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26 May 2001 - 4 August 2001 A total of 18 students were selected to participate in the 2001 session of the Research Training Program including 3 international students representing Brazil, Canada, and Yugoslavia. Schedule
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Summary We sincerely wish we could give all applicants a chance to participate in the natural history research activities at the Smithsonian. However; time, funding, and space limit the number of students we can accommodate. A total of 219 applications were received for placement in the summer 2001 program. All were considered carefully. Unfortunately, due to funding limitations, only 18 positions were available. Letters of status were mailed to all applicants on Thursday, 8 March 2001. We thank all applicants for considering our program. Please note: many Smithsonian staff are seeking student volunteers to assist them with various aspects of their research and collections management. If interested in a volunteer/non-paid internship position, visit the Volunteer Internship page for a listing of available projects and student placements or CONTACT US . Following is the list of students selected to participate in the 2001 Research Training Program. In addition, 9 students were identified as alternates. APPLICANT NAME (Last, first) Blackburn,
David Chambers - Canceled Mr. Blackburn is from Chicago, Illinois. He is currently a graduating Senior at the University of Chicago where he is majoring in Biology. He is particularly interested in vertebrate paleontology. Last fall he participated in a 3 1/2 month paleontological expedition to the Saharan Desert in Niger to prospect and collect in Cretaceous deposits. He is currently completing his honor's paper in Biology, a description and preparation of a pterosaur wing. He plans to obtain a doctoral degree in the field of Vertebrate Paleontology. Chacon,
Yolanda Jesusita Ms. Chacon is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She is currently a sophomore at New Mexico State University where she is majoring in Biology. This past winter, she took part in the "LSAMP at the Smithsonian '01" Winter Workshop held at the National Museum of Natural History. She plans to go to medical school and pursue a Master's degree in Neuroscience Research Advisor: Carla
Dove Research Zoologist. B.S. (1986) University of Montana, M.S. (1994) George Mason University, Ph.D. (1994) George Mason University. Research specialties: identification of birds from microscopic characters of feathers; main emphasis is identification of birds that have been involved in bird-aircraft (bird strikes) collisions with US military airplanes. Project Title: Analysis of feather characters of cranes, rails, and allies (order Gruiformes). Hypothesis: The characters used in feather identification can be applied to the phylogeny and evolution of birds. Summary: Microscopic feather identification has been used to identify birds that have struck by aircraft. Recent work done by Dove (2000) shows that microscopic feather characters of shorebirds and allies (Charadriiformes) can be used to identify some bird species. This is done by comparing the feather characters found in the plumulaceous "downy" portion of the feather (Dove, 2000). Could the feather characters that are used in feather identification be applied to phylogeny and evolution of birds? This research project aims to explore microscopic characters of the order Gruiformes, which are closely related to the Charadiriiformes. This will be accomplished by (1) describing differences of microscopic characters between the 11 families of Gruiformes, (2) comparing the results of our phylogenic analysis with those obtained from DNA characters (Houde, MS, in prep.) and traditional phylogeny. Description: Microscopic feather analysis is a new tool recently used by ornithologists to show that certain feather characters (i.e. node shape, barbule length, node width, and pigment) can be traced back to particular species, especially in identifying species involved in bird-aircraft collisions ("bird strikes"). The concepts and techniques of this new tool are based upon the work of Roxie Laybourne and Dr. Carla Dove at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History. Feathers will be taken from the breast of male bird species from the eleven representative groups. These feathers will be placed on microslides for analysis and comparison using a light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Data collected will be interpreted using phylogenic software, PAUP 4.0 (Swofford). Materials and Methods:
Staff and Facilities: Bird specimens from the collection of the NMNH will be used to complete this research. Dr. Carla Dove and Marcy Heacker-Skearns, both experts in microscopic feather character analysis, will direct this project. They also will guide and help in the preparation of microslides, usage of PAUP 4.0, and light microscopy. Scott Whittaker will give instruction of SEM and other scientists that form the staff of the Ornithology Division will additionally be involved with the project. Literature will be obtained from the Ornithology Division Library. Jim Dean will also be a key contact for this research team. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. Chacon's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. DiMaggio,
Erin Nicole Ms. DiMaggio is from Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She is currently a Freshman at the University of Michigan where she is majoring in Geology and minoring in Environmental Studies. She is currently working on a project involving the distribution and movement of carbon through three watersheds in Michigan, hoping to determine the relation of trace metals in different soils to carbon cycling in soil. Research Advisor: Sorena
Sorensen Geologist. B.A. (1978), Pomona College; Ph.D. (1984) University of California, Los Angeles. Research specialties: metamorphic petrology; major, minor, and trace element geochemistry of metamorphic and igneous rocks; field studies of metasomatic fluid/rock interactions; petrotectonic evolution of high P/T and arc-related metamorphic terranes. Project Title: Cathodoluminescence, Scanning Electron Microscope and Electron Microprobe studies of the alteration of feldspar phenocrysts in the Duck Lake Volcanic Suite. Hypothesis: An examination and analysis of feldspar textures and mineral chemistry of the Duck Lake Volcanic Suite can determine the timing of the processes responsible for alteration of magmatic phenocrysts. Summary: The Duck Lake Volcanic Suite consists mainly of homogenous quartz latite tuffs. The tuffs are comprised of fine-grained quartz, plagioclase and potassium feldspar crystals that have undergone chemical alteration (Rinehart and Ross, 1965). These units are located in the Mesozoic Cordilleran continental arc, more specifically east-central California in the Ritter Range. Erupted during the Jurassic ~164 Ma, these rocks were most likely metamorphosed between 92 and 85 Ma (Hanson et al. 1993). By analogy to nearby studies of geological units, these rocks may have been metasomatized either shortly after eruption, or ~92-85 Ma, during metamorphism. The purpose of this project is to examine and analyze feldspar textures and mineral chemistry in order to determine the timing of the processes responsible for alteration of magmatic phenocrysts. Description: Duck Lake might be the caldera that produced two, 300m thick units of ashflow tuffs exposed in the Ritter Range (Hanson et al. 1993). This provides for a unique opportunity to study calderal outflow history of altered and metamorphic volcanic rocks in a long-lived continental volcanoplutonic arc. Major and trace element distribution in feldspars can be used to track igneous, metamorphic, and metasomatic processes. Major element mineral chemistry can be studied in tandem with backscattered electron imaging using X-ray microanalysis and the electron microprobe. Trace elements distribution can be responsible for intracrystalline patterns noted in Cathodoluminescence images. Materials and Methods:
