Home Page
Bone of the Week
Each week at the end of our lab group meeting, we hear a short 15 minute presentation on cool skeletal and evolutionary features of different organisms, interesting skeletal diseases, or other topics broadly related to people's general curiosity about biology and the history of life on earth.
Topics are chosen, researched, and presented by all lab members on a rotating basis. A sampling of recent topics is shown below.
Last update: 6/24/2008
Topic  Presenter  Date  Links
Bonobos Andrew Norman 7/25/2008  
Spades, shovels, and scapulae Terry Capellini 6/27/2008  
Defecation dive bombing in thrushes Craig Miller 6/20/2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdrl__ggV9k
Genetics of human height David Kingsley 6/13/2008  
Sleep variation in animals Emily Wu 6/6/2008  
Sea snakes Brian Summers 5/30/2008  
The fatty ape Xinhong Lim 5/23/2008  
Why do vertebrates use calcium phosphate instead of calcium carbonate for skeletons? Kate Guenther 5/16/2008  
The lungless frog of Borneo Doug Menke 5/9/2008  
"Pimp my branchial arch" during chordate evolution Mike Bell 5/2/2008  
Body size dimorphism in A. afarensis Phil Reno 4/25/2008  
Animals of the Tibetan plateau Haili Zhang 4/18/2008  
The Harpy Eagle Mike McLaughlin 4/11/2008  
Darwin's termite Steve Arnott 4/4/2008  
Clavicles Vahan Indjeian 3/28/2008  
Bones in voodoo Frank Chan 3/14/2008  
Colugos, soaring animals, & human wingsuits Andrew Norman 2/22/2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4USp_r91js http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHlOvhlKPvs&feature=related
Primate digit length variation Abe Bassan 2/15/2008  
Magneto-reception in bacteria, fish, turtles, birds (and humans?) Alex Pollen 2/8/2008  
Parallel evolution of lactase persistance in humans David Kingsley 1/25/2008 http://www.ajhg.org/AJHG/abstract/S0002-9297(07)00018-3
Supernumerary teeth Craig Miller 1/11/2008  
The Illicium (Part II) Brian Summers 1/4/2008 http://www.tolweb.org/Thaumatichthyidae
Griffin legends & Protoceratops Kate Guenther 12/14/2007 http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythiccreatures/land/griffin.php
The emerald cockroach wasp Doug Menke 12/7/2007  
Display of ovulation status in primates Phil Reno 11/16/2007 http://www.unm.edu/~gfmiller/cycle_effects_on_tips.pdf
Keels on fish (and ships) Felicity Jones 11/9/2007  
Crustless crustaceans Mike McLaughlin 11/2/2007  
Salt adaptations in marine, freshwater, and terrestial animals Haili Zhang 10/26/2007  
A new marine polychaete, the "pig butt" worm Steve Arnott 10/19/2007 http://www.mbari.org/news/homepage/2007/pworm.html
Cognitive skills of chimps vs. human babies Hao Chen 10/5/2007  
Evolution of social cooperation Vahan Indjeian 9/28/07  
Gallbladder variation and development George Yang 9/21/07  
Stick insects Frank Chan 9/14/07  
Sexual dimorphism in elephant seals Andrew Norman 8/31/07  
Species hybrids and tales of divergent love Alex Pollen 8/24/07  
Population size, genome size, and selection in prokaryotes and complex animals Abe Bassan 8/10.2007  
Kit ligand and adult skin color Craig Miller 8/3/2007  
C6 ventral processes and the longus colli muscle David Kingsley 7/20/2007  
Cone snails (aka cone shells) Brian Summers 7/6/2007 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/venomcure/video3.html
Human elbow joint Hao Chen 6/22/2007  
Gigantoraptor Kate Guenther 6/15/2007  
Evolution of bipedalism in humans Phil Reno 6/8/2007  
Bot flies Mike McLaughlin 6/1/2007  
Remaining functions for abortive hindlimb development in whales? Doug Menke 5/18/2007  
Giant pandas and evolution of vegetarianism Haili Zhang 4/6/2007  
Mimicry of other organisms by octopi Christie Ham 3/30/2007  
Turtle shells and the carapacial ridge Frank Chan 3/16/2007  
Skeletal modifications in the Norwegian Lundehound Mike McLaughlin 2/23/2007  
Crypsis, feeding, and poison production by stonefish Brian Summers 2/16/2007  
Susceptibility of different joints to osteoarthritis Hao Chen 2/9/2007  
Structure and evolution of metatarsals Phil Reno 2/2/2007  
Skeletons of famous cartoon charactors Kate Guenther 1/19/2007  
Reverse countershading in upside-down fish Craig Miller 1/12/2007  
Killer bees Sarita Balabhadra 1/5/2007  
Origin of umbilical cord in vertebrate evolution Doug Menke 12/15/2006  
Psuedopenis in snails and fish Steve Arnott 12/1/2006  
Invertebrate and vertebrate eyes Haili Zhang 11/17/2006  
Countershading in fish and mammals David Kingsley 11/10/2006  
Ligers and Tigons Frank Chan 11/3/2006  
Extinct Megafauna of Australia David Kingsley 10/27/2006 A single postcard from Coonabarabran.
