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 evolutionary history of vertebrates.
From June 2009, I am in the Roberts lab at Brown University, working on muscles and tendons that function as series elastic elements in vertebrate locomotion.
NEWS:
01-may-09 – Off to Brown University for an NIH-funded post doc w. Prof. Thomas Roberts.
12-aug-08 – Transferring to Johns Hopkins University for an NIH-funded post doc w. Prof. Rebecca German.
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 Hofstra University w. Prof. Chris Sanford.
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 (accepted, in press, published; student authors names italicised):
Gintof C, Konow N, Ross CF, Sanford CPJ (accepted, pending revision) Rhythmicity in teleost chewing : a comparison with amniotes. Journal of Experimental Biology [preprint]
Konow N, Ferry-Graham LA (in press) Functional Morphology of Butterflyfishes. In: Biology of Butterflyfishes (Eds. MS Pratchett, M Berumen, BG Kapoor). Science Publishers Inc. [preprint]
Bellwood DR , Konow N, Pratchett MS, Klanten SO, Herwerden Lv (2009) Evolutionary History of the Butterflyfishes (f. Chaetodontidae) and the Rise of Coral Feeding Fishes. Journal of Evolutionary Biology [pdf]
Ferry-Graham LA, Konow N (2009) The intramandibular joint in Girella: a mechanism for increased force-production? Journal of Morphology [pdf]
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, Bellwood DR , Kerr AM (2008) Evolution of novel jaw joints promote trophic diversity in coral reef fishes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 93: 545-555 [pdf]
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, Bellwood DR (2005) Prey-capture in Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Teleostei, Pomacanthidae): functional implications of intramandibular joints in marine angelfishes. Journal of Experimental Biology 208: 1421-1433. [pdf] [pdf]
Bellwood DR, Herwerden Lv, Konow N (2004) Evolution and biogeography of marine angelfishes (Pisces: Pomacanthidae) Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 33: 140-155. [pdf]
MANUSCRIPTS, in review, submitted:
Konow N, Bellwood DR (in revision) Functional Disparity and Ecological Diversification in Marine Angelfishes, f. Pomacanthidae.Journal of Evolutionary Biology [preprint]
Konow N, Krijestorac B, Herrel A, Sanford CPJ (revised) A novel feeding behaviour in the worlds most valuable aquarium fish, the Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens. Journal of Comparative Physiology [A] [preprint]
Konow N, German RZ, Thexton A, Crompton A (in review) Regional differences in length-change and electromyographic heterogeneity in the sternohyoid muscle during infant mammalian swallowing. Journal of Applied Physiology [preprint]
MANUSCRIPTS, for imminent submission:
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.
Camp AL, Konow N, (50%). Dynamic function of cranial 4-bar linkages. Royal Society Interface.
Konow N, German RZ, Thexton A, Crompton A (75%). Heterogeneous activity and length-dynamics in mammalian feeding muscles: characteristics of cortical and brainstem motor-control. Journal of Applied Physiology.
Konow N, Wahl S, German RZ, Thexton A, Crompton A (50%). Heterogeneous muscle activity-patterns, regional specialisation and behavioural differentiation in mammalian feeding muscles. Journal of Physiology.
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.
Centropyge [Centropyge] bicolor Apolemichthys trimaculatus Genicanthus melanospilos Centropyge [Xiphypops] bispinosa
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
Salvelinus fontinals Oncorhynchus mykiss Betta splendens
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,
University of Copenhagen (website)
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Nicolai Konow, PhD. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
Telephone: Office +1 401 863 6477 - Lab +1 401 863 9578 - Fax +1 401 863 7544
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Page maintained by Nicolai Konow - last updated 11 Dec 2009.