Staff and Facilities: Research conducted in the Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History under the supervision of the following staff members:
This research project will also utilize the following facilities:
A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. DiMaggio's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Friedman,
Matthew Scott Mr. Friedman is from Westlake, Ohio. He is currently a Junior at the University of Rochester where he is majoring in Biology and Geology with a particular interest in paleontology. During the summer of 2000, he participated in a month long research expedition to the Canadian Arctic to obtain paleomagnetic data and excavate fossils. He plans to attend graduate school and obtain a Ph.D in paleontology. Research Advisor: Jim
Tyler
Project Title: Description of a fossil fish skull. Hypothesis: The fossil fish skull from the Oligocene of western Peru is a huvaroid. Summary: The project will focus on the study and description of a partial fish skull and vertebral column (USNM 494403) from the Oligocene Mancora formation of western Peru. The skull is well preserved and partially inflated, allowing for detailed osteological work. Though this specimen has been tentatively identified as a louvar based on external similarities, its taxonomic status remains unclear. A more detailed morphological analysis will be performed in order to reveal the relationship of this specimen to fossil and modern taxa. Description: The morphology of the putative luvarid skull will be compared to fossil taxa in the literature and preserved specimens of the sole extant representative of the group, Luvarus imperialis. Though many bones are visible in the specimen, an extremely hard matrix that conceals potentially diagnostic features impairs a complete osteological analysis. The delicate nature of many of the cranial bones, combined with the characteristics of the matrix, makes conventional preparation a less desirable option for revealing obscured elements. To avoid potential damage to the specimen, CT scans will be made of the skull to reveal features that are internal or are otherwise obscured by the matrix. If the scan data prove insufficient for identification of the specimen, conventional preparatory techniques may prove necessary. Effective comparison to described species will be possible once the internal and external morphology are revealed. The fossil will be analyzed for synapomorphies that would indicate the relationships of the specimen. If the specimen cannot be assigned to a known species, it will be described and named. Though the fish appears to be most closely allied to the luvarids, other groups, such as the Lampridiformes, have not been eliminated. If the specimen is a louvar, it would mark the first luvarid remains of Oligocene age and be the only fossil louvar known from South America. Currently, the only described fossil luvarids are from the Paleocene and Eocene of Turkmenistan and India. Since the group is pelagic and the living species has global distribution, louvar remains from this locality is not surprising. However, the fossil could hold considerable implications for the evolution of the group due to the lack of louvar remains from the Oligocene. Materials and Methods: Working from the tentative identification of the specimen as a fossil louvar, the fossil will be compared to the following specimens of the only extant louvar, Luvarus imperialis: USNM 296183 Staff and Facilities: The following staff members will be directly involved with the study of the specimen:
We will utilize a Siemens CT scan machine operated by Bruno Frohlich and his assistant Evan Garofalo of the Anthropology department in order to determine the internal structure of the fossil skull. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Mr. Friedman's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Holcomb,
Michael Charles Mr. Holcomb is from Nampa, Idaho. He is currently a Sophomore at the University of Idaho where he is majoring in Biology and Chemistry, with a particular interest in marine biology. He has published a paper from his recent research on salmonoids. He plans to obtain a Ph.D. in Marine Biology focusing on coral reef biology. Research Advisors (Team):
Ian
MacIntyre Research Geologist. B.Sc. (1957) Queen's University, Kingston, Canada; Ph.D. (1967) McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research specialties: carbonate petrography; geological aspects of tropical coral-reef ecosystems; Holocene reef history in the western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific; shallow-water marine geology of the U.S. continental shelf; problems in submarine cementation. John
Pandolfi Research Paleobiologist, Curator of Fossil Corals. BS (1979) University of Notre Dame; MS (1982) University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Ph.D. (1987) University of California, Davis. Research specialties: ecological dynamics, stability, and disturbance of Pleistocene and living coral reefs over broad spatial and temporal scales; the effects of local, regional, and global environmental change on coral reef species distribution patterns,Cenozoic and recent reef coral biogeography, evolution and extinction in reef coral species complexes. Project Title: Use of X-radiograms for coral identification Hypothesis: The use of X-radiograms will allow for the identification of fossil members of the Montastraea annularis species complex. Summary: Several characteristics will be investigated for their potential in distinguishing members of the Montastraea annularis species complex in both living and fossil assemblages. Growth rates, corallite budding angles, curvature of growth bands, and band intensities will be examined using X-radiographs. This data combined with depth and locality data will be used to assess the differences in members of the Montastraea annularis complex throughout their geographic range. Description: Members of the Montastraea annularis species complex can be distinguished using a wide range of morphometric measurements, though it has only been recently recognized that Montasraea "annularis" is actually three distinct species (Weil and Knowlton, 1994). Some of the more common means of separating the different species include: reproductive biology, growth rates, aggression, ecology corallite structure, and surface skeletal characteristics (Budd and Johnson, 1996; Weil and Knowlton, 1994). Unfortunately, many of the conventional techniques to distinguish Montasraea annularis and