Stickleback male behavior Vahan Indjeian 10/13/2006  
Amazing sound mimicry in Lyrebirds Craig Miller 9/15/2006 One of most popular David Attenborough clips of all time
Amazing escape behavior of trap jaw ants Kate Guenther 9/8/2006 Don't miss this video!!
Forelimb modifications in mantis shrimp Mike McLaughlin 9/1/2006  
Bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw Brian Summers 8/25/2006  
Racial differences in knee structure Hao Chen ???  
Molecular biology of spider web evolution Anne Knecht 6/30/2006  
Tiktaalik and early tetrapods Mike Shapiro 4/6/2006  
Skin gland modifications in hippos Brian Summers 3/31/2006  
Hair whorl patterns in humans Craig Miller 3/24/2006  
Thinking and counting in dolphins and birds Luiz Pantalena-Filho 2/17/2006  
Earliest Trex fossil Anne Knecht 2/10/2006  
Most common athletic injuries to knees Hao Chen 12/16/2005  
Human tooth ornamentation ??? 11/18/2005  
Pangolins Doug Menke 11/11/2005  
Antlers in cervids Melissa Marks 11/4/2005  
Pygopodids Mike Shapiro 10/28/2005  
Os penis development Hari Reddi 10/21/2005  
Cymothoid crustaceans and morphological novelty through parasitism Brian Summers 10/14/2005  
The Illicium Craig Miller 10/5/2005  
Convergent evolution of swimming shapes Haili Zhang 9/16/2005  
Giant pandas Sarita Balabhadra 9/9/2005 http://sadiegozoo.org/zoo/ex_panda_station.html
Genetics of tomato domestication Anne Knecht 8/26/2005  
Long ear cats Luiz Pantalena-Filho 8/19/2005  
Limb reduction in eels Doug Menke ???  
Madagascar Aye Ayes and echolocation in primates Sarita Balabahadra ??  
Otoliths as life cycle records in fish Steve Arnott ??  
