Paula Mikkelsen

Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, NY

Bivalvia Factoids

• 2nd largest molluscan class, ~ 20,000 extant species

• 100+ extant families• Cambrian origin, excellent fossil record• filter feeders to carnivores; 1 mm to giant clam• often dominant biomass in aquatic habitats• key part of world fisheries & aquaculture• important ecological and economic threat species• endangered freshwater taxa

Zebra mussels

Ship worms

Freshwater mussels

Morphological Diversity

Mikkelsen & Bieler (2007) Princeton University Press

Mikkelsen & Bieler (2007) Princeton University Press

Long research history

• Conflicting single-character classifications– Hinges– Adductor muscles– Siphons– Ctenidia– Ciliation– Stomachs

• Early numerical approaches (Purchon 1978)

Steps toward a synthesis

Taylor (1996) Johnston & Haggart (1998) Harper et al. (2000) Bieler (2006)

Conflicting hypotheses

Alternative hypotheses of higher bivalve relationships based on neontological (A, B, C, D), paleontological (E), molecular (G) and combined morphology + molecular evidence (F)

“Bivatol” research goals

• Reconstruct phylogenetic relationships for representatives of all 100+ families based on a combination of shell, soft-anatomy, and molecular characters.

• Explore new or previously underutilized anatomical and ultra-structural characters (stomach, gills, sperm, mantle), and a suite of new nuclear protein-coding genes never before used for bivalves.

• Estimate the time origin of the major bivalve clades based on molecular sequence and fossil data.

John Taylor (BMNH) Sarah Chicone (PRI) John Zardus (Citadel) Brian Gollands (PRI)

Dan Graf (ANSP) Gerhard Haszprunar (Munich) Liz Harper (U Cambr.) Tom Waller (NMNH)

Ellen Strong (NMNH) Rob Ross (PRI) John Healy (U Qld) Deidre Gonsalves-Jackson (VWC)

Tim Collins (FIU) Gonzalo Giribet (MCZ) Paula Mikkelsen (PRI) Rüdiger Bieler (FMNH)

Protostome AToL

Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology

ToLWeb

Morphology & Coordination

Rüdiger Bieler – gills + veneroids

Ellen Strong – stomachs

Liz Harper – anomalos

John Taylor – shell + lucinoids

Tom Waller – paleo + pectinoids

Gerhard Haszprunar – mantle

John Healy – sperm

Molecules

Gonzalo Giribet

Tim Collins – heterodonts

John Zardus – protobranchs + development

Dan Graf – unionoids

Outreach

Paula Mikkelsen

Rob Ross – informal education

Sarah Chicone – evolution exhibit

Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson – undergrad curriculum

Brian Gollands –webmaster / IT

Character masters

Clade masters

Outreach Component

Teaching Evolution using Bivalves

• Teacher development resource (K-12)

• Undergraduate curriculum (undergrad)

• Museum exhibit (public)

• Website – “one-stop shop” for bivalve info (public +)

Teacher-Friendly

Guide to Evolution

using Bivalves

• Teacher-Friendly Guide to Evolution using Bivalves

• resource for teaching essential evolutionary concepts using familiar objects

• online + print-on-demand

• emphasis on interactive online components

• emulates PRI’s popular TFG to Geology

• Evolution on the Half-Shell: The Exhibit

1. diversity

2. fossil record

5. patterns of change

6. evolution continues

3. characters

4. phylogenetics

• small footprint (1200-1500 ft2)

• relatively small rental fee

• modular design

• family-friendly interactives

• link to ongoing Bivatol research

• to open in 2011

Management Plan

Current status

• Target taxa (283) & and short-term subset (80)• Preservation protocols• Specimen tracking & collections support in

place• Student/postdoc recruiting underway• Outreach advisory board formed• Project server & webmaster in place• Website http://www.bivatol.org • Specimen acquisition underway