its two sibling species (M. faveolata and M. franksi) are ineffective in distinguishing fossilized specimens due to erosional processes. All characteristics that will be examined can be observed in fossilized material. Neither erosional processes affecting the colony surface nor the lack of living tissues will adversely affect the potential for X-radiographs to be used to distinguish the member of the Montasraea annularis complex throughout the past 100,000 years. Potentially, this work will allow for a much greater understanding of past population ecologies of Carribean reefs. Several groups have noted that growth forms and growth rates of Montastraea annularis vary greatly with depth (Hubbard and Scaturo, 1985; Hudson et al., 1994). Unfortunately, these studies often have not distinguished which members of the Montastraea annularis complex they were working with. As a consequence, these studies do not provide a foundation for estimating the depth at which a fossilized specimen grew based on its growth rate. Depth data for all modern coral specimens have been collected. This will allow for the examination of the relationship of several characteristics in each species to depth. This can then be used as a guide for estimating the depth at which fossilized specimens of each species grew. Several studies have been conducted on the different species in the Montastraea annularis complex (Budd and Johnson, 1996; Knowlton and Budd, 2001; Pandolfi et al., submitted). However, these studies have covered limited geographical areas - generally the southern Caribbean. It is not known if the members of the Montastraea annularis complex remain distinct throughout their range. Specimens collected from throughout the Caribbean will be examined. This will enable the assessment of whether or no all species remain distinct species throughout their geographic range. Recent work by Pandolfi et al. (submitted) suggests that there is an additional extinct species in the Montastraea annularis complex. This research project will help to determine whether or not it continues to appear to be a separate species when compared to Montastraea annularis samples from throughout the Caribbean. Further, fossilized material from a much broader area will be examined, allowing for a better understanding of its distribution and growth forms. Materials and Methods:
Staff and Facilities:
A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Mr. Holcomb's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303.. Holladay,
Laura Ms. Holladay is from Monroe, Michigan. She graduated last spring from the University of Michigan with an honors degree in Geological Sciences. She is particularly interested in paleobiology and paleoclimatology and will begin her graduate studies in the fall of 2001. She eventually plans to obtain a Ph.D and hopes to become a professor or researcher in academia. Research Advisor:
Brian
Huber Research Paleobiologist and Curator of Foraminifera. BA (1981) University of Akron; MS (1984), Ph.D. (1988) Ohio State University. Research specialties: study of Cretaceous climates and oceanography; biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography of Cretaceous and Paleogene foraminifera; evolution of Late Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera. Project Title: Ontogenetic morphometrics analysis of Pseudohastigerina and the proposed genus Roeglella (planktonic foraminifera). Hypothesis: Morphometric and stable isotope analysis will reveal that the two species of the proposed new genus Roeglella are actually ecophenotypes of the species Pseudohastigerina micra. Summary: This project will compare several species of planispiral planktic foraminifera of latest Paleocene through Eocene age. The specimens selected are members of the genus Pseudohastigerina and a proposed new genus, Roeglella. Our working hypothesis is that the specimens referred to Roeglella may be ecophenotypes of the widespread species P. micra rather than a discernible new genus. Specimens of P. micra, P. naguewichiensis, R. pseudoalgeriana, and R. acutimarginata will be compared using morphometric data to compare overall shape. Furthermore, if the results do warrant the naming of the new genus Roeglella, they will be examined further to determine whether the two proposed species R. pseudoalgeriana and R. acutimarginata are distinct enough to be named as individual species. Stable isotopic analyses of these same species will be used to infer depth ecologies in order to support or refute any hypothesis of ecophenotypic variation. Description: Pseudohastigerina is a genus of planispiral planktic foraminifera, with its type species being Nonion micrus (Cole, 1927). At the present time, four species are commonly recognized within this genus: P. micra, P. naguewichiensis, P. wilcoxensis, and P. kerisensis. Richard Olsson (Rutgers University) has suggested the naming of a new but morphologically similar genus, Roeglella, represented by the two new species R. pseudoalgeriana and R. acutimarginata. The purpose of this study is to determine whether these latter species are ecophenotypes of the species P. micraand whether or not these species are sufficiently distinct from Pseudohastigerina to warrant a new genus. As Pseudohastigerinahas a widespread global distribution, specimens chosen for comparison will be selected from a geographic array of deep-sea sites, as well as a variety of stratigraphic levels. Because the systematic classification of foraminifera is based on the paleontological [morphological] species concept, this study will compare specimens assigned to Roeglella with specimens of Pseudohastigerina using a morphological approach. Morphometric data will be obtained from high-resolution x-radiograph images, and various metrics (such as chamber size, chamber shape, and degree of coiling) will be taken from digitizations of these images. Statistical analysis of the resulting data should reveal whether the specimens assigned to Roeglella fall into the morphological variation within Pseudohastigerina. Stable isotope data measured from Pseudohastigerina, Roeglella, and other coexisting planktic foraminiferal species will help to assess any hypothesis of ecophenotypic variation. Specimens with very different oxygen isotopic values can be inferred to have lived in different temperature environments, and thus in different depths within the water column. If the test morphologies are very similar but the isotopic compositions vary, ecophenotypic variation is a strong possibility. Thus, stable isotopic data will be used to support or refute taxonomic distinctions by using depth ecology inferences. Materials and Methods: Planktic foraminifera chosen for study will include specimens of the genus Pseudohastigerina and specimens assigned by Olsson to the genus Roeglella. The species P. micra has a particularly widespread geographic distribution, and so specimens will be chosen from an array of geographic and stratigraphic sources in order to capture the morphological variation within the species. All samples are already washed and most are already picked for analysis. High-resolution X-radiograph images will be obtained from each specimen in both umbilical view and edge view, using Kodak 50-343 high resolution film. These X-ray images will be magnified using a transmitted light microscope and captured using a video camera and Image-Pro morphometric software. Measurements taken in umbilical view will include rate of chamber size increase, maximum diameter, umbilical diameter, number of chambers, percent of kummerform (reduced) final chambers, and chamber roundness. In edge view, the maximum breadth and peripheral angle of the test will be measured. Statistical analyses will then be done to compare the morphological similarities and differences among all of the studied specimens. Stable isotope analysis, using oxygen and carbon isotopes, is a well-established proxy for paleotemperature of ambient waters (if salinity and vital effects are assumed constant or negligible). Approximately 20 specimens will be picked and weighed at the Smithsonian Institution facilities and then sent for analysis at The University of Michigan. Isotope analysis will be carried out by Dr. Kyger C. Lohmann at a cost of $12 per sample. Staff and Facilities:
