RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My research foci span the realms of constructional and
functional biology, and evolutionary ecology. In my graduate work, I combined
morphological, biomechanical and kinematic evidence with field census data on
feeding behaviour to study angelfishes, f. Pomacanthidae, and several other
reef fish families. I aimed to quantify the functional disparity underpinning
the diversification of biting prey-capture and the microhabitat utilisation of
these iconic reef fishes.
During my first post doc (2006-08) I examined the
tongue-biting apparatus, and associated raking prey-processing behaviors, found
among salmonid and osteoglossomorph (bony tongued) fishes. The aim was to
quantify evolutionary patterns of convergence and divergence in morphology,
muscle activity and biomechanics of this novel functional system. I also wanted
to relate these patterns to rates of evolutionary diversification.
I used pigs as a model of the mammalian feeding
system, still applying the techniques previously used on fish during my second
postdoc (2008-09). Synchronized electromyography and sonomicrometry (alternated
or supplemented with high-speed video and fluoroscopic imaging) was used to
examine functional dynamics between serially connected hyoid muscles. Novel
hyoid muscles have in mammals assumed the functional role of bones in
aquatic-feeding vertebrates. I tested the hypothesis that such muscles yield
the complex hyoid motions in feeding behaviors like suckling, which is
exclusive to mammals. This work also led to collaborative work on the changes
in muscle-system function that govern chewing food-processing across the
vertebrate evolutionary history.
From June 2009, I am in the Roberts lab at
NEWS:
01-may-09 – Off to
12-aug-08 – Transferring to
12-aug-08 – Update way overdue, my apologies, but my cv provides a summary of my first post doc.
24-jan-06 – Left Queensland for an NSF-funded post doc at
20-dec-05 – Corrected version of my PhD thesis uploaded. I thank
my reviewers for comments.
07-sep-05 – Handed in my PhD thesis. A pdf
version will be available when reviews return.
07-sep-05 – A high-speed video gallery of angelfish feeding is
added in mpeg-1 format.
PAPERS (published, in press; student
authors’ italicised):
Camp AL, Konow N, Sanford CPJ (2009) Functional morphology and
biomechanics of the tongue-bite apparatus in salmonid and osteoglossomorph
fishes. The Journal of Anatomy 214:
717-728 [pdf]
Konow N, Sanford CPJ (2008). Biomechanics of a Convergently Derived
Prey-processing Mechanism in Fishes: Evidence from Morphology and Raking
Kinematics. The Journal of Experimental Biology 211: 3378-3391 pdf
Konow N, Camp AL, Sanford CPJ
(2008) Congruent modulation-patterns in muscle activity and kinematics govern a
convergently derived teleosts prey-processing behaviour. Integrative and Comparative Biology 48: 246-260 [pdf]
Konow N, Gerry S (2008) Symposium introduction: Electromyography interpretation and limitations in functional
analyses of musculoskeletal function. Integrative
and Comparative Biology 48: 241-245 [pdf]
Konow N, Sanford CPJ (2008) Is a Convergently Derived Muscle-activity
Pattern Driving Novel Raking Behaviours in Teleost Fishes? The Journal of Experimental
Biology 211: 989-999 [pdf]
Konow N, Wainwright PC,
Konow N, Fitzpatrick R, Barnett
A (2006) Adult Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) clean Giant
sunfishes (Mola mola)
at Nusa Lembongan,
Indonesia. Coral Reefs DOI:10.1007/s00338-006-0086-9 [pdf]
Konow N,
MANUSCRIPTS, accepted, in review,
submitted:
Konow N, Ferry-Graham LA (accepted) Functional Morphology of
Butterflyfishes. In: Biology of
Butterflyfishes (Eds. MS Pratchett, M Berumen, BG Kapoor). Science Publishers Inc. [preprint]
Ferry-Graham LA, Konow (revision) The intramandibular joint in Girella: a mechanism for increased
force-production? Journal of Morphology
[preprint]
Konow N, Bellwood DR (in review) Functional Disparity and Ecological
Diversification in Marine Angelfishes, f. Pomacanthidae. The Journal of Anatomy [preprint]
Konow N, Krijestorac B, Herrel A, Sanford CPJ (in review) A
novel feeding behaviour in the worlds most valuable aquarium fish, the Siamese
fighting fish, Betta splendens. Journal
of Comparative Physiology [A] [preprint]
MANUSCRIPTS, for imminent submission:
Konow N, German RZ, Thexton A,
Crompton A (90%) Regional differences in length-change and electromyographic
heterogeneity in the sternohyoid muscle during infant mammalian swallowing. Journal of Applied Physiology
Gintof C, Konow N, Ross CF,
Gurevic A, Konow N, Sanford
CPJ (70%) Evolution of behavioural modulation of prey-processing in
osteoglossomorph fishes. Functional
Ecology
Konow N, Wainwright PC (70%) Reversal of a functional innovation
involved with transitions from biting to planktivory in Genicanthus, f. Pomacanthidae. Journal
of Experimental Biology
DOWNLOADS:
Konow, CV [pdf]
Konow, N. (2005) Feeding ecomorphology
in angelfishes, f. Pomacanthidae: the implications of functional innovations on
prey-dislodgement in biting reef fishes. PhD Thesis, James Cook University, Townsville Australia. [pdf]
Konow N (1999). Developmental
changes and specializations in ocular and retinal morphology of Holtbyrnia anomala [Krefft] (Teleostei, Argentiniformes) MSc. Thesis, U.
Copenhagen DK [pdf]
Konow N (1994). Vertebrate evolution
and the origin of the tetrapods; BSc. U. Copenhagen
DK [in Danish] [pdf]
MPEG GALLERY:
These
MPEG-1 videos illustrate how marine angelfishes (f. Pomacanthidae) feed using
their special grab-and-tearing feeding mode.
The videos will execute on most players and are fully
PowerPoint compatible. 200fps recordings, except Genicanthus (500fps).
Right-click on thumbnails and choose 'save as', or double-click to execute video, and do please use these for teaching purposes.
Should you require high-resolution versions for other than teaching purposes then please email me to discuss the purpose of use.
Pygoplites
diacanthus
Chaetodontoplus duboulayi
Pomacanthus [Euxiphipops] sexstriatus
Pomacanthus [Arusetta] semicirculatus
MPEG GALLERY:
High-speed videos of basal bony fish
members of orders Osteoglossiformes (bony-tongues)
and Salmoniformes (salmon-fishes).
Also, a video of the acanthopterygian Betta
splendens. Each
sequence illustrates the kinematics of a novel raking prey-processing.
Raking behaviors have evolved convergently in the two basal
groups, whereas it is a functional analog, but not homologous in Betta.
The 250 fps videos are slowed down eight times and should
execute on most players. They are fully compatible with MS PowerPoint.
Right-click on thumbnails and choose 'save as', or double-click to execute video, and do please use these for your teaching purposes.
Should you require high-resolution versions for other than teaching purposes then please email me to discuss the purpose of use.
Pantodon bucholzii Chitala ornata Scleropages jardinii
COLLABORATORS & AFFILITATIONS:
Prof. Christopher Sanford (website)
Prof. David R. Bellwood (website)
Centre for Coral Reef Biodiversity (website)
Prof. P. C. Wainwright (website)
My old department of Zoo-morphology,
____________________________________________________________________________
Nicolai Konow, PhD.
Department of Biology, 114 Hofstra University,
Telephone: Office +1 516 463 4246 - Lab +1 516 463 4211 - Fax +1 516 463 5112
_____________________________________________________________________________
Page maintained by Nicolai Konow - last updated 12 Aug 2008.