Sea pens Mike McLaughlin 8/2/2005  
Flying lizards Frank Chan 7/26/2005  
How smart are African Gray Parrots? Hao Chen 7/1/2005 http://www.funlol.com/funpages/einstein-the-parrot.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050711013845.htm
Skeletal evidence for ancient origin of antibiotics Kate Guenther 6/17/2005  
Fluorosis Kyle Gurley 6/10/2005  
Predator prey arms race in newts and snakes Melissa Marks 5/20/2005  
Parthenogenesis in whiptail lizards Mike Shapiro 5/6/2005  
Nonvocal sound generation in manakins Brian Summers 4/22/2005 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/deepjungle/episode1_bostwick.html
Parthinogenesis in whiptail lizards Mike Shapiro 5/6/2005  
Hothead and non-Mendelian inheritance Craig Miller 4/15/2005 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7032/full/nature03380.html
Cephalopod crypsis Luiz Pantalena-Filho 4/1/2005  
The Black Death and AIDS Resistance Anne Knecht 3/25/2005  
Osteogenesis imperfecta Mike McLaughlin 3/18/2005  
Flatfish and developmental asymmetry Frank Chan 3/11/2005  
Bening Vertigo Sarita Balabhadra 2/18/2005  
Mammalian hindlimb reduction David Kingsley 2/11/2005  
Recent selection of ancient haplotypes in humans Kate Guenther 2/4/2005  
Lice and the origin of modern humans Mike Shapiro? 1/28/2005  
Lungless salamanders Doug Menke 1/14/2005  
Regeneration in vertebrates Kyle Gurley 1/7/2005  
Extinct Megafauna of Australia Mike Shapiro 12/10/2004  
Canine tooth evolution in artiodactyls Brian Summers 12/3/2004  
Jaw modifications in breeding salmon David Kingsley 11/24/2004  
Homo floresiensis Craig Miller 11/5/2004  
Hybridization of Lupines Anne Knecht 10/14/2004  
Phasmids (Walking Sticks) Doug Menke 9/3/2004  
Parasitic male worms and anglerfish Mike Shapiro 8/6/2004  
Head transplants Craig Miller 7/23/2004  
Snakehead fish Sarita Balabhadra 7/20/2004  
Osteoporosis and Homocysteine Anne Knecht 5/28/2004  
Digit Modification in Prosimians Brian Summers 5/21/2004  
Fossil record of limb loss in mammals David Kingsley 4/23/2004  
Wing Reduction in Flightless Birds Doug Menke 4/2/2004  
Buegers disease Sarita Balabhadra 3/26/2004  
Lump suckers Craig Miller 3/12/2004  
Dupuytrens contracture syndrome Mike McLaughlin 2/20/2004  
Sandrow-Laurin polydactyly Kim Hoseman 2/13/2004  
Hyoid bone of the howler monkey Mike Shapiro 2/6/2004  
Ball pythons Anne Knecht 1/30/2004  
Structural modifications of the singing toadfish Kate Guenther 1/23/2004  
Human head deformities Brian Summers 12/19/2003  
Biomechanics of rib morphology in different animals David Kingsley 11/21/2003  
Genetics of pumpkins Melissa Marks 10/31/2003  
Golden-rumped elephant shrew Doug Menke 10/24/2003  
Carp scale genetics Craig Miller 10/17/2003  
Bones on Brian's honeymoon Brian Summers 9/19/2003  
Sleep apnea Sarita Balabhadra 9/12/2003  
Naked mole rats Mike Shapiro 8/26/2003  
Evolution of body size dimorphism in humans Kate Guenther 8/15/2003  
Cocaine origin Hao Chen 7/25/2003  
QWERTY and alternative keyboards Luiz Pantalena-Filho 7/3/2003  
Sirenia Brian Summers 6/19/2003  
Sound directionality in small animals Melissa Marks 6/6/2003  
Candiru Part II: Life and legend of the bloodsucking catfish Craig Miller 5/23/2003  
Feeding modifications in the abyss Charlie 5/16/2003  
Bunions Doug Menke 5/9/2003  
Sky burial in Tibet Mike McLaughlin 5/2/2003  
Familial Ossificans Progressiva Luiz Pantalena-Filho 4/18/2003  
Skull modifications in woodpeckers Kyle Gurley 4/11/2003  
Marsupials Hao Chen 4/4/2003  