A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. Holladay's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the Smithsonian Women's Committee. Knee,
Abigail Jean Ms. Knee is from Fremont, New Hampshire. She is currently a Junior at the University of Rhode Island where she is majoring in Marine Biology. This past year, she received an undergraduate Coastal Fellowship to test a technique of tracking larval lobsters using their stable carbon isotope signatures. She plans to obtain a Ph.D in Marine Biology. Research Advisor: Kristian Fauchald Research Zoologist, Curator of Worms. Cand. Mag. (1959) Cand. Real. (1961) University of Bergen; Ph.D. (1969) University of Southern California. Research specialties: Systematics, anatomy, morphology, biogeography and phylogeny of marine polychaete worms, worldwide. Project Title: A cladistic analysis of the scale worm genus Halosydna. Hypothesis: Cladistic analysis of the genus Halosydna should enable a revision of the phylogenetic relationships and placement of Halosydna spp. Summary: Specimens from the polynoid scale worm genus Halosydna will be observed and their characters scored in order to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between H. species, within the genus, and with outgroup taxa. Scored characters will be entered into a data table and run through the computer program PAUP to develop the most parsimonious cladograms. Analysis should enable the researcher to revise the cladistic placement of H. spp. if necessary. Description: The family Polynoidae requires a major revision due to the inconsistencies of its previous taxonomic classification. This family consists of groups of scale worms left over from the removal of apparently uniform polychaete groups and is without any unifying features of its own. The polynoids cannot be shown as a monophyletic grouping and thus require further attention to delineate the contained species' relationships. This project will focus on the cladistics of species within the genus Halosydna. The species and outgroup specimens will be scored, and an analysis of the relationships among the species will be conducted using the software program PAUP. The data obtained from this project will contribute to an interactive computerized key for the group and will be presented through the Research Training Program. Materials and Methods: Preserved specimens of Halosydna spp. from the NMNH wet worm collection will be observed under dissecting and compound microscopes with forceps, scissors, observation dishes, probes, and other miscellaneous dissection equipment and hand tools. Seventy-percent ethanol will be the medium in which specimens are observed. A computer equipped with the software PAUP will be used for data entry and analysis. Literature will provide an understanding of the polynoid information known to date, and taxonomic keys will assist in highlighting polynoid morphology. A PowerPoint slide show will be created and converted to photographic slides for an oral presentation of this study. The software PowerPoint will also be used to develop a poster for display at the Research Training Program poster session. Staff and Facilities: Abigail Knee will be heading this research under the supervision of Dr. Kristian Fauchald and with the support of Michael Gutknecht, his lab assistant. Linda Ward will also be a key contact for this research team. The temporary lab space in W-209 will be the primary workspace. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. Knee's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Krabbenhoft,
Trevor James Mr. Krabbenhoft is from Ulen, Minnesota. He is currently a Junior at North Dakota State University where he is majoring in Zoology. He is particularly interested in systematics evolution, especially fishes. He plans to pursue a Ph.D degree with a focus on Ichthyology. Research Advisor: Tom
Munroe Research Associate, Systematics Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service. BA (1973), MS (1976) Southeastern Massachusetts University; Ph.D. (1987) College of William and Mary. Research specialties: systematics, evolution, biogeography, and biology of marine fishes,especially the flatfishes, Order Pleuronectiformes. Project Title: Species-level systematics of the genus Symphurus (Cynoglossidae: Pleuconectiformes) of the western Pacific. Hypothesis: Summary: This project will examine the species-level systematics of the genus Symphurus, one of three general of cynoglossid flatfishes. Examination of deep-water specimens collected in the seas around southern Japan reveals that the species diversity present in the specimens is greater than previously thought. There appears to be undescribed species in this material. However, before these specimens can be identified and assigned to a species, a complete evaluation of all nominal species of Symphurus described from the Western Pacific Ocean will have to be conducted. Description: Species description is the first step towards understanding the biodiversity of any region. For deep-water tonguefishes such as Symphurus, difficulties in identification of individual specimens result from inadequate sample sizes, poor descriptions published previously, lack of diagnostic characters to differentiate the species, and in the overall morphological similarity of the species in general. Munroe (1992) highlighted the importance of interdigitation patterns of proximal dorsal-fin pterygiophores and neural spines in recognizing subgroups of species within Symphurus. He also commented on the value of other characters, including the number of caudal-fin rays, important in distinguishing the species of this genus. Symphurus strictus is the most commonly reported tonguefish from deep-waters around Japan (Ochiai, 1963). According to Ochiai (1963), this species is characterized as having 12 or 14 caudal-fin rays. Having either 12 or 14 caudal-fin rays is an unusual situation in this genus, as most species usually have caudal-fin ray counts of 12 or 14, but not both. The occurrence of two counts for caudal-fin rays suggests that either this species is unusual among the genus in having two counts for caudal-fin rays, or that there is more that one species in the material examined by Ochiai. Munroe and Amaoka (1998) validated a second deepwater species, Symphurus hondoensis, from this region. Other Symphurus species reported from Japanese waters