Justine A. Salton, PhD Program in Biology-EEB, Graduate Center, City University of New York

PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior

Justine A. Salton

[Geogale] Tenrecidae, an understudied family of placental mammals known as “tenrecs”, includes twenty-seven species that have been isolated on the island of Madagascar for at least thirty million years. From the hedgehog-like Setifer, to the otter-like aquatic Limnogale, to the mole-like, digging Oryzorictes, tenrecs exhibit an extraordinary variety of forms, habitats, and locomotor behaviors. Tenrecidae’s supposed “primitive” mammalian status, coupled with its interspecific ecological diversity make this an ideal family for exploring hypotheses related to the adaptive evolution and function of skeletal form. Tenrecs have also taken on an important role in the field of mammalian systematics because of their newly proposed relationship to other placental mammals; although they share many physical characteristics with insectivores, such as hedgehogs and moles, surprising new molecular work suggests that tenrecs may be part of an “afrotherian” assemblage, including other African phyletic enigmas, such as proboscideans (elephants), tubulidentates (aardvarks) and sirenians (sea cows and relatives).

My primary research project focuses on the evolution of skeletal diversity in Tenrecidae. To what degree are features of the skeleton influenced by what a species does in its natural environment, and to what extent can we interpret evolutionary history from bone? A second, related aspect of my research investigates microscopic properties of bone that might be indicative of organismal functional demands. Do microstructural properties of small mammal bone, such as tissue type, collagen fiber orientation, and/or cross-sectional geometry correspond to hypothesized patterns based on positional behavior of the animal? Are investigations of bone microstructure valuable for interpretation of fossil bone? A third aspect of my research has taken me to the field in Madagascar over the past two years on projects funded by NSF, AAAS, and National Geographic. My co-collaborator, Dr. Rochelle Buffenstein from CCNY, and I asked: are there differences in thermoregulatory profiles between rainforest and desert tenrec species, and to what extent are they attributable to microhabitat and/or phylogenetic affiliation? Are there seasonal differences in tenrec thermoregulation based on food availability? To what extent is tenrec thermoregulation relatively primitive as opposed to adaptive?

Mentor: Fred S. Szalay
Advisors: Tim Bromage, Rochelle Buffenstein, Eric Sargis, John Wahlert

Field Photos, Winter 2002-2003:

Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar

Echinops telfairi, the lesser hedgehog tenrec

Ranomafana National Park in the eastern highlands of Madagascar

Research at Beza Mahafaly

Me with a favorite research assistant, Belario

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Last updated 31 August 2004 (JS)