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Research in the Evolutionary Morphology Research Group (EvoMoRG) at the Department of Palaeontology of the University of Vienna is at the interface between palaeobiology and evolutionary developmental biology of vertebrates. For this we integrate living and fossil organisms, knowledge of their evolutionary relationships, anatomy and morphology, developmental (palaeo)biology and genetic information, but also past diversity patterns to provide a holistic understanding of their evolutionary history. We have particular interests in, but not restricted to, the evolutionary origin, morphological rate changes, adaptive trait developments, and diversity and disparity patterns of modern sharks, skates, and rays as well as bony fishes at the broadest temporal and spatial scales. Central questions that we seek to answer are why certain groups became successful (in terms of taxonomic diversity or position within trophic food webs) or went extinct even when they were successful in deep time.
Infrastructure
Our lab has facilities for rock digestion, high-end micro-computed tomography (Bruker Skyscan 1173 Desktop-Micro-Computertomograph; click here for more information), 3D digital microscopy (Keyence VHX-6000, 20-2000x magnification), scanning electron microscopy, high performance computing for image data processing, micro- and macro-anatomical labs, and an aquarium infrastructure (click here for watching suction feeding of Hemiscyllium ocellatum) to support individual palaeobiological projects but also providing research services for other departments of the University of Vienna (e.g., Geology, Mineralogy, Anthropology, Zoology, and Theoretical Biology) and third parties.
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Congratulations to Sebastian Stumpf for successfully securing a FWF project, entitled Macroevolutionary dynamics of Mesozoic hybodontiform fishes!
Congratulations to Elora Marx for winning the Master's Presenter's Award at this year's NOBIS meeting!
NEW research projects in vertebrate palaeobiology for bachelor and master theses are available.
For enquiries contact
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kriwet (juergen.kriwet@univie.ac.at) or Dr. Cathrin Pfaff (cathrin.pfaff@univie.ac.at).
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Latest Publication |
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2024: New Evidence for the Contemporary Presence of Juvenile
White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Adriatic Sea. (Link)
The presence of the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Mediterranean Sea is well documented, but mainly through historical and opportunistic records. Historically, the Adriatic Sea, particularly its eastern coastline, was considered a hotspot for white sharks, with relatively frequent reports of juvenile specimens suggesting a potential nursery area. However, since the second half of the 20th century, the abundance of white sharks in the Adriatic has experienced a dramatic decline, with the last confirmed sighting recorded in 2011. In this study, we report the recent capture of a young-of-the-year (YOY) white shark off the Croatian coast, previously misidentified as a porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus). In addition, we revisit historical records of white sharks in the Adriatic Sea to assess whether this region can be considered a nursery area. Our findings highlight significant gaps in the understanding of white shark spatial ecology and reproductive biology in the Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the critical role citizen science and public engagement can play in documenting occurrences of these elusive and endangered predators, offering valuable insights for future conservation efforts.
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Address |
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Department of Paleontology
University of Vienna, Geozentrum
Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2
1090 Vienna, Austria
Contact
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Our research is/was supported by the
Austrian
Science Fund (FWF),
the CONICYT Chile,
the Austrian
Exchange Service (OeAD),
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD),
the German Research Foundation (DFG),
the Marie-Curie Actions of the
European Union, the SENACYT Panama, Sharkproject Austria, Synthesys, the University of Vienna,
Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS)
Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE).
and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.
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