Brood parasitism in birds Kate Guenther 3/21/2003  
Tapirs Sarita Balabhadra 3/7/2003  
Spider wasps Mike Shapiro 3/3/2003  
Ear morphology in La Mancha goats Kim Hoseman 2/21/2003  
Sperm competition in guppies Melissa Marks 2/14/2003  
Heart failure Pam Colosimo 1/31/2003  
Candiru : the parasitic catfish Craig Miller 1/24/2003  
Lemmings Doug Menke 1/17/2003  
Narwals Mike 12/20/2002  
Heterotopic ossification Luiz Pantalena-Filho 12/13/2002  
Smallest skeletons Ryan Rountree 11/26/2002  
Wishbones Ben Blackman 11/22/2002  
Indian muntjac Kim Hoseman 11/15/2002  
Parasaurolophus vocalization Kyle Gurley 11/8/2002  
Osteoarthritis Hao Chen 11/1/2002  
Corsets Helen Cha 10/25/2002  
Appendage development in the star-nosed mole David Kingsley 10/11/2002  
Seahorses and pipefish Sarita Balabhadra 10/4/2002  
Use of endangered species in traditional medicines Kate Guenther 9/27/2002  
Aging Mike Shapiro 9/20/2002  
Neonatal Neanderthal skeleton Melissa Marks 9/13/2002 http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/a_tree.html
Cestodes Pam Colosimo 9/6/2002  
Cichlid mouth adapatations Mike McLaughlin 8/30/2002  
Marfan syndrome Luiz Pantalena-Filho 8/23/2002  
The golden ratio in faces, bodies, and architecture Ryan Rountree 8/9/2002  
How to find a fossil Mike Shapiro 8/2/2002  
Evolution of grassland and salt marsh harvest mice Ben Blackman 7/26/2002  
Bone loss in space Doug Mortlock 7/19/2002  
Adaptation to high altitudes Katie Peichel 6/26/2002  
Skates and rays Kyle Gurley 6/12/2002 http://www.reefquest.com/topics/manta.htm
Hox genes and whale evoluton David Kingsley 6/7/2002 http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/95/26/15446.pdf
My vacation in France, bones and all Kate Guenther 5/31/2002  
Tall grass prairies Melissa Marks 5/24/2002  
Chemical and behavioural communication in fish and bees Pam Colosimo 5/17/2002  
Snake jaws Mike Shapiro 5/1/2002  
Total knee replacement Ryan Rountree 4/26/2002 www.swarminteractive.com
www.sulzerorthopedics.com
Sexual conflict Ben Blackman 4/12/2002  
Sexual selection Katie Peichel 3/29/2002  
Coral reefs Kyle Gurley 3/15/2002  
Cherubs Helen Cha 3/8/2002  
Vertebral modifications of the Ugandan Hero Shrew David Kingsley 3/1/2002 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/hero.htm
Origin of domestic dog Kate Guenther 2/22/2002  
Mammals of Madagascar Melissa Marks 2/15/2002  
Cheetahs Pam Colosimo 2/1/2002  
Human ear length Ryan Rountree 1/25/2002  
Origin of The Jolly Roger Mike "Aargh" Shapiro 1/18/2002  
Origin of bone Ben Blackman 1/11/2002  
Giant squid Doug Mortock 1/4/2002  
Venomous animals Katie Peichel 12/21/2001  
Ear and hyoid bone modifications in caracals Kyle Gurley 12/14/2001  
Cattle domestication and uses Helen Cha 12/7/2001  
The goblin shark Kate Guenther 11/30/2001 www.reefquest.com
Parasitoids Melissa Marks 11/9/2001  
Anthrax Pam Colosimo 11/2/2001  
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum Ryan Rountree 10/12/2001 http://www.rosicrucian.org/museum/index.html
Human cannibalism Mike Shapiro 10/5/2001  
Beatrix Potter Ben Blackman 9/28/2001  
Whale evolution Doug Mortlock 9/21/2001 Thewissen lab home page
The Clouded Leopard Kyle Gurley 9/14/2001 http://www.cathaven.com
Overfishing Katie Peichel 9/7/2001  
Platypus Katya 8/31/2001  
Carp coloration Lior 8/17/2001  
Scottish fold cats Helen Cha 8/10/2001  
Titanosaurs Kate Guenther 8/3/2001  
Catfish barbels, spines,and armor Pam Colosimo 7/27/2001  
Bats Kris Nereng 7/13/2001 Batcon.org
Glaucoma Cathy Thut 7/6/2001  
Titan arum: "corpse flower"