This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. Certain traits are thought to promote the diversity of organismal groups. These traits act as evolutionary innovations that allow species access to new biological niches, fueling diversification. Within ray-finned fishes, the most diverse group of vertebrates, a classic example of such a feature is the formation of a second set of jaws that are called pharyngeal jaws. Some species have unique configurations of these jaws, a phenomenon known as pharyngognathy; this condition promotes diversification by allowing access to more types of foods. Pharyngonathy promotes the evolution of the oral jaws for prey capture and the pharyngeal jaws for prey processing. The study will use X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) to capture the complex anatomy of the bones and muscles of the oral and pharyngeal jaws to understand this phenomenon. Scans resulting from this research will be used to generate educational (laboratory) materials that will be used to teach about the diversity of jaws among different fish species. Undergraduates from diverse backgrounds will be recruited to conduct research activities that will also inform the creation of a public museum exhibit at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.
Pharyngognathy, a classic example of an evolutionary innovation, occurs in ray-finned fishes; the pharyngeal jaws of some clades are modified into a second set of highly functional jaws within the throat. It is thought that the decoupling of the oral jaws for prey capture and pharyngeal jaws for prey processing has allowed pharyngognathous fishes access to unique dietary niches, sparking their diversification. This project will train the Fellow in utilizing X-ray computed microCT to capture the complex musculoskeletal morphology of museum specimens as inputs for modelling their functional properties. This research will test if the oral and pharyngeal jaws are functionally decoupled as previously hypothesized and if pharyngognathy provides unique functional benefits that may promote phenotypic and diet evolution by utilizing phylogenetic comparative methods. The Fellow will have the opportunity to work in association with one of the largest fish collections in the world. This will allow the Fellow to develop valuable insights into how evolutionary innovations generate novel functional performance; these findings will be conveyed through research with undergraduates and outreach activities to the public.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
