Research in my lab focuses on the evolution, systematics, functional morphology, and biogeography of various marine mammals especially cetaceans.  Projects currently being pursued include comparative anatomy and evolution of baleen, balaenopterid evolution and divergence times and comparative anatomy and feeding evolution in phocid pinnipeds.  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).

Comparative anatomy and evolution of feeding in phocids
   Sarah Stachura Kienle’s MS thesis project is a comparative analysis of the four feeding types (suction feeding, grip and tear feeding, pierce feeding, and filter feeding) employed in extant phocids (seals) using 3D morphometrics and comparative phylogenetic analyses.  Quantitative feeding characters will be used to examine type(s) of feeding in stem phocids to understand the evolutionary origins of each feeding strategy.  Sarah also loves going to see the sea lions and harbor seals in La Jolla, playing in tide pools, and being a part of the Fantastic Flipper Force.

Balaenopterid evolution and divergence times
            Jessica Martin’s MS thesis investigates the evolutionary history of balaenopterid
(rorquals/fin whales) whales using morphology and divergence dating. Also,
included will be the description and addition of a new fossil balaenopterid
into the phylogenetic analysis.

Comparative anatomy and evolution of baleen

            Samantha Young’s MS project examines the anatomy
(including SEM and morphometrics) and evolution of baleen. She is also investigating baleen (bristle morphology) and its correlation with prey type. She is completing her MS in summer 2011 and looking for employment as a community college instructor.

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 Sinai Medical School), and
T. Deméré)

FORMER MS STUDENTS

Peter Adam PADAM@nwmissouri.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.

Celia Barroso
          Celia Barroso’s MS thesis (co-chaired by Ted Cranford) completed in Fall, 2010 involved investigation of the anatomy and t evolution of mandibular shape across the Odontoceti using x-ray CT and geometric morphometrics.  The catalyst for this study was the recent discovery (Cranford et al. 2008) that sounds are received through an "open door" of bone on the posteriomedial aspect of the mandibles. Celia is seeking employment in environmental consulting in the LA area.

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 completed a Ph.D. in the Thewissen lab at Kent State University, Ohio. Currently she is a postdoc in the Sears lab at University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.

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 completed a  Ph.D. in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina. She is currently a postdoc at
Boise State University, Idaho.

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 completed a Ph.D. in the Caira lab at the University of Connecticut.  She is a new mom living on Long Island, NY.

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 in Veterinary school at UC Davis.

Cassie Johnston Cassie.Johnston1@gmail.com
           Cassie completed a MS in 2009.  Her research was on the comparative anatomy and evolutionary history of suction feeding in cetaceans with emphasis on the gray whale. Cassie is employed by an environmental consulting firm in the LA area.

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 completing her Ph.D. in the Atkinson lab at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska

Michael McGowen mmcgowen@med.wayne.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 completed a Ph.D. in the Gatesy lab at the University of California, Riverside and is now a postdoc at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in the Wildman lab.

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 structre and function was also considered in an evolutionary context.  Megan is completing a  Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography  at the University of California, San Diego (Scripps Institute of Oceanography).

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 completed a Ph.D. in the Swalla lab at the University of Washington. She is currently a postdoc at the UW.

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.

Josh Yonas yonas@me.com
          Josh completed a MS thesis in Fall, 2008 on the anatomy and evolution of aquatic  locomotion in walruses. He investigated fore and hind limb osteology and myology  in the walrus using dissection, x-ray and MRI imaging.  The evolution of locomotion in fossil and modern walruses and other pinnipeds was also considered. Josh is in   Veterinary school in Pomona, CA.

Representative Publications (last 5 years):

Berta, A. In Press. Return to the Sea: the Life and Evolutionary Times of Marine Mammals. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.

Berta, A. and M. Churchill. In Press. Pinniped taxonomy: review of the evidence for description of currently recognized pinniped species and subspecies. Mammal Review

Churchill, M., A. Berta, and T. Deméré. In Press. The systematics of right whales (Mysticeti: Balaenidae). Marine Mammal Science.

Berta, A. (2011). (Review of). Carnivoran Evolution (eds. A. Goswami and A. Friscia), Cambridge University Press, Systematic Biology 60(2): 241-243.

Walsh, B. and A. Berta (2011). Occipital ossification of balaenopteroid mysticetes. The Anatomical Record doi: 10.002/ar.21340.

Galatius, A., A. Berta, M.S. Frandsen, and N.P. Goodall. (2011). Interspecific variation in ontogeny and paedomorphosis among phocoenids. Jour. Morphology 272(2): 136-148.

Johnston, C. and A. Berta (2010). Comparative anatomy and evolutionary history of suction feeding in cetaceans. Marine Mammal Science, doi 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2010.00420.

Sanchez, A. and A. Berta (2010). The comparative anatomy and evolution of the odontocete flipper. Marine Mammal Science, 26(1): 140-160.

Johnston, C., T. Deméré, A. Berta, J. St. Leger and J. Yonas (2010). Observations on the musculoskeletal anatomy of the head of a neonate gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). Marine Mammal Science, 26(1): 186-194.

Berta, A. (2009). Systematics, pp. 1148-1152, Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego.

Berta, A. (2009). Pinnipedia, Overview, pp. 878-885 Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.), 2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

Berta, A. (2009). Pinniped evolution, pp. 861-868, Encyclopedia  of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.),2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

Berta, A. and T.A. Deméré. (2009). Mysticetes, Evolution, pp. pp. 749-753, Encyclopedia  of Marine Mammals (W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds.),2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

Deméré, T.A. and A. Berta  (2008). Cranial anatomy of the toothed mysticete Aetiocetus weltoni and its implications for aetiocetid phylogeny. Zoological Journal of Linnean Society, 154(2): 308-352.

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. 2nd ed. Elsevier, 547 pp.
___________________

Annalisa Berta
Professor
Coordinator, Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology 
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Department of Biology
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182-4614
(619) 594-5392
Email- aberta@sunstroke.sdsu.edu