Current Lab Members

(click here for information about the CU BioSci graduate program)

Lab Alumni

Postdoctoral

MICHAEL BUTCHER (2006-2008)

• Associate Professor at Youngstown State University
• See Mike's website for current projects and updates
• Lab Research: Comparative locomotor loading mechanics of turtle and opossum hindlimbs
• Lab Publications:

1. Copploe, J. V. II., R. W. Blob, J. H. A. Parrish, M. T. Butcher. 2015. In vivo strains in the femur of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Journal of Morphology 276:889-899. Available HERE
2. Blob, R. W., N. R. Espinoza, M. T. Butcher, A. H. Lee, A. R. D’Amico, F. Baig, K. M. Sheffield. 2014. Diversity of limb bone safety factors for locomotion in terrestrial vertebrates: evolution and mixed chains. Integrative and Comparative Biology 54:1058-1071. Available HERE
3. Aiello, B. R., R. W. Blob, M. T. Butcher. 2013. Correlation of muscle function and bone strain in the hindlimb of the river cooter turtle (Pseudemys concinna). Journal of Morphology 274:1060-1069. Available HERE
4. Butcher, M. T., B. J. White, N. B. Hudzik, W. C. Gosnell, J. H. A. Parrish, R. W. Blob. 2011. In vivo strains in the femur of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) during terrestrial locomotion: testing hypotheses of evolutionary shifts in mammalian bone loading and design. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 2631-2640. Available HERE
5. Gosnell, W. C., M. T. Butcher, T. Maie, R. W. Blob. 2011. Femoral loading mechanics in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana): torsion and mediolateral bending in mammalian locomotion. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 3455-3466. Available HERE
6. Butcher, M. T. and Blob, R. W. 2008. Mechanics of limb bone loading during terrestrial locomotion in river cooter turtles (Pseudemys concinna). Journal of Experimental Biology 211: 1187-1202. Available HERE (corregendium)
7. Butcher, M. T., Espinoza, N. R., Cirilo, S. R., Blob, R. W. 2008. In vivo strains in the femur of river cooter turtles (Pseudemys concinna) during terrestrial locomotion: tests of force-platform models of loading mechanics. Journal of Experimental Biology 211: 2397-2407. Available HERE

PhD

CHRISTOPHER MAYERL (2018)

• Postdoctoral research at NEOMED
• See Christopher's website for current projects and updates
• Lab Research: Functional morphology of pleurodire turtles, and how the fusion of the pelvis to the bottom part of the shell in these animals may have influenced their habitat use and locomotor performance.
• Lab publications:

1. Mayerl, C.J. and Blob, R.W. 2017. A novel, bounding gain in swimming turtles: implications for aquatic locomotor evolution. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220, 3611-3615. Available HERE
2. Mayerl, C.J., Pruett, J.E., Summerlin, M.N., Rivera, A.R.V., and Blob, R.W. 2017. Hindlimb muscle function in turtles: is novel skeletal design correlated with novel muscle function? Journal of Experimental Biology, 220: 2554-2562. Available HERE
3. Blob, R.W., Mayerl, C.J., Rivera, A.R.V., Rivera, G., and Young, V.KH. 2016. “On the fence” versus “all in”: insights from turtles for the evolution of aquatic locomotor specializations and habitat transitions in tetrapod vertebrates. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 56: 1310-1322. Available HERE
4. Mayerl, C.J., Brainerd, E.L., and Blob, R.W. 2016. Pelvic girdle mobility of cryptodire and pleurodire turtles during walking and swimming. Journal of Experimental Biology 219: 2650-2658. Available HERE

VANESSA YOUNG (2017)

• Assistant Professor at St. Mary's College
• See Vanessa's website for current projects and updates
• Lab research: Secondary land to water transitions: turtles as models for understanding morphological evolution
• Lab Publications:

1. Young, V.KH., Vest, K.G., Rivera, A.R.V., Espinoza, N.R., Blob, R.W. 2017. One foot out the door: limb function during swimming in terrestrial versus aquatic turtles. Biology Letters, 13: 20160732 Available HERE
2. Young, V. K H. 2017. Humeral loads during swimming and walking in turtles: implications for morphological change during aquatic reinvasions. Journal of Experimental Biology 220:3873-3877. Available HERE
3. Blob, R.W., Mayerl, C.J., Rivera, A.R.V., Rivera, G., and Young, V.KH. 2016. “On the fence” versus “all in”: insights from turtles for the evolution of aquatic locomotor specializations and habitat transitions in tetrapod vertebrates. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 56: 1310-1322. Available HERE
4. Young, V. K H., R. W. Blob. 2015. Limb-bone loading in swimming turtles: Changes in loading facilitate transitions from tubular to flipper-shaped limbs during aquatic invasions. Biology Letters 11, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0110. Available HERE

