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Lawrence M. Witmer,
PhD
Professor of Anatomy
Chang Ying-Chien Professor of Paleontology
OU Presidential Research Scholar 2004-2009
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Life Science Building, Rm 123
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701 USA
Phone: 740 593 9489
Fax: 740 593 2400
Email: witmerL@ohio.edu
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Research &
Laboratory |
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Research Statement |
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Research in the Witmer Lab at Ohio University
proceeds along a number of directions, but the overarching theme
is functional morphology of the heads of vertebrates. A major
focus for years has been the reconstruction of soft tissues
(e.g., muscles, blood vessels, nerves, air sinuses, skin, etc.)
in dinosaurs. Thus, vertebrate paleontology and the study of
dinosaur fossils is an important activity. But, since fossils
tend to preserve only hard parts like bones and teeth, much of
the effort in the lab is devoted to studying modern animals. As
a result, the projects are very diverse ranging from studies of
the nasal apparatus of Diplodocus to the brain and ear of
Tyrannosaurus rex to the horns of rhinos and giraffe to the
air sinuses of alligator heads to the snouts of moose, and so
on. We use traditional techniques (such as dissection and
vascular injection), as well as the latest high-tech imaging and
3D-visualization techniques. The details of anatomical structure
are our stock and trade. These anatomical details, played out
over the course of phylogeny, record the evolution of
adaptation, and their study provides a better understanding of
the vertebrate head: how it worksfrom physiology to
biomechanicsand how it evolves. |
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WitmerLab
News! |
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Tobin Hieronymus has two papers published on
aquatic birds in the Thewissen & Nummela volume.
Hieronymus, T. L. 2008. Comparative anatomy
and physiology of chemical senses in aquatic
birds. In: Thewissen, J.G.M., and S. Nummela (eds),
Sensory Evolution on the Threshold, Adaptations
in Secondarily Aquatic Vertebrates. University
of California Press.
Thewissen, J. G. M., and T. L. Hieronymus.
2008. Evolutionary relationships of aquatic
birds. In: Thewissen, J.G.M., and S. Nummela (eds),
Sensory Evolution on the Threshold, Adaptations
in Secondarily Aquatic Vertebrates. University
of California Press.
(2008-01-24) |
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Dave Dufeau successfully passed his
Comprehensive Qualifying Examinations, and has
now fully advanced to PhD candidacy.
(2007-12-06) |
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Paper on the African sauropod dinosaur
Nigersaurus published in
PLoS ONE (2007-11-15)
Sereno, P. C., J. A. Wilson, L. M. Witmer, J. A.
Whitlock, A. Maga, O. Ide, and T. A. Rowe. 2007.
Structural extremes in a Cretaceous dinosaur.
PLoS ONE 2(11): e1230.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001230.
PLoS Supplementary Information
PLoS tabulation of media response
NPR Morning Edition interview with Sereno &
Witmer (3.6 MB MP3)
(web)
Nigersaurus main page on Project Exploration
site
Skull and Brain page
Nigersaurus
page on DigiMorph site
movies generated by Witmer & Ridgely for the
Nigersaurus project
rotating skull in natural alert posture (4.6 MB)
(13
MB)
rotating skull in intermediate posture (4.4
MB) (13
MB)
brain endocast and inner ear (roll)
(2.8 MB) (32 MB)
brain endocast and inner ear (yaw)
(2.8 MB) (32 MB)
brain endocast and inner ear (tumble)
(2.6 MB) (29 MB)
rotating maxilla with tooth battery (6 MB)
rotating premaxilla with tooth battery (6
MB) |
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The abstracts of presentations at the 8th
International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology
(ICVM 8) in Paris were recently published
in the Journal of Morphology. WitmerLab
abstracts are below. (2007-11-15)
Hieronymus, T. L. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. Turtle
beaks, bird beaks, croc beaks? Parallel
evolution of rhamphothecae in Sauropsida.
Journal of Morphology 268(12):10831084.
Holliday, C. M. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. Cranial
kinesis in dinosaurs: significance for
functional inferences and evolution. Journal of
Morphology 268(12):10851086.
Ridgely, R. C. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. Gross
Anatomical Brain Region Approximation (GABRA): a
new technique for assessing brain structure in
dinosaurs and other fossil archosaurs. Journal
of Morphology 268(12):1124.
Tickhill, J. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. The Virtual
Pig Head: digital imaging in cephalic anatomy.
Journal of Morphology 268(12):1141.
Tsuihiji, T., M. Kearney, and O. Rieppel. 2007.
Dissociation between the axial myology and
osteology in the anterior precloacal region of
limb-reduced squamates including snakes. Journal
of Morphology 268(12):1142.
Witmer, L. M. and R. C. Ridgely. 2007. Evolving
an on-board flight computer: brain, ears, and
exaptation in the evolution of birds and other
theropod dinosaurs. Journal of Morphology
268(12):1150.
