9405537 Vermeij PI will examine evolution and function of labral spines in gastropods, Oligocene to Recent, including experiments on modern gastropods and systematics of the studied groups. Many attributes of organisms are interpretable as adaptations that enhance an individual's competitive ability or defensive performance; under what conditions do such adaptations evolve and spread? This study will test the hypothesis that enemy-related adaptations of marine species mainly arose in lineages found in warm, productive waters. The work will contribute to an understanding of biological escalation and serve as an example of the integrated approach to answering fundamental questions in evolutionary biology, and of the macroeconomic perspective on the history of life.