SANDY KAWANO (2014)

• Assistant Professorship at California State University, Long Beach
• See Sandy's website for current projects and updates
• Lab research: Evaluation of the functional capabilities of fins and limbs for moving on land: insights into the invasion of land by tetrapods
• Lab Publications:

1. McInroe, B., H. C. Astley, C. Gong, S. M. Kawano, P. E. Schiebel, J. M. Rieser, H. Choset, R. W. Blob, D. I. Goldman. 2016. Tail use improves performance on soft substrates in models of early land locomotors. Science 353:154-158. Available HERE
2. Kawano, S. M., D. R. Economy, M. S. Kennedy, D. Dean, R. W. Blob. 2016. Comparative limb bone loading in the humerus and femur of the tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum: testing the “mixed-chain” hypothesis for skeletal safety factors. Journal of Experimental Biology 219:341-353. Available HERE
3. Kawano, S. M., R. W. Blob. 2013. Propulsive forces of mudskipper fins and salamander limbs during terrestrial locomotion: implications for the invasion of and. Integrative and Comparative Biology 53:283-294. Available HERE
4. Kawano, S. M., W. C. Bridges, H. L. Schoenfuss, T. Maie, R. W. Blob. 2013. Differences in locomotor behavior correspond to different patterns of linear and nonlinear morphological selection in two species of waterfall-climbing gobiid fishes. Evolutionary Ecology 27:949-969. Available HERE
5. Schoenfuss, H. L., T. Maie, S. M. Kawano, R. W. Blob. 2011. Performance across extreme environments: comparing waterfall climbing among amphidromous gobioid fishes from Caribbean and Pacific islands. Cybium 35:361-369. Available HERE
6. Blob, R. W., S. M. Kawano, K. N. Moody, W. C. Bridges, T. Maie, M. B. Ptacek, M. L. Julius, H. L. Schoenfuss. 2010. Morphological selection and the evaluation of potential tradeoffs between escape from predators and the climbing of waterfalls in the Hawaiian stream goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni. Integrative and Comparative Biology 50: 1185-1199. Available HERE

TAKASHI MAIE (2013)

• Assistant Professor at Lynchburg College
• See Takashi's webpage at ResearchGate for current projects and updates
• Lab research:

1. Dissertation (2013): Functional morphology and performance of ecological systems with extreme pressures: waterfall climbing and predator-prey interaction in amphidromous gobioid fishes
2. Thesis (2007): Feeding performance in Hawaiian stream goby fishes: morphological and functional analysis

• Lab Publications:

1. Maie, T., S. Furtek, H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2014. Feeding performance and functional modulation of the Hawaiian sleeper, Eleotris sandwicensis (Gobiodei: Eleotridae): implications for selection pressures on prey. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 111:359-374. Available HERE
2. Cullen, J. A., T. Maie, H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2013. Evolutionary novelty versus exaptation: Oral kinematics in feeding versus climbing in the waterfall-climbing Hawaiian goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni. PLoS One 8: e53274. Available HERE
3. Maie, T., H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2013. Musculoskeletal determinants of pelvic sucker function in Hawaiian stream gobiid fishes: interspecific comparisons and allometric scaling. Journal of Morphology 733-742. Available HERE
4. Schoenfuss, H. L., T. Maie, K. N. Moody, K. E. Lesteberg, R. W. Blob, T. C. Schoenfuss. 2013. Stairway to heaven: evaluating levels of biological organization correlated with the successful ascent of natural waterfalls in the Hawaiian stream goby, Sicyopterus stimpsoni. PLoS One 8: e84851. Available HERE
5. Leonard, G., T. Maie, K. Moody, G. Schrank, R.W. Blob, H. L. Schoenfuss. 2012. Finding paradise: cues directing the migration of the waterfall climbing Hawaiian gobioid fish Sicyopterus stimpsoni. Journal of Fish Biology 81:903-920. Available HERE
6. Maie, T., H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2012. Performance and scaling of a novel locomotor structure: adhesive capacity of climbing gobiid fishes. Journal of Experimental Biology 215:3925-3936. Available HERE (Featured Inside JEB)
7. Maie, T., A. B. Meister, G. L. Leonard, G. D. Schrank, R. W. Blob, H. L. Schoenfuss. 2011. Jaw muscle fiber type distribution in Hawaiian gobioid stream fishes: histochemical correlations with feeding ecology and behavior. Zoology 114:340-347. Available HERE
8. Gosnell, W. C., M. T. Butcher, T. Maie, R. W. Blob. 2011. Femoral loading mechanics in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana): torsion and mediolateral bending in mammalian locomotion. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 3455-3466. Available HERE
9. Schoenfuss, H. L., T. Maie, S. M. Kawano, R. W. Blob. 2011. Performance across extreme environments: comparing waterfall climbing among amphidromous gobioid fishes from Caribbean and Pacific islands. Cybium 35:361-369. Available HERE
10. Blob, R. W., S. M. Kawano, K. N. Moody, W. C. Bridges, T. Maie, M. B. Ptacek, M. L. Julius, H. L. Schoenfuss. 2010. Morphological selection and the evaluation of potential tradeoffs between escape from predators and the climbing of waterfalls in the Hawaiian stream goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni. Integrative and Comparative Biology 50: 1185-1199. Available HERE
11. Maie, T., M. P. Wilson, H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2009. Feeding kinematics and performance of Hawaiian stream gobies, Awaous guamensis and Lentipes concolor: linkage of functional morphology and ecology. Journal of Morphology 270: 344-356. Available HERE
12. Maie, T., H. L. Schoenfuss, R. W. Blob. 2009. Jaw lever analysis of Hawaiian gobioid stream fishes: a simulation study of morphological diversity and functional performance. Journal of Morphology 270: 976-983. Available HERE
13. Blob, R. W., W. C. Bridges, T. Maie, R. A. Cediel, M. M. Bertolas, M. B. Ptacek, M. L. Julius, H. L. Schoenfuss. 2008. Morphological selection in an extreme flow environment: body shape and waterfall-climbing success in the Hawaiian stream fish Sicyopterus stimpsoni. Integrative and Comparative Biology 48: 734-749. Available HERE (corregendium)
14. Maie, T., H. L. Schoenfuss, and R. W. Blob. 2007. Ontogenetic scaling of body proportions in waterfall-climbing gobiid fishes from Hawai’i and Dominica: implications for locomotor function. Copeia 2007: 756-765. Available HERE

ANGELA RIVERA (2011)

• Visiting faculty at Creighton University
• See Angie's website for current projects and updates
• Lab research: Comparative forelimb muscle function in turtles: tests of environmental variation and neuromotor conservation
• Lab Publications:

1. Rivera, A. R. V., G. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2013. Forelimb kinematics during swimming in the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, compared with other turtle taxa: rowing versus flapping, convergence versus intermediacy. Journal of Experimental Biology 216:668-680. Available HERE
2. Rivera, A. R. V., R. W. Blob. 2013. Forelimb muscle function in pig-nosed turtles, Carettochelys insculpta: testing neuromotor conservation between rowing and flapping in swimming turtles. Biology Letters 9:20130471. Available HERE
3. Rivera, A. R. V., J. Davis, W. Grant, R. W. Blob, E. Peterson, A. Neiman, M. Rowe. 2012. Quantifying utricular stimulation during natural behavior. Journal of Experimental Zoology A 317A:467-480. Available HERE
4. Rivera, A. R. V., J. Wyneken, R. W. Blob. 2011. Forelimb kinematics and motor patterns of swimming loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta): are motor patterns conserved in the evolution of new locomotor strategies? Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 3314-3323. Available HERE
5. Rivera, G., A. R. V. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2011. Hydrodynamic stability of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta): effects of four-limbed rowing versus forelimb flapping in rigid-bodied tetrapods. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 1153-1162. Available HERE
6. Rivera, A. R. V., R. W. Blob. 2010. Forelimb kinematics and motor patterns of the slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) during swimming and walking: shared and novel strategies for meeting locomotor demands of water and land. Journal of Experimental Biology 213: 3515-3528. Available HERE
7. Schoenfuss, H. L., J. D. Roos, A. R. V. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2010. Motor patterns of distal hind limb muscles in walking turtles: implications for models of limb bone loading. Journal of Morphology 271: 1527-1536. Available HERE
8. Blob, R. W., A. R. V. Rivera, M. W. Westneat. 2008. Hindlimb function in turtle locomotion: limb movements and muscular activation across taxa, environment, and ontogeny. Chapter 6 