Latest publication!
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This paper is the second of two Evolution & Development papers (2019a & 2019b) examining the mechanisms behind diversity of sea snake vertebral columns.
In this paper we show that the unique body shape of microcephalic sea snakes arises from an increased number of small vertebrae in the forebody (above the heart), which arises in very early development such that neonates are born with this morphotype. From this we hypothesise on the presence of hox boundaries near the heart, and heterochronic changes in segmentation cause this body shape to develop. |
Publications
Macroevolutionary InferencesSnakes
Heterochronic shifts mediate ecomorphological convergence in sea snake skull shape.
Sherratt, E., Sanders, K.L., Watson, A., Hutchinson, M.N., Lee, M.S.Y, Palci, A. (2019) Integrative and Comparative Biology, here Data available here Vertebral evolution and ontogenetic allometry: The developmental basis of extreme body shape divergence in microcephalic sea snakes.
Sherratt, E., Coutts, F.J., Rasmussen, A.R., Sanders, K.L. (2019) Evolution & Development, 21:135–144. here Data available here 
Evolution of extreme ontogenetic allometric diversity and heterochrony in pythons, a clade of giant and dwarf snakes.
Esquerré, D., Sherratt, E., Keogh, J.S. (2017) Evolution, 71(12): 2829–2844. here Data available here 
Trophic specialization drives morphological evolution in sea snakes.
Sherratt, E., Rasmussen, A.R., Sanders, K.L. (2018) Royal Society Open Science, 5: 172141. here Data available here 
Are Diet Preferences Associated to Skulls Shape Diversification in Xenodontine Snakes?
Klaczko, J., Sherratt, E., Setz, E.Z.F. (2016) PLoS ONE, 11(2): e0148375. here Frogs
Adult frogs and tadpoles have different macroevolutionary patterns across the Australian continent.
Sherratt, E., M. Vidal-García, M. Anstis, and J. S. Keogh. (2017) Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1: 1385–1391. here Data available here Ecomorphological diversity of Australian tadpoles.
Sherratt, E., Anstis, M., Keogh, J.S. (2018) Ecology & Evolution, 8(24): 12929–12939. here Data available here Scallops
Phylogenetic convergence and multiple shell shape optima for gliding scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae).
Serb, J.M., Sherratt, E., Alejandrino, A., Adams, D.C. (2017) Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 30(9): 1736–1747. here 
Rates of morphological evolution, asymmetry and morphological integration of shell shape in scallops.
Sherratt, E., Serb, J.M., Adams, D.C. (2017) BMC Evolutionary Biology, 17: 248. here 
Trends in the sand: directional evolution in the shell shape of recessing scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae). Sherratt, E., Alejandrino, A., Kraemer, A.C., Serb, J.M., Adams, D.C., (2016) Evolution, 70(9): 2061–2073 here
Data available here Rabbits
Evolutionary morphology of the rabbit skull. Kraatz, B. & Sherratt, E. (2016) PeerJ, 4:e2453. here
Blog post summary by Matt Wedel. 
Ecological correlates to cranial morphology in Leporids (Mammalia, Lagomorpha).
Kraatz, B.P., Sherratt, E., Bumacod, N., Wedel, M.J. (2015) PeerJ 3 :e844. here Blog post summary by Matt Wedel. Original submission preprint Lizards
Amber fossils demonstrate deep-time stability of Caribbean lizard communities.
Sherratt, E., Castañeda, M.d.R, Garwood, R.J., Mahler, D.L., Sanger, T.J., Herrel, A., de Queiroz, K., Losos, J.B. (2015) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 112(32): 9961–9966. here - read about it on New York Times Online, Smithsonian Science News, ABC Science Online, Harvard Gazette, CBC News. Data available: amber fossils here, modern specimens here (Project ID P459) Semicircular canals in Anolis lizards: ecomorphological convergence and ecomorph affinities of fossil species
Dickson, B.V., Sherratt, E., Losos, J.B., Pierce, S.E. (2017) Royal Society Open Science, 4: 170058. here Data available here 
Convergent evolution of sexual dimorphism in skull shape using distinct developmental strategies.
Sanger, T.J, Sherratt, E., McGlothlin, J.W., Brodie III, E.D., Losos, J.B., Abzhanov, A. (2013) Evolution 67: 2180–2193 here Evolution of cranial shape in a continental-scale evolutionary radiation of Australian lizards.
