Research in my lab focuses on the evolution, systematics, functional morphology, and biogeography of various marine mammals especially cetaceans.  Projects currently being pursued include the anatomy and evolution of locomotion in walruses, the comparative anatomy and evolution of suction feeding in cetaceans, CT analysis of the odontocete lower jaw and sound reception, and the anatomy and evolution of baleen.  My research is currently funded by NSF (Systematic Biology) and I am accepting MS students and Ph.D.  students (Joint Ph.D. program in Evolutionary Biology with UCR to begin Fall, 2009).

CT analysis of the lower jaw in odontocetes: implications for sound reception

Celia Barroso’s MS thesis (co-chaired by Ted Cranford) involves examination the odontocete lower jaw, an important component in sound reception.  She will study the evolution of mandibular shape across the Odontoceti using x-ray CT and geometric morphometrics.  The catalyst for this study is the recent discovery (Cranford et al. 2008) that sounds are received through an "open door" of bone on the posteriomedial aspect of the mandibles.

The comparative anatomy and evolutionary history of suction feeding in cetaceans with emphasis on the gray whale

Cassie Johnston’s MS thesis is a study of the comparative anatomy and evolution of suction feeding in cetaceans based on dissection and osteology.

Anatomy and Evolution of Walrus Locomotion

Josh Yonas' MS thesis will investigate fore and hind limb osteology in the walrus using dissection, x-ray and MRI imaging.  The evolution of locomotion in fossil and modern walruses and other pinnipeds will be considered.

Anatomy and Evolution of Baleen

            New graduate student (Fall, 2008) Samantha Young is developing a MS project that will consider the anatomy (histology and SEM) of baleen and its evolution.

Killer whale Dissection SDSU, April, 2008

(from left: L. Hall (undergraduate), C. Austin (undergraduate), N. Ossereh (undergraduate), T. Cranford, Terry Wagner (Navy medic),A. Berta, C. Johnston.

Killer whale Dissection SDSU, April, 2008

(from left: A. Berta, C. Johnston, J. Reidenberg (Mt Sinal Medical School), and

T. Deméré)

FORMER MS STUDENTS

Peter Adam padam@ucla.edu

Peter’s MS research involved mapping feeding and locomotor characters onto a phylogeny of pinnipeds.  Peter earned a Ph.D. in 2007 from the University of California, Los Angeles and he is an Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, North West Missouri State University, Maryville, Missouri.

Morgan Churchill     mmcjawa@yahoo.com

Morgan completed a MS in 2007.  His research was a comprehensive morphological study of balaenoid phylogeny including extant species and several well known fossil taxa.  He also evaluated the origin and diversification of balaenoids through time in the context of a phylogenetic framework.  Morgan is a Ph.D. student in the Clementz lab at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.

Lisa Cooper lisa1225cooper@yahoo.com

Lisa completed a MS in 2004.  Her research was an evaluation of the phylogenetic and functional significance of the forelimb in mysticetes.  In addition to forelimb osteology, the soft tissue anatomy of several extant species were examined using dissection and histology.  Lisa is a Ph.D. student in the Thewissen lab at Kent State University, Ohio.

Liliana Fajardo-Mellor lulu_fajardo@hotmail.com

            Liliana completed a MS in 2005.  Her research was a comprehensive morphological study of phocoenids (porpoises) including extant species and a few well know fossil species.  She also considered the origin and diversification of phocoenids through time within the context of the phylogenetic framework.  Liliana is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.

Carrie Fyler caroline.fyler@uconn.edu

            Carrie completed a MS in 2003.  Her research was a phylogenetic analysis of monk seals using molecular sequence data.  This phylogenetic framework was then used to consider the historical biogeography of the group.  Carrie is a Ph.D. student in the Caira lab at the University of Connecticut.

Frances Johnson franjohnson03@yahoo.com

Fran completed a MS in 2007.  Her research was a phylogenetic study of living South American foxes based on morphology (cranial, dental, postcranial, soft anatomical characters) using. parsimony and Bayesian analyses.  The origin and radiation of South American foxes was considered in an ecologic and evolutionary context.  Fran is a part-time instructor in the Biology Dept teaching Human Anatomy.  She plans to apply to Veterinary school in the fall.

Mandy Keogh mandyk@alaskasealife.org

            Mandy completed a MS in 2006. Her research involved comparative histological examination of the corpus callosum morphometry (relative size, fiber density) in representative odontocetes consider in both phylogenetic and functional contexts. 

Mandy is a Ph.D. student in the Atkinson lab at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Michael McGowen mmcgo002@student.ucr.edu

            Michael (Rocky) completed a MS in 2005.  His research mapped characters related to feeding morphology, behavior and diet onto a phylogeny of mysticetes.  Rocky is a Ph.D. student in the Gatesy lab at the University of California, Riverside.

