Temporary projects

Neoselachian feeding adaptations based on stable isotopes

The predation ranking of recent selachians is examined using stable isotopes (O, C and N) to elucidate the position of sharks, rays, and skates within modern global food-webs. Results are compared to current ecomorphological classifications reflecting the life-style and feeding adaptations of modern neoselachians.

J. Kriwet, A. Pigowske and U. Struck (Berlin, Germany)

Clasper morphology of extant sharks

This project is dedicated at evaluating characters of the clasper organs of modern sharks for systematic purposes.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with A. Kaulfuss.

Late Cretaceous selachians from NW Germany

This project analyses the taxonomic composition of shallow marine selachian assemblages from the Late Cretaceous of NW Germany. J. Kriwet in cooperation with D. Niewitz.

China

The aim of this project is to describe selachian remains from the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) Junggar Basin in NW China.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with Th. Martin (Bonn, Germany), O. Wings (Tübingen, Germany), and G. Sun (Beijing, China).

Kyrgyzstan

This project focuses on abundant selachian remains from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Formation in the northern Fergana depression of Kyrgyzstan.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with Th. Martin (Bonn, Germany), A.O. Averianov (St. Petersburg, Russia) and N. Hoffmann.

Oligocene neoselachians

This project focuses on neoselachian remains from the Rupelian (Oligocene) of NE Germany.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with K. Ermer

Muschelkalk, Germany

The goal of this project is to describe disarticulated and articulated fish remains from the Muschelkalk of Rüdersdorf near Berlin (NE Germany) and to discuss the palaeogeographic relations of this fauna. The actinopterygians are remarkably well-preserved consisting of numerous more or less completely articulated specimens.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with H.-P. Schultze (Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A.)

Late Jurassic selachians and actinopterygians of NW Germany

This project evaluates dental remains and the first articulated skeletons of Late Jurassic sharks and bony fishes and analyses the faunal similarities/differences to contemporaneous fish faunas from South Germany.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with L. Wischnewsky.

Revision of Late Jurassic Chimaeriformes

This research topic is in preparation in the course of a PhD-project of a chimaeriform interrelationships supervised by J. Kriwet and P. Bartsch (Berlin, Germany).

Cretaceous pycnodontiforms from N Germany

A new pycnodontiform fish from the Turonian of NW Germany is examined and its systematic position within Pycnodontiformes is established.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with J. Lehmann (Bremen, Germany).

Larval development in Tetrapodomorphs

The distribution and occurrences of larval stages in tetrapodomorphs is analysed in a phylogenetic framework to reconstruct the plesiomorphic condition of the early development crown-group vertebrates.

J. Kriwet in cooperation with F. Witzmann (Berlin, Germany) and H.-P. Schultze (Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A.)

(photograph provided by F. Witzmann)