Gray, J.A., Sherratt, E., Hutchinson, M.N., Jones, M.E.H. Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.13851 here 
Changes in ontogenetic patterns facilitate diversification in skull shape of Australian agamid lizards.
Gray, J.A., Sherratt, E., Hutchinson, M.N., Jones, M.E.H. (2019) BMC Evolutionary Biology, 19:7. here Data available here Caecilians
Influence of fossoriality on inner ear morphology: insights from caecilian amphibians.
Maddin, H.C. & Sherratt, E. (2014) Journal of Anatomy, 225(1): 83–93 here 
Evolution of cranial shape in caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona).
Sherratt, E., Gower, D.J., Klingenberg, C.P., Wilkinson, M. (2014) Evolutionary Biology, 41(4): 528-545 here Rodents
Getting a head in hard soils: Convergent skull evolution and divergent allometric patterns explain shape variation in a highly diverse genus of pocket gophers (Thomomys).
Marcy, A.E., Hadley, E.A., Sherratt, E., Garland, K., Weisbecker, V. (2016) BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16(1): 207. here MarsupialsIndividual variation of the masticatory system dominates 3D skull shape in the herbivory-adapted marsupial wombats.
Weisbecker, V., Guillerme, T., Speck, C., Sherratt, E., Mehari Abraha, H., Sharp, A.C., Terhune, C.E., Collins, S., Johnston, S., Panagiotopoulou, O. 2019. Frontiers in Zoology, doi:10.1186/s12983-019-0338-5 here Plants
Leaf shape and size tracks habitat transitions across forest-grassland boundaries in the grass family (Poaceae).
Gallaher, T.J., Adams, D.C., Attigala, L., Burke, S.V., Craine, J.M., Duvall, M.R., Klahs, P.C., Sherratt, E., Wysocki, W.P., Clark, L.G. (2019) Evolution, 73(5): 927–946. here Data available here |
Taxonomy & Biodiversity
The Mexican amber anole, Anolis electrum, within a phylogenetic context: implications for the origins of Caribbean anoles.
Castañeda, M.d.R., Sherratt, E., Losos, J.B. (2014) Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 172(1): 133-144 . here View the Morphobank images here. 
Amphibian diversity in East African biodiversity hotspots: altitudinal and latitudinal patterns. Poynton, J.C., Loader, S.P., Sherratt, E., Clarke, B.T. (2007)
Biodiversity and Conservation. 16(4): 1103-1118. here Caecilian taxonomy
A new species of striped Ichthyophis Fitzinger, 1826 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Myanmar.
Wilkinson, M., Presswell, B., Sherratt, E., Papadopolou, A., Gower, D.J. (2014) Zootaxa, 3785 (1): 045–058. here 
A new species of skin-feeding caecilian and the first report of reproductive mode in Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae). Wilkinson, M., Sherratt, E., Starace, F., Gower, D.J. (2013)
PLoS ONE 8(3): e57756. here 
Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa.
Kamei, R.G., San Mauro, D., Gower, D.J., Van Bocxlaer, I., Sherratt, E., Thomas, A., Babu, S., Bossuyt, F., Wilkinson, M., Biju, S.D. (2012) Proceedings Royal Society B, 279(1737): 2396-2401 link - read about it on the BBC news, watch video about the discovery here. - 2012 National Geographic Top Ten Discoveries, read it here A nine-family classification of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Wilkinson, M., San Mauro, D., Sherratt, E., Gower, D.J. (2011) Zootaxa 2874: 41-64. link
A new species of Rhinatrema Duméril & Bibron (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Rhinatrematidae) from Guyana.
Gower, D.J., Wilkinson, M., Sherratt, E., Kok, P.J.R. (2010) Zootaxa, 2391: 47-60. here BiomechanicsCovariation between forelimb muscle anatomy and bone shape in an Australian scratch‐digging marsupial: Comparison of morphometric methods.
Martin, M.L., Travouillon, K.L., Sherratt, E. Fleming, P.A., Warburton, N.M. 2019. Journal of Morphology, 4(4): 393–16. here The biomechanics of foraging behaviours determine face length among kangaroos and their relatives.
Mitchell, D.R., Sherratt, E., Ledogar, J., Wroe, S. (2018) Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 285: 20180845. here Feeding biomechanics influences craniofacial morphology at the subspecies scale among Australian pademelons (Macropodidae: Thylogale).