Megan McKenna mmckenna@rohan.sdsu.edu

            Megan completed a MS in 2005.  Her research involved detailed morphological description of the melon among various lineages of odontocetes derived from CT images.

Melon structure and function was also considered in an evolutionary context.  Megan is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, San Diego.

Rachel Racicot rachel.racicot@gmail.com

            Rachel completed a MS in 2007. Her research involved detailed morphological description of the pterygoid sinus among extant species and a fossil phocoenid derived from dissections and CT images.  The pterygoid sinus is one component of a complex sinus system associated with sound production and reception.  She considered the evolution of the pterygoid sinus among phocoenids and evaluated its phylogenetic and functional significance.  Rachel is a Ph.D. student in the Gauthier lab at Yale Univeristy.

Amanda Rychel arychel@u.washington.edu

            Amanda completed a MS in 2002.  Her research used both mitochondrial genes and a nuclear marker to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among mysticetes.  Amanda is a Ph.D. student in the Swalla lab at the University of Washington.

Alex Sanchez  alexandro69@sbcglobal.net

Alex completed a MS in 2007.  His thesis investigated forelimb osteology and muscular anatomy of representative odontocetes in an evolutionary context.  Alex is currently teaching part-time at Mira Costa College.

Breda Walsh bmckay@yahoo.com

Breda completed a MS in 2006.  Her research was a comparative morphologic study of growth patterns in mysticetes based on ontogenetic stages of cranial ossification among extant species and several fossil species.  Relative age determinations were based on sequence of cranial suture closure.  Breda is employed at a research lab at UCSD in addition to being a new mom.

Representative Publications (last 5 years):

Berta, A. In Press. Systematics, Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2^nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego.

Berta, A. In Press. Pinnipedia, Encyclopedia  of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2^nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego.

Berta, A. In Press. Pinniped evolution, Encyclopedia  of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2^nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego.

Berta, A. and T.A. Deméré. In Press. Archaic Baleen Whales, Encyclopedia  of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2^nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego.

Deméré, T.A. and A. Berta. In Press. Cranial anatomy of the toothed mysticete Aetiocetus weltoni and its implications for aetiocetid phylogeny. Zoological Journal of Linnean Society, 79 MS pgs + 11 figs, 5 tables.

Berta, A. (Review of) (2008). Neptune’s Ark, by David Rains Wallace. Jour. Mamm. Evol. 15:143-145.

Deméré, T.A., M. R. McGowen, A. Berta, and J. Gatesy (2008). Morphological and molecular evidence for a step-wise evolutionary transition from teeth to baleen in mysticete whales. Systematic Biology 57(1): 15-37.

Cooper, L.N., S.D. Dawson, J. Reidenberg, and A. Berta (2007). Neuromuscular anatomy and the evolution of the cetacean forelimb. Anatomical Record 290: 1121-1137.

Cooper, L.N., A. Berta, J. Reidenberg, and S.D. Dawson (2007). Hyperphalangy and digit reduction: evolution of the cetacean manus. Anatomical Record 290: 654-673.

Fajardo-Mellor, L., A. Berta, R.L. Brownell, Jr., C. Boy and N. Goodall (2006). The phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of true porpoises (Mammalia: Phocoenidae) based on morphological data. Marine Mammal Science 22(4): 910-932.

Hemila, S., S. Nummela, A. Berta, and T. Reuter (2006). High-frequency hearing in phocid and otariid pinnipeds: an interpretation based on inertial and cochlear constraints. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 120(6): 3463-3466.

Berta, A. J.L. Sumich, and K. Kovacs (2006). Marine Mammals: Evolutionary Biology. 2^nd ed. Elsevier, 547 pp.

Deméré, T.A., A Berta, and M.R. McGowen (2005). The taxonomic and evolutionary history of fossil and modern balaenopteroids, Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 12 (1/2): 99-143.

Deméré, T.A. and A. Berta (2005). New skeletal material of Thalassoleon (Otariidae: Pinnipedia) from the late Miocene-early Pliocene (Hemphillian) of California. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History, 45(4): 379-411.

Fyler, C., T. Reeder, and A. Berta (2005). Historical biogeography and phylogeny of monachine seals (Pinnipedia: Phocidae). Journal of Biogeography 32: 1267-1279. 

Rychel, A., T. Reeder, and A. Berta (2005). Response to Ulfur Arnason: Where’s the beef? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35(1); 311-312.

Rychel, A., T. Reeder, and A. Berta (2004). Molecular phylogeny of mysticete whales using likelihood and Bayesian methods. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 32: 892-901.