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Elasmobranch teeth enameloid microstructure as a taxonomic criterion

 Description of project: 

Isolated teeth might be quite difficult to identify on morphological grounds alone. We propose therefore a training programme in the study of enameloid microstructure to help differentiate between different clades of elasmobranchs, namely Batoidea, Galea, Squalea and Hybodontiformes. The project will be based primarily on the study of fossil teeth, but may be performed on teeth from modern species as well.
Duration of training: 
3 weeks
Training period: 
December 2009 – January 2010 Dates to be discussed with mentor
Target Audience: 
MSc students, PhD students as well as early career researchers
Practical experiences: 
- Identification of isolated shark teeth based on morphological characters - Preparation of samples for study of enameloid microstructure with a Scanning Electron Microscope - Acquisition and processing of digital images - Study of the emergence and evolution of modern group of elasmobranch in the fossil record - Experience in writing a scientific paper
Lectures: 
- Systematic of Hybodontiformes, Batoidea, Galea and Squalea - Impact of mass extinctions (Permo-Triassic, Triassic/Jurassic and K/T) on the evolution of elasmobranchs - Intro to collection management
Seminars: 
- Freshwater elasmobranchs - Sharks and the K/T boundary
Name of mentor / supervisor: 
Dr Gilles Cuny
Institution/Organisation: 
Natural History Museum of Denmark
EDIT partner number: 
3
Unit/Department/Laboratory: 
Department of Geology
Address: 
Øster Voldgade 5-7 1350 Copenhagen K Denmark