Mitchell, D.R., Sherratt, E., Sansalone, G., Ledogar, J., Flavel, R.J., Wroe, S. (2018) Journal of Mammalian Evolution, here. Developmental InstabilityThe genetic architecture of fluctuating asymmetry of mandible size and shape in a population of mice: another look.
Leamy, L., Klingenberg, C.P., Sherratt, E., Wolf, J. & Cheverud, J. (2015) Symmetry, 7(1): 146-163. here 
A search for quantitative trait loci exhibiting imprinting effects on mouse mandible size and shape.
Leamy, L.J., Klingenberg, C.P., Sherratt, E., Wolf, J.B. and Cheverud, J.M. (2008) Heredity, 101: 518–526. here MethodsDo cladistic and morphometric data capture common patterns of morphological disparity?
Hetherington, A.J., Sherratt, E., Ruta, M., Wilkinson, M., Deline, B. & Donoghue, P.C.J. (2015) Palaeontology, 58(3): 393–399. here 
A new, three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach to assess egg shape.
Attard, M.R.G., Sherratt, E., McDonald, P., Young, I., Vidal-García, M. Wroe, S. (2018) PeerJ, 6: e5052. here Data available here Morphological Integration & ModularityOut on a limb: bandicoot limb covariation suggests complex impacts of development and adaptation on marsupial forelimb evolution.
Garland, K. Marcy, A.E., Sherratt, E., Weisbecker, V. (2016) Evolution & Development, 19(2): 69–84. here 
Morphological evolution and modularity of the caecilian skull.
Bardua, C., Gower, D.J., Wilkinson, M., Sherratt, E., Goswami, A. (2019) BMC Evolutionary Biology, 19:30. here High-density three-dimensional morphometric analyses support conserved static (intraspecific) modularity in caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) crania.
Marshall, A.F., Bardua, C., Gower, D.J., Wilkinson, M., Sherratt, E., Goswami, A. (2019) Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 126(4): 721–742. here Other topics
Psychology, not technology, is our biggest challenge to open digital morphology data.
Hipsley, C.A., Sherratt, E. (2019) Scientific Data, 6:4. here Data available here Using principal trabecular orientation to differentiate joint loading orientation in the 3rd metacarpal heads of humans and chimpanzees.
Barak, M.M., Sherratt, E., Lieberman, D.E. (2017) Journal of Human Evolution, 113: 173e182. here 
A relative shift in cloacal location repositions external genitalia in amniote evolution.
Tschopp, P., Sherratt, E., Sanger, T.J., Groner, A.C., Aspiras, A.C., Hu, J.K., Pourquié, O., Gros, J. & Tabin, C.J (2014) Nature, 516: 391–394 here - read about it on ScienceMag and IFLS Egg shape mimicry in parasitic cuckoos.
Attard, M.R.G., Medina, I., Langmore, N., Sherratt, E., (2017) Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 30(11): 2079–2084. here |
Popular Science Articles: Blogs and Magazines20-Million-Year-Old Fossils Reveal Ecomorph Diversity in Hispaniola. Anole Annals blog, July 27th 2015 link
The Fossil Species Anolis electrum Gets and X-ray Makeover. Anole Annals blog, August 14th 2014 link The Hi-Tech World of Anole Paleontology. Anole Annals blog, March 6th 2012 link Piecing Together the Anole Family Tree: Anole Fossils. Anole Annals blog, Feb. 15th 2012 link Skeletal Anomolies - Curious Case of the Asymmetrical Sacrum. Anole Annals blog, Nov. 24th 2011 link Anolis - Now in 3D!. Anole Annals blog, Nov. 18th 2011 link Is it a snake? Is it a worm? No it's a caecilian! Biological Science Review - A magazine for A-level students of Biology 2012. |
Non-peer reviewed articlesThey've Kept On Keeping On. Sherratt, E. (2012) Science 338:46. link
- Book review of Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms The Story of the Animals and Plants That Time Has Left Behind by Richard Fortey. New Generation Curation! Digital Specimen archiving my micro-CT. Sherratt, E. (2009) Annual Report of the Department of Zoology 2008-2009. Edited by C. Patterson, The Natural History Museum, London. A Pilot Study of the Systematics and Ecology of Caecilian Amphibians of the Station de Recherche des Nouragues. Gower, D.J., Sherratt, E., Wilkinson, M. (2009) Nouragues Research Station 2008 Annual Report (http://www.nouragues.cnrs.fr/) |