work with collaborators on both coasts, primarily focusing on pinnipeds, but with more work coming soon on marine ecosystems and dugongs.
Future work will integrate histology to explore the growth of whales and pinnipeds as they adapted to their oceanic way of life.
Work on the terrestrial systems just on shore provides links to understanding past ecosystems and the geologic evolution of the entire Pacific Coast.
Archosaur Evolution
Dinosaurs and pterosaurs and their kin largely defined the terrestrial ecosystems of the Mesozoic. Understanding their diversity and life histories allows us to not only understand their world, but to illuminate how it differed from and ultimately led to our own.
WulongA new species of feathered theropod from China adds to our knowledge of diversity and life history of early dromaeosaurs. Histology is particularly informative, showing that other ways of determining "adult" status may not be useful.
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Carnivorous dinosaur from Western ChinaThe first microraptorine dinosaur from Gansu Province uncovers connections between Eastern and Western China during the early Cretaceous.
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Dinosaur with internal eggsBridging archosaur evolution with reproduction, a new specimen informs us about dinosaur egg -laying and life history.
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Eggs and Reproduction
Mammals don't lay hard-shelled eggs like dinosaurs, so we need to find another way to learn about the evolution of their reproduction.
Fortunately, many mammals have a bone used in reproduction: the os penis or baculum (females may have an os clitoris).
Two ongoing projects seek to better understand this strange and important bone:
Fortunately, many mammals have a bone used in reproduction: the os penis or baculum (females may have an os clitoris).
Two ongoing projects seek to better understand this strange and important bone:
- Histological investigation of bacula in carnivores and rodents is revealing a new source for information on life history, and
- Work led by colleague Daniel Latorre using morphometrics, investigates their distinctiveness and role in speciation.