Dufeau, D. L. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. Ontogeny
and phylogeny of the tympanic pneumatic system
of crocodyliform archosaurs. This abstract was
somehow and regrettably omitted from the
Journal of Morphology abstract volume. |
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Taka Tsuihiji published a very important paper
in the Journal of Morphology
(2007-11-15):
Tsuihiji, T. 2007. Homologies of longissimus,
iliocostalis, and hypaxial muscles in the
anterior presacral region of extant Diapsida.
Journal of Morphology. 268:9861020. |
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The WitmerLab traveled to Austin, Texas, for the
annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate
Paleontology, and it was a very successful
meeting. Our abstracts are below. (2007-10-23)
Daniel, J. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. The role of
soft tissues in sediment infilling and
patterning: an actualistic study with ostrich heads. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
27(Supplement to 3):65A.
Dufeau, D. L. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. Ontogeny
and phylogeny of the tympanic pneumatic system
of crocodyliform archosaurs. Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology 27(Supplement to 3):70A.
Hieronymus, T. L. and L. M. Witmer. 2007.
Skinning dinosaurs: bony correlates and patterns
of cephalic skin evolution in Archosauria.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(Supplement
to 3):89A.
Holliday, C. M. and L. M. Witmer. 2007. The
epipterygoid of crocodyliforms and its
significance in the evolution of the
orbitotemporal region of eusuchians. Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology 27(Supplement to 3):90A.
Tsuihiji, T., M. Watabe, L. M. Witmer, T.
Tsubamoto, K. Tsogtbaatar. 2007. A juvenile
skeleton of Tarbosaurus with a nearly
complete skull and its implications for
ontogenetic change in tyrannosaurids. Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology 27(Supplement to
3):160A. |
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Justin Tickhill successfully defended his
masters thesis"The Virtual Pig Head: digital
imaging of cephalic anatomy"on 02 August 2007.
Justin's thesis took the unique form of a
website. Justin will remain here in Athens for
the next year or so before striking out for his
next endeavor. (2007-08-29) Visit the
Virtual Pig Head website! |
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At the
8th International Congress of Vertebrate
Morphology in Paris, France, 1621 July,
2007, it was announced that Witmer was elected
President-Elect of the International Society of
Vertebrate Morphology. He will remain
President-Elect and a member of the Executive
Committee until the next ICVM (Uruguay 2010) at
which point he will become President.
(2007-08-03) |
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Skull of Majungasaurus paper published as
a Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir:
Sampson & Witmer Click the link to view a lay
abstract, images, and other links and to
download the paper (2007-06-29) |
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Newly available PDFs of older but often
requested papers. All are fully searchable, and
some have had better versions of the original
illustrations inserted.
Witmer 1999 The phylogenetic history of
paranasal air sinuses. in The Paranasal
Sinuses of Higher Primates. (4 MB)
Witmer 1997 The evolution of the antorbital
cavity of archosaurs... JVP Memoir 3.
(24 MB)
Witmer 1997 Craniofacial air sinus systems.
in The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. (4 MB)
Witmer 1995 Homology of facial structures in
extant archosaurs... Journal of
Morphology. (5.5 MB)
Witmer 1995 The Extant Phylogenetic Bracket...
in Functional Morphology in Vertebrate
Paleontology (4 MB)
Witmer 1987 The nature of the antorbital fossa
of archosaurs... in SMTE4 Short Papers.
(1.2 MB)
see
Publications or CV
for full citations. (2007-06-16) |
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Archosaur jaw muscle homology paper published in
the Journal of Morphology: Holliday &
Witmer Click the link to view a lay
abstract, images, and other links and to
download the paper (2007-06-10) |
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Rhino horn growth paper published in the
Journal of Morphology: Hieronymus, Witmer, &
Ridgely Click the link to view a lay
abstract, images, and other links and to
download the paper (2006-10-31) |
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Flamingo vasculature paper published in
the Anatomical Record: Holliday, Ridgely,
Balanoff, & Witmer Click the link to
view a lay abstract, images, movies, and other
links and to download the paper (2006-10-30) |
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Casey Holliday finishes doctorate and
takes tenure-track job at the Joan C. Edwards
School of Medicine at Marshall
University |
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Perspectives (Nov. 2001) published a
nice overview of the philosophy, goals, approaches, and history
of research in the Witmer lab.
Funding for projects in the Witmer Lab derive primarily from
grants to Witmer from the National Science Foundation (NSF) with
important support from Ohio University and the OU College of
Osteopathic Medicine |
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note: Research
in the Witmer lab does not involve experimentation on live
animals. Specimens of modern animals used in research are
salvage specimens, obtained legally from commercial or
governmental sources. |
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