Systematics, Ontogeny, Osteology and Historical Biogeography of Fossil and Living Bowfins (Actinopterygii: Amiiformes)

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This study is a comparative anatomical study of the bowfin fishes and their close relatives. The group, named Amiiformes, contains only a single living species, and several dozen extinct (fossil) species in rocks dating as far back as 150 million years before present. (The living species, Amia calva, is called a "living fossil" by many paleontologists and zoologists.) An integrative approach, looking at embryology (with the living species), paleontology, and comparative skeletal anatomy is used. A search will be made to identify specialized morphological features unique to subgroups within Amiformes which suggest close relationship among the species of those subgroups. This study may be able to show that Amia is an important model for a better understanding of vertebrate embryology and anatomy. The majority of the funds will be used for preparation of fossil and living material, education (funding a 1-year postdoctoral position) and publication of the results in widely read scientific journals.