Professor Charles Underwood's Inaugural lecture - Tonguestones, jaws and the 'meg.; the science of sharks ancient and modern (Hybrid)
When:
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Venue:
Birkbeck Clore Management Centre
Sharks, along with their relatives the flattened rays and the bizarre chimaeras, are an essential part of marine ecosystems, and have been so for about 400 million years. They show an incredible diversity of shape, ecological niche and size, including the largest macro predator of all time.
In lacking true bones, they represent one of the two great branches of vertebrates, and their unique mode of tooth development makes them critical to understanding the evolution of teeth and feeding in vertebrates.
In addition, fossils of these teeth have played a critical role in the development of geology as a science and the understanding of fossils in general, from medieval curios to allowing detailed understanding of past life and ecosystems. These fossils remain iconic, and have even entered popular culture.
Biography:
Charles Underwood is Professor of Palaeobiology in the School of Natural Sciences and the Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Earth and Planetary Sciences. His research consists of the evolution and palaeontology of sharks and relatives and Mesozoic and Cenozoic marine palaeontology.
He has developed extensive research in the evolution and development of teeth using data from fossils, modern specimens and developmental biology to look at biological and ecological control of tooth formation. This research area is now expanding to include study on the mineralisation of the shark skeleton in relation to both their evolution and ecology.
For a list of Professor Underwood's recent publication, please see here.
Contact name:
Chris Fray
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Dr Charles Underwood
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Professor of Palaeobiology, School of Natural Sciences
Assistant Dean, Earth and Planetary Sciences; School of Natural Sciences