include Symphurus orientalis, a species characterized by having 12 caudal-fin rays and relatively low meristic features compared to S. strictus and S. hondoensis. This project will test the hypothesis that there are undescribed species in the Ochiai material. If such is the case, the species will be described. Conversely, if all of the specimens are in fact Symphurus strictus, the intraspecific variations in the species will be discussed and a search for correlations of such differences (such as geographical distribution, etc.) will be made. The third possibility is that the specimens belong to other nominal species such as S. hondoensis or S. orientalis. Materials and Methods: General morphological approaches will be employed to solve this problem, using internal and external characteristics of tonguefishes. The methods used will follow those presented in Munroe (1998). Comparisons will be made between the Japanese Symphurus material and all previously described species reported from the Western Pacific. Quantitative measurements taken will include interdigitation patterns, fin ray counts, vertebral counts, and morphometric measurements that are listed in Munroe (1998). Qualitative characters such as peritoneum pigmentation and ocular and blind-side pigmentation will be considered as well. Staff and Facilities:
A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Mr. Krabbenhoft's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Porreca,
Courtney Ann Ms. Porreca is from Boulder, Colorado. She is currently a Junior at the University of New Mexico where he is majoring in Anthropology and Geology with hopes of pursuing the field of geoarchaeology. She is particularly interested in the Spanish Colonial Period in northern New Mexico and is currently designing her departmental Honors Thesis on the utilization of natural resources in the Sothwestern United States during the Spanish Colonial Period. She plans to obtain a Ph.D in Archaeology. Research Advisor: Dan
Rogers Curator, North American Archaeology. BA (1976); M.A. (1982) University of Oklahoma; Ph.D. (1987) University of Chicago. Research specialties: Great Plains, Southeastern US, Mexico archaeology and ethnohistory, development of social complexity, culture contact. Project Title: The effects of culture contact as seen through ceramic technology on the island of Nevis. Hypothesis: The inclusions in the paste of the ceramics will vary between cultural groups, supporting the migration model for Nevis. Summary: The relationship between cultural interaction and change in material assemblages is fundamental to all aspects of archaeology and related fields of study. The project will examine this issue by investigating ceramics from two prehistoric cultural complexes on the Caribbean island of Nevis, which is part of the Lesser Antilles. Migration of one cultural group from the mainland of South America to the already inhabited island resulted in two cultural complexes visible in the archaeological record, including the ceramics. The main aspect of the ceramic analysis will be the identification of inclusions in the paste. The inclusions will also be related to vessel function and then evaluated in their cultural contexts. The results from this study will yield important information relevant to the issue of cultural interaction and contact. Description: Material assemblages reflect cultural interactions in a variety of ways. This study will investigate this relationship in the context of a prehistoric migration of a new culture into an inhabited landscape and the changes apparent in the ceramic assemblage. Specifically, the aplastic inclusions in the paste will be investigated relative to vessel function and their association with a specific cultural complex. Previous studies of ceramics from this region suggest that the material assemblages reflect the migration of the Ostionoid cultural complex from the mainland of South America to the Lesser Antillean island of Nevis. When the Ostionoid cultural complex arrived, the Salidoid cultural complex already inhabited the island of Nevis, providing an interesting example of prehistoric culture contact. The major component of this study will involve examining the inclusions or tempering material in the paste. A sample will be selected that represents each cultural complex as well as a range of vessel functions. Each sherd will then be cut using a diamond saw to provide a clean cross section for viewing the paste. In the event of imperfections, such as smearing, caused by the cutting process itself, some of the sherds might then be polished using a wet/dry sandpaper. The cross sections will then be viewed through a binocular microscope. With the help of Dr. William Melson from the Mineral Sciences Department, the inclusions will be identified. Observations such as material type, grain size, color and angularity will be recorded. Once this data has been collected, it will be integrated with the information on vessel function and the associated cultural complex to determine what effects the migration may have had on ceramic production. Because ceramics are made by a human act, they reflect cultural traditions. Since this is the case, continuity in the ceramic technology, the inclusions/tempering material for this study, would suggest a cultural continuity as well. A discontinuity in the technology would support a cultural discontinuity and fit with migration model. The latter is expected from this study but if there are no significant differences in the inclusions, the study will be expanded to include other technological aspects such as volume percent of inclusions and a more thorough examination of the paste as a whole. This study will serve to illustrate the fundamental issue in archaeology of change in material assemblages resulting from culture contact. Materials and Methods: Once a sample has been selected, the individual sherds will be cut using a diamond saw in the Mineral Sciences Preparation Lab. Depending on the quality of the cut surface, some of the sherds might then be polished using a very fin wet/dry sanding paper and a polishing solution. Once prepared, the cut surfaces will be examined under a binocular microscope and/or a hand lens in the Department of Anthropology to determine the types of inclusions. Staff and Facilities: The key staff members participating in this project are as follows:
No travel is anticipated for the ten weeks during this research. The research will be submitted for publication in the Journal of American Archaeology on or before 1 October 2001. The research will also be submitted to the Society of American Archaeology on or before 5 September 2001 for presentation at the formal meeting in mid April of 2002. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 31 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms.Porreca's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Poulos,
Anastasia Lee Ms. Poulos is from Silver Spring, Maryland. She is currently a Senior at the University of Maryland where she is majoring in both Anthropology and Art History and minoring in Archaeology, Geology and German. She is particularly interested in human use and representation of the environment. Last summer she received a research grant from the University of Maryland to design and execute a combined geochemical and art historical project in Caesarea Maritima, Israel. She plans to obtain a doctoral degree and pursue a career in research and academia. Research Advisor: Melinda
Zeder Curator. A.B. (1975), MA (1978), Ph.D. (1985) University of Michigan. Research specialties: Animal domestication; origins of food production, environmental impact of early agro-pastoral economies in the Near East, subsistence resources in emerging complex societies, Near Eastern archaeology, zooarchaeology. Project Title: The hunter and the hunted in the Eastern Fertile Crescent. Hypothesis: A technique used for computing sex-specific kill-off patterns of domesticated sheep and goat may also be applied to gazelle remains in order to determine hunting strategies. If the technique works, one will see selective hunting patterns, as well as a catastrophic kill profile at the site of Kuran. Summary: A technique for determining kill-off patterns through an analysis of the sexual dimorphism apparent in domesticated sheep and goat remains is successful in highlighting the selective strategies of early domesticators, 10,000 years ago in western Iran. At this time, a parallel source of food was available through the hunting of wild animals, particularly gazelle. It may be possible to determine hunting strategies of the time by using sex-specific culling profiles in the analysis of gazelle remains as were used in caprine analyses. This project will test the methodological usefulness of the technique for determining sex specific kill-off profiles for gazelles. Remains from modern goitered gazelles of known age and sex will be analyzed to see if sexual dimorphism is as prevalent amongst gazelles as amongst caprines. After testing this technique, in the event that it is successful, it will be applied to archaeological remains in order to reconstruct hunting strategies of early domesticators. Specialized hunting patterns could be expected from a number of the sites. Several archaeological sites from the eastern Fertile Crescent will be analyzed. A catastrophic kill-site will be used as a presumed unbiased representative of the gazelle population. Description: The analysis of gazelle remains from sites of the eastern Fertile Crescent is primarily a methodological study that will assess whether a technique developed by Melinda Zeder for computing sex-specific slaughter profiles for sheep and goats can be applied to gazelle. Modern data of gazelle remains of the goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutarosa), which have already been collected, will be analyzed in order to see if any sexual dimorphism is present among gazelles. Measurements of the modern gazelle remains consisted of long bone fusion, tooth eruption, and wear patterns. These data have been obtained from specimens of known age, sex, and region. If the sexual dimorphism of the gazelle is as great as it is in caprines (sheep and goats), the results of the analysis of modern gazelle remains can be a calibration for sex and age of archaeological gazelle remains from the Fertile Crescent. This calibration will allow for the creation of separate age profiles for male and females, as were drawn from long bone fusion patterns. The data collection and analysis of 9,000 year old gazelle remains from the same contexts as domesticated sheep and goat may reflect hunting strategies at that time. This study is particularly interesting in that it may expose answers to the paradoxical dilemma of the increase in gazelle hunting at some sites with the domestication of goat and sheep. The gazelle remains from the sites of Ali Kosh, Tepe Sabz, Tepe Guran, and Tepe Sarab, which will be analyzed during this study, date to a time when gazelle hunting increased, long after the local domestication of goats and congruent with the first appearance of sheep domesticates. These sites may show signs of specialized hunting techniques. Conversely, remains from the catastrophic kill-site of Kuran in northeast Syria (ca. 5,000 years ago), which will also be analyzed, will likely not indicate any specialization. Thus, Kuran's gazelle remains probably represent a good sample of the animal's population demographics and can be used as a comparative control for the eastern Fertile Crescent material. Furthermore, the metric results that are collected may also shed light on another important question regarding the impact of humans on domesticated animals. The data collected may allow a measure of whether the size of gazelle has changed since the late Pleistocene. Domestication is thought to be the cause of the size reduction evident in goat and sheep. There is some debate as to whether domestication has caused size reduction or if this decrease in size is purely related to evolutionary changes following the last Ice Age. A number of non-domesticated species have also shown evidence in size reduction since the Pleistocene through the Holocene. By determining size changes in non-domesticated gazelle, a species closely related to goat and sheep that is found in the same contexts, one may be able to more closely evaluate whether the size decrease of domesticates indicates domestication or merely more general evolutionary change on wild and domesticated bovid species that was caused by climatic changes with the end of the Pleistocene. Materials and Methods: Materials will consist of calipers, scales, film, and glue. Plastic bags will be used to organize the samples. Data will be collected on the long bone fusion, tooth eruption, tooth wear patterns, size, and sex of the gazelle remains. Paradox, Harvard Graphics, and Systat for statistical manipulation are the programs that will be most useful in analyzing the data. Modern data on gazelle remains from sites in the Fertile Crescent are already recorded and will be analyzed by the researcher. Archaeological data from Tepe Guran has been recorded as well and will also be analyzed. Further data collecting will be done on the sites of Tepe Sabz, Tepe Sarab, and Ali Kosh at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History. Another collection at this museum consisting of archaeological gazelle remains from Kuran, a catastrophic kill site, will also be used and is of great value as it can act as an indiscriminate population sample of gazelle at the time. Further data collection of other sites from the Fertile Crescent will be conducted at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago in order to develop a good representative of ancient remains. Staff and Facilities: The researcher will be working with Dr. Melinda Zeder, Curator of Zooarchaeology at the National Museum of Natural History. Further assistance may be obtained from Dr. Bruce Smith, Director of the Archaeobiology Program at the NMNH and Heather Lapham, Program Assistant for Archaeobiology. Research will be primarily conducted at the Smithsonian Museum Support Center in the Archaeobiology Laboratory. Libraries of the NMNH will further facilitate this research. An important component of the research will also be conducted at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. Poulos' participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Reid,
Yana Rae Ms. Reid is from Lawrence, Kansas. She is currently a Junior at Haskell Indian Nations University where she is majoring in Biology with an emphasis on Chemistry. She is particularly interested in the field of Ichthyology. She plans to obtain a Ph.D in Ichthyology with intended research in the area of phylogenetics and would like to return to become a faculty member at Haskell Indian Nations University. Research Advisor: Ron
Heyer Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles. BA (1963) Pacific Lutheran University; MA (1965), Ph.D. (1968) University of Southern California. Research specialties: systematics, evolution, and biogeography of Neotropical amphibians. Project Title: Analysis of advertisement calls in the genetically diverse frog taxon currently known as Leptodactylus fuscus. Hypothesis: Advertisement calls in Leptodactylus fuscus support recognition of one or multiple species. Summary: The focus of this project will be to analyze the advertisement calls of Leptodactylus fuscus. Although morphologically very similar, previous electrophoretic analysis has demonstrated the likelihood that this taxon contains more than one species. This project will, through call analysis with Canary software along with the statistical application of SYSTAT, quantify call variation throughout the geographic range of L. fuscus. This research is scientifically important because it will further define the role of advertisement calls in the speciation process in anurans. Description: Heyer (1978) concluded that L. fuscus was a species with a broad geographical range from Panama to Argentina. Very few calls were available for analysis in that study. Heyer and Maxson (1982) demonstrated that there was considerable genetic differentiation between a sample of L. fuscus from Sao Paulo, Brazil and a sample from Tucuman, Argentina. Wynn and Heyer (in press) examined genetic differentiation throughout the geographic range of L. fuscus and concluded that the taxon is genetically diverse and likely composed of several species. Advertisement call recordings are now available from throughout the goegraphic range of L. fuscus. The hypothesis to be tested is whether advertisement calls in L. fuscus support recognition of one or multiple species. Most studies have demonstrated that frog species have unique advertisement calls that females use to choose among males in multispecies choruses. Theoretically, it is possible for genetic divergence to occur to a degree that populations are genetically isolated without differentiation of advertisement calls. This study should provide insight on whether species level differentiation can occur in the absence of call evolution. Materials and Methods: Canary bioacoustical software will be used in the initial steps of data collecting in this project. Data will include the following parameters: number of calls per minute; duration of each call; carrier frequency of call; beginning frequency of each call; end frequency of each call; frequency sweep (end frequency minus beginning frequency); pulse structure of the calls, recorded temperature at time of recordings. Up to 10 calls will be analyzed for each individual frog. A total of 30 call sequences are available for analysis throughout the geographic range of the species. Staff and Facilities: Dr. Ron Heyer will be assisting with this research. The sound room located in the division of Herpetology and its equipment has been made available for this project. George Zug and Ron Crombie will be key contacts for this research team. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Ms. Reid's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program - Award number DBI-9820303. Ribeiro,
Alexandre Cunha Mr. Ribeiro is from Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is currently in his fourth undergraduate year at the University of Sao Paulo where he is majoring in Zoology. He is particularly interested in systematics and the biogeography of neotropical fish. He recently participated in a thematic project entitled "Fish diversity of the headwaters and streams of the upper Parana river system in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil." He plans to pursue a research career in Ichthyology. Research Advisor: Rich
Vari Curator of Fishes. BA (1971) New York University; Ph.D. (1976) City University of New York. Research specialties: systematics, evolution, and zoogeography of South American and African freshwater fishes. Project Title: On the monophyly of the genus Oligosarcus Gunther, 1864 (Characiformes: Characidae). Hypothesis: The genus Oligosarcus is monophyletic. Summary: The genus Oligosarcus comprises 16 nominal species, occurring in most of the major South American drainages. Despite the lengthy taxonomic history of the group, the phylogenetic status of the group and of its species remains obscure. The main goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that the group is monophyletic, with a secondary aim of identifying major clades within the genus. Description: The genus Oligosarcus comprises 16 nominal species: O. acutirostris Menezes, 1987; O. argenteus Gunther, 1864; O. bolivianus (Fowler, 1940); O. brevioris Menezes, 1987; O. hepsetus (Cuvier, 1829); O. jenynsii (Gunther, 1864); O. longirostris Menezes & Gery, 1983; O. macrolepis (Steindachner, 1867); O. menezesi Miquelarena & Protogino, 1996; O. oligolepis (Steindachner, 1867); O. paranaensis Menezes & Gery, 1983; O. pintoi Campos, 1945; O. planaltinae Menezes & Gery, 1983; O. robustus Menezes, 1969; O. schindleri Menezes & Gery, 1983; and O. solitarus Menezes, 1987. With the exception of O. schindleri, collected from a tributary of Rio Charape, Bolivia, with flows into the Amazonian Rio Madeira, all species occur outside the Rio Amazonas basin. No Oligosarcus have been collected above 15° S (Menezes, 1988). The genus comprises small fishes (about 40 to 200 mm SL), occurring mainly in streams. Not much ecological information is already available and the food items of the few studied species vary from omnivores to fish predators. Vari & Weitzman (1990) emphasized the need for rigorous phylogenetic studies as a prerequisite for tests of historical biogeographic hypotheses. As Menezes (1988) pointed out, a study of the phylogeny of the species of the genus Oligosarcus would be ideal for providing an area cladogram of the Parana - Paraguay basins and the smaller coastal streams and rivers of eastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay and possibly northeastern Argentina. The fragmentation of the genus into mostly allopatric species suggests the recognition of major areas of endemism in South America that probably originated with vicariant events. Such an area cladogram combined with others based on other fish taxa of this region would help define its aquatic biogeographical history. This project aims to become a starting point for the complete phylogenetic study of the genus Oligosarcus, testing the hypothesis that the group is monophyletic, with a secondary aim of identifying major clades within the genus. Materials and Methods: The methodology for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships follows the theoretical framework advocated by Hennig (1966) and reviewed in its operational aspects by several authors (eg. Wile, 1981; Kitching et al., 1998). Characiform groups closely related to the genus Oligosarcus, according to previous phylogenetic studies (Lucena, 1993; Orti & Meyers, 1997; Buckup, 1998), will be used as out-groups for the determination of polarities of character transformations (Nixon & Carpenter, 1993). The osteological characters will be examined in cleared and stained specimens prepared primarily following the methods of Taylor & Van Dyke (1985). The osteological illustrations will be prepared with a stereomicroscope and camera lucida. The osteological terminology follows Weitzman (1962), Roberts (1969), and Castro & Castro (1987). Staff and Facilities: In this project, several people will be involved, directly or indirectly. Stanley Weitzman will be a key contact for this research team. Jeffery T. Williams and Susan L. Jewett will help allowing access to the NMNH fish collections. Lisa Palmer, Sandra J. Raredon and Shirleen Smith will help with the clearing and staining preparation. We sincerely thank all those people for their interest and help in advance. A preliminary manuscript summarizing the research is due 25 July 2001. The results will be presented to the Smithsonian community during a formal seminar 30 July 2001 and a poster session 2 August 2001. Funding to support Mr. Ribeiro's participation in the Research Training Program is being provided by the Alice Eve Kennington Endowment. Rowehl,
Julianne Irene Ms. Rowehl is from Huntington, New York. She is currently a Senior at the Southampton College of Long Island University where she is majoring in Marine Science with a concentration in Biology. She is particularly interested in systematics and conservation biology. She just returned from studying tropical field ecology in the Amazon. She plans to pursue a career in coral reef ecology or freshwater Ichthyology. Research Advisors (Team): Carole
Baldwin Museum Specialist. BS (1981) James Madison University; MS (1986) College of Charleston; Ph.D. (1992) College of William and Mary. Research specialties: marine fishes, especially sea basses and larval fishes. Lynne
Parenti Curator of Fishes. BA (1975) State University of New York at Stony Brook; Ph.D. (1980) City University of New York. Research specialties: systematics and biogeography of Indo-Pacific freshwater fishes, in particular atherinomorph and gobioid fishes; historical biogeography; reproductive and nerve characters in fish systematics. Project Title: Identification of Entomacrodus specimens collected in the Galapagos Islands. Hypothesis: Genetic divergence has occurred between Galapagos and other eastern Pacific populations resulting in a new Galapagos species. Summary: Fish specimens have recently been collected from the Galapagos Islands that most closely resemble the blenniid species Entomacrodus chiostictus. Entomacrodus chiostictus has never been recorded that far south and therefore the identification is in question. The last major work done of the genus was in 1976 by Dr. Victor Springer. It is possible that genetic divergence has occurred between Galapagos and other eastern Pacific populations resulting in a new Galapagos species. There is also the possibility that the range of the species has expanded. A comprehensive study will be performed to determine if the new specimens are E. chiostictus. A second part of the study will involve investigating evolutionary relationships of E. chiostictus. Springer (1967) placed E. chiostictus in his "nigricans" group, which includes species from western Pacific (E. sealei, E. corneliae, and E. caudofasciatus), Atlantic (E. voreminus, E. nigricans, E. cadenati, and E. textilis), and the single recognized eastern Pacific species, E. chiostictus. The cladistic study will be based on morphology, and the resulting species level phylogeny will be used to hypothesize the historical pattern of speciation in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific species of the "nigricans" group. Results will be compared to those from published studies of relationships within two other blennioid genera, Ophioblennius (Muss et al., 2001 - based on molecular data) and Acanthemblemaria (Hasting, 2000, Almany & Baldwin, 1996 - based on morphological data). Description: Documenting biodiversity is important for understanding the complexity of ecosystesm, as a foundation for future conservation decisions, and for understanding evolution in a historical context. Comparative morphological studies provide the basis for recognizing biological diversity. Although molecular data can be useful in estimating genetic divergence among populations, morphological differences are still necessary for species recognition. When a population of animals belonging to a known genus are discovered in a geographical area in which the genus has not been recorded previously, morphological comparisons with other known species of the genus are needed to identify the new population. In this study, specimens of the circumtropical blenniid genus Entomacrodus, previously not reported from the Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, will be compared with specimens of E. chiostictus, the only species of Entomacrodus currently recognized in the eastern Pacific. The new specimens from the Galapagos Islands will be thoroughly studied. Meristic traits, anatomical characteristics, color patterns, and morphometric measurements will be recorded for the unidentified specimens. The remainder of the first part of the study is contingent upon the results of the morphological study. If the unidentified specimens are the same as the specimens of E. chiostictus, the unidentified specimens will be designated as E. chiostictus. Distinct differences may occur between the unidentified and identified specimens. In that case a new species must be described. There is also the possibility that variations may exist among the E. chiostictus populations throughout the eastern Pacific. In this case, a generic revision may be necessary bet is not a project though could be completed given the time constraints of the internship. Relationships among species of the Entomacrodus "nigricans" group will be hypothesized based on cladistic analysis of morphological features. Although no cladistic hypothesis of relationships within Entomacrodus exists, Springer (1967) hypothesized that his "nigricans" group is monophyletic. Most data for the analysis will be taken from Springer (1967), Springer (1972), and Springer & Fricke (2000), but specimens of each species in the "nigricans" group will be examined in efforts to find additional informative characters. Most notably, specimens of each species cleared and stained for cartilage and bone, which have not been examined in detail previously, will be studied. Materials and Methods: The fish specimens from the Galapagos Islands will be examined using a microscope with a separate light source to study the anatomy. Morphological factors being considered include, but are not limited to: number of rays and spines, pore distribution, branchial elements, crenulae patterns, various length measurements, dentition, and pigmentation. Radiographs will be taken to determine the number of vertebrae, spines, and rays. Several specimens will be put through a "clearing and staining" process so that bones and cartilage can be studied. The same techniques will be carried out on specimens of E. chiostictus from other geographical areas. Data from the Galapagos specimens will be compared to those of the E. chiostictus specimens. If they match, the new |
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