MAmmalian morphology: function, Ecology, and evolution

My research program is driven by one overarching but multifaceted question: how do selective pressure, functional demands, development, and phylogenetic history interact to produce mammalian musculoskeletal morphologies? On this page you’ll find a selection of past and current projects that fall under this topical umbrella… and new projects and collaborations are manifesting all the time! Click on the images to learn more about each project. Images with a green asterisk in the corner denote a collaboration with one or more students. For more stuff, take a look at my CV!

The Challenges of living small: skeletal function in the tiniest mammals

Deciphering the Weird: Scutisorex

Dissertation research: Mammalian paleoecology and ecomorphology

Living small in the clouds: Philippine rodent bone function

Living small in the clouds: Philippine rodent bone functional morphology

Madrean Sky Island Biodiversity

Burrowing Bones: functional morphology of Peromyscus bone

A few of the linear measurements I took on 429 skulls from 51 species of sciurids; Smith et al. 2018.

Eyeball Ecomorphology

Can you dig it? Claw shape and mammalian digging

Zoo Versus Wild: How does captivity affect the skleleton?

Energy Dispersive Diffraction of pathological Xenarthra

 

Field Work and mammalogy collections

I love to experience the excellence of mammals in the field and through museum collections! Below please find a gallery of various field projects and specimen prep I have done, and evidence of my intense enthusiasm for the animals I study.