Quantitative Morphology Group - University of Adelaide Australia

PhD Students

Tory Botha
"Morphology and ecology of Ediacaran fossils from Nilpena Station (Ediacara Conservation Park, Flinders Ranges, South Australia)"
Supervised with Diego Garcia-Bellido (SA Museum) and Mary Droser (UC Riverside)
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The primary aim of my PhD project is to gain a better understanding of the morphology, growth, preservation, and ecology of three enigmatic, radial Ediacaran taxa:

• Eoandromeda octobrachiata 
  
• Tribrachidium heraldicum 
  
• Rugoconites
  

​I use 3D scanning, geometric morphometrics, spatial analysis and mathematical approaches to best study their forms. 

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Nuttakorn (Win) Taewcharoen 
​"Biomechanics and Morphology of Lagmorphs"

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​My prospect research theme will be about lagomorph' poscranial skeleton (vertebral column and limbs) and their locomotive trajectories using newly proposed method for analysis of complex articulated structures

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Matthew Patterson
​"Cranial evolution in the Pygopodidae – ontogeny, ecology and divergence in skull shape of legless lizards"
Supervised with Natalie Warburton and Trish Fleming (Murdoch University)

My PhD will examine skull and jaw morphology and head musculature of Pygopodid lizards, to study their biomechnics, ontogenetic patterns, and relating it to other aspects of their ecology.
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PHD STUDENTS

BSC HONOURS STUDENTS

Ellen Martin
"Evolutionary Constraints and Trade-Offs in the Locomotor Morphology of Birds and Mammals"

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​Tamika Nash-Hahn
​"Sexual dimorphism in snakes: An exploration of the variation between sexes within pythons and elapids"

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Yuxuan (George) Zhao

"Adaptive radiation and evolutionary innovations of predacious aquatic beetles (Dytiscidae) in ‘nature's laboratory’ – Australian calcrete aquifers"

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Visiting Researchers

Philip Stott
Australia's expert on invasive European hares, Philip studies their ecology, locomotion and behaviour




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• Use of space by sympatric European hares and European rabbits in Australia
• Demographics of the European hare in the Mediterranean climate zone of Australia
• Is the large size of the pinna of the ear of the European hare due to its role in thermoregulation or in anterior capital shock absorption?
• Factors influencing the importation and establishment in Australia of the European hare

I’m a retired academic most recently employed at the City University of Hong Kong but prior to that at The University of Adelaide. I have a wide range of interests including morphology, and Emma has most graciously provided me with a refuge from retirement so that I can potter around with research on the European hare (the main subject of my own PhD), a species that also interests Emma.
At present I’m investigating the rapid turns made by hares to elude chasing predators. Hares are capable of turning through 120 deg in 0.3 seconds and I’m trying to relate the function (the turn) with the morphology (the musculature enabling such turns). Manoeuvrability is only one factor influencing the outcome of terrestrial pursuits in open grassland habitats, but the ability of the hare to survive in the presence of cheetahs and greyhounds suggests that lagomorphs might possess unique adaptations to facilitate manoeuvrability, and if so, it seems likely that they’d be best developed in the cursorial species (the hares). It’s those putative musculoskeletal adaptations that I seek.
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Qamariya Nasrullah
I am an evolutionary developmental (evo-devo) biologist. I recently completed a PhD looking at the evolution and development of teeth in mammals at Monash University. This included scanning wallaby teeth at the Australian synchrotron, and growing fluorescent mice teeth in petri dishes in Finland. I also have a background in palaeontology and phylogenetics, studying extinct short-faced kangaroos at Flinders University. Currently I am working on the geometric morphometrics of rabbit skull asymmetry. I am seeking new opportunities for post-doc research in Australia and overseas.​

• Three-dimensional mammalian tooth development using diceCT

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Student opportunities in the Quantitative Morphology Group ​at University of Adelaide: 
Australian BSc. Honours program | PhD Scholarships | Summer Scholarships | BSc. Science (Advanced) Principles & Practices of Research III
Contact me if you are interested! emma [dot] sherratt [at] adelaide [dot] edu [dot] au

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES CLICK FOR DETAILS!
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​I mentor and supervise by a mix of coaching and participative approaches: everyone has a voice, and I'll give you all the support and guidance to find yours.