Department of Zoology

 

Evolution and Diversity

Robert Asher

University Lecturer and Curator, University Museum of Zoology

Email: r.asher[at]zoo.cam.ac.uk

Tel.: +44 (0) 1223 336680

 

My research focuses on how the many radiations of mammals, particularly those from the southern hemisphere, develop and are interrelated. Specific ongoing research projects include:

  • Incorporating diverse types of data into mammalian phylogeny reconstruction
  • Investigating dental and osteological development in afrotherian and xenarthran mammals
  • Building a web-based morphological databank for mammals
  • Understanding the timing of the first diversification of modern mammalian clades in relation to Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary

Selected publications

  • Hautier LJ, Weisbecker V, Goswami A, Knight F, Kardjilov N, Asher RJ. 2011 In Press. Skeletal ossification and sequence heterochrony in xenarthran evolution. Evolution & Development.
  • Asher RJ, Lin KH, Kardjilov N, Hautier LJ. 2011. Variability and constraint in the mammalian vertebral column. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 24(5): 1080-1090.
  • Hautier LJ, Weisbecker V, Sánchez-Villagra MR, Goswami A, Asher RJ. 2010. Skeletal development in sloths and the evolution of mammalian vertebral patterning. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 107(44):18903-18908.
  • Asher RJ, Maree S, Bronner G, Bennett NC, Bloomer P, Czechowski P, Meyer M, Hofreiter M. 2010. A phylogenetic estimate for golden moles (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Chrysochloridae). BMC Evolutionary Biology 10:69.
  • Asher RJ, Bennett N, Lehmann T. 2009. The new framework for understanding placental mammal evolution. Bioessays 31(8): 853-864.
  • Asher RJ, Olbricht G. 2009. Dental ontogeny in Macroscelides proboscideus (Afrotheria) and Erinaceus europaeus (Lipotyphla). J Mamm Evol 16:99-115.
  • Wible JW, Rougier GW, Novacek MJ, Asher RJ. 2007. Cretaceous Eutherians and Laurasian Origin for Placental Mammals near K/T Boundary. Nature 447:1003-1006.
  • Asher RJ, Meng J, Wible JR, McKenna MC, Rougier GW, Dashzeveg D, Novacek MJ. 2005. Stem Lagomorpha and the Antiquity of Glires. Science 307 (5712): 1091-1094.

Links & full pub list available here: http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/rja58/publications.html

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