Diversity of Mammalian Hyolingual Apparatus
The tongue and hyoid bones are important musculoskeletal drivers for several feeding behaviors unique to mammals, including suckling, mastication and powered swallowing. Using morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods, we seek a more complete understanding of how this biomechanical system diversifies across mammalian evolution.
Biomechanics of Swallowing
Swallowing is a complex juggling act. Over split seconds, animals must simultaneously transfer a food bolus into the esophagus and protect the airway from penetration. We use high-speed biplanar videoradiography, contrast enhanced microCT scanning and muscle physiology experiments to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of swallowing.
Multiscale adaptations for extreme performance
Laryngeal echolocation is a key innovation for the evolutionary radiation of bats. The ability to construct a complex, 3D acoustic landscape is critical for negotiating obstacles, capturing prey and evading predators. Several anatomical and physiological specializations in the bat larynx were thought to be critical for echolocation, yet it remains unclear how functional traits at different levels of biological organization interact to shape whole-animal performance. We are currently investigating this question through a combination of muscle histochemistry, microCT, and computational modeling.
The Li Lab 