For a relatively small group, the cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, & their relatives) possess a remarkable morphological and functional diversity. They are the top-level predators in most marine trophic systems, are the oldest living example of mineralized skeletal tissues in vertebrates, and are the most ancestral living jawed vertebrates. Thus, understanding the roots and mechanisms of their morphological, functional, and ecological diversification will provide a critical link in the reconstruction of vertebrate evolutionary history. This symposium, which will be held at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (July 22-27, 2009), will promote an integration of ideas and techniques across multiple disciplines and levels of biological organization, all within the context of the functional morphology of cartilaginous fishes. The symposium participants constitute a diverse group of speakers in terms of gender, geographic origin, as well as career stages, and include members of underrepresented groups in science and engineering. A novel aspect of this symposium is that pairs of participants will develop "state of the field" presentations, and it is anticipated that the integration of numerous functional systems in one symposium will foster an understanding of the parameters unique or common to each system. As the nature of the symposium is synergistic, the event will undoubtedly promote future collaborations as well. Additionally, the symposium will facilitate a transfer of technology and techniques among the speakers and audience through a half-day workshop featuring industry-leading producers of technology used in functional morphology research.
