Lauren Sheffer
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Samuel Borstein
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 5 – 3:40pm – 4:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Lauren Sheffer, Samuel Borstein, Hernan Lopez-Fernandez
Presenter: 15
Abstract
The Neotropics are a biodiversity hotspot for fishes, with over 6,000 known species. However, the causes of this extensive diversity are still relatively unknown. Neotropical fishes occupy a variety of habitats, and one area Neotropical fishes have diversified is in their swimming morphology. This exploratory study focuses on investigating trends in traits related to swimming morphology in two closely related neotropical characiform fish families: Curimatidae, the toothless characins, and Prochilodontidae, the flannel-mouthed characins. To do this, we photographed museum specimens from the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Ichthyology Collection, digitized landmarks to measure traits associated with swimming, and generated a morphospace of swimming functional morphology using Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Our research provides a better understanding of how swimming morphology has diversified among fishes in the Neotropics. Additionally, as both of these fish families play an important detritivorous role in their respective ecosystems, are migratory, and contribute heavily to South American fisheries, a better understanding of their swimming morphological diversity is crucial in present and future conservation efforts.
Environmental Studies, Natural/Life Sciences
