As a PhD student at the Laboratory for Functional Morphology at the University of Antwerp, I study how form and function has evolved in the vertebrate musculo-skeletal system. My research focuses on the terrestrial feeding of amphibious fish.

In recent popular science there has been a fair amount of attention for the “fin to foot” transition in Sarcopterygii, from which the first terrestrial vertebrates evolved. But, surprisingly, very little is known about the “water to land” transition beyond locomotion, such as the adaptation of the feeding apparatus to the terrestrial environment.

A reason for a lack of knowledge in this area may be because the functional morphological knowledge on prey capture and transport systems on the transition between “water-land” is very limited.

The difference between the two media present genuine evolutionary challenge, as it is physically impossible to generate a suction force (the most popular mode of aquatic food uptake in primitive fish) in air capable of capturing prey of any significant mass. Thus, using a feeding apparatus built for aquatic feeding on land, would lead to alternative behavioral and morphological adaptations.

In order to identify any pre-adaptations to terrestrial feeding in Sacopterygii, we must first gain a proper fundamental understanding of the functional morphology of terrestrial food uptake in animals with a piscine feeding apparatus.

The main goal of my research is to discover the biomechanical possibilities and limitation of an efficient terrestrial feeding apparatus in modern amphibious fish and the anatomical requirements and demands on the cranial and post-cranial musclo-skeletal system.

To this end we will study a variety of amphibious fish species, each capable of feeding both on land and in water, each with a different morphology, influencing their mobility and feeding strategy.

Perhaps the most well known amphibious fish, the mudskipper (Periophthalmus), is a perfect example of an animal specialized in life in the transition between water and land. Despite needing water to breath with its gills, it is adapted to extended stays on land, where it forages for food.

A detailed kinematic study based on high speed recording of terrestrial and aquatic prey capture in conjunction with a thorough morphological study of the feeding apparatus will help us relate the biomechanics modern amphibious species to morphological data on Sarcopterygii.

contact info: Krijn Michel, Universiteit Antwerpen (Dept. Biology), Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium. Tel: +32 3 265 22 60  Fax: +32 3 265 22 71 Email: krijn.michel@ua.ac.be