Enamel development and evolution in spiny-tailed lizards

Duration of award: 1 October 2024 – 30 September 2028

Mode of study: Full-time 

Start date: 1 October 2024

Application deadline: 1 July 2024

This Leverhulme Trust funded PhD project (Home students only) will address questions surrounding the development, evolution, and function of mammal-like prismatic enamel by studying the teeth of an extant lizard model: the spiny-tailed, or uromastycine lizards. The enamel of some uromastycine lizards is nearly identical to that found in the oldest fossil mammals but provides a unique opportunity to study this tissue type in a living analogue. Preliminary studies have identified enamel prisms within the teeth of a small number of uromastycine species, but by preparing museum specimens for histological, elemental, and mechanical analyses, the PhD student will have the opportunity to examine enamel evolution across this unique group of lizards.

The aim will be to determine how many species possess prismatic enamel, compare prismatic enamel development in these lizards to that of mammals, and reconstruct the evolutionary history of enamel microstructure across uromastycines. This research will not only reveal how reptiles can evolve this stereotypically mammalian dental tissue, but also highlight the utility of these modern lizards as models for interpreting dental evolution in the earliest mammals. 

Person specification

·    Undergraduate or MSci degree in comparative anatomy, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, or similar qualification

·    Previous experience in phylogenetic analyses preferred

·    Interest and motivation in academic research

·    Interest in developing as an independent researcher

Research training

Candidate will develop and enhance their skills in:

• Microscopy (light and electron microscopes)
• Histology
• CT scanning
• Elemental analyses (Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry, X-Ray Fluorescence)
• Mechanical testing
• Data analysis