Research
Learn more about our research projects.
Ontogeny and Allometry of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina)
Sexual size dimorphism is a widespread phenomenon in mammals and reflects important evolutionary, ecological, and functional processes. However, the timing and mechanisms underlying the emergence of these differences during growth remain poorly understood, particularly in marine mammals. Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) exhibit relatively subtle dimorphism, making them an ideal model for investigating how developmental processes shape skeletal variation.
The aim of my research is to investigate the ontogeny and allometry of sexual size dimorphism in the humerus and femur of Phoca vitulina. This study focuses on how bone morphology changes across life stages and how sex-specific differences develop over time, with particular emphasis on identifying sex-specific ontogenetic trajectories and their implications for the emergence of sexual dimorphism. The project integrates high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) with three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyze bone shape, trabecular architecture, and cross-sectional properties.
By combining morphometric and biomechanical approaches, this research aims to determine when sexual dimorphism emerges and to understand its functional significance in relation to locomotion and ecological adaptation in marine mammals.
Unravelling Early Stages in the Evolution of Cursorial Mammals
It has been established that cursorial traits in large herbivorous mammals, while enabling fast locomotion, are primarily an adaptation for energy-efficient long-distance locomotion. But 75-55 million years ago, the first members of ungulate groups were small and lived in what was likely open canopy forests.
This project is investigating these early stages in the evolution of cursoriality in mammals. We use an integrated approach, combining collection based morphometrics of fossils and extant “microcursorials”, in situ Range of motion- analyses, and in vivo experiments of extant species. The biomechanical and morpho-functional properties of extant microcursorials are key in understanding the early stages of cursorial evolution.
Therefore, these properties will be quantified and used to infer adaptational pressures acting on the ancestors of modern-day ungulates.
Evolutionary Morphology of the Pectoral Girdle of Temnospondyli
Locomotion is crucial for tetrapods to forage, disperse, and reproduce. Previous work on the early evolutionary history of tetrapods focused primarily on the functional significance of limbs and particularly on the fin-to-limb-transition. However, the role of the pectoral girdle is extremely important for the understanding of the adaptive morphological changes related to the evolution of terrestrial locomotion. The aim of my research is to study the evolutionary morphology of the pectoral girdle of Temnospondyli, a group of tetrapods that lived from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Cretaceous, inhabiting different environments and ecological niches. This study will involve the construction of a virtual dataset of 3D models of pectoral girdle bones belonging to different species. The dataset will be the basis for a 3D geometric morphometric analysis in order to build a 3D phylomorphospace. Subsequently, this dataset will be leveraged in computational modelling approaches to further explore the form-function relationship of the pectoral region of Temnospondyli to gain insight into their locomotor mechanics.
Funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG)
Functional Morphology, Locomotion, and Evolution of the Rodent Locomotor Apparatus
In this project we combine collection-based analysis of bone shape (3D-geometric morphometrics and bone microstructure) and dissections of cadavers (muscle architecture) with in in-vivo motion analysis (x-ray motion analysis, ground reaction force measurements) to gain insight into the evolution of sciuromorph rodents. Specific focus is laid on the evolutionary framework using phylogenetically informed comparative methods.
Image Usage in Publications in the Field of Vertebrate Morphology
Images are important tools for morphologists and technological advances often allow for addressing questions in new ways. For this project we first build up a database of images that were published in the Journal of Morphology and relate to vertebrate morphology. In subesquent analyses of the historic and epistemic dimensions of these images we intend to gain insight into how images are used to introduce knew morphological knowledge and how it is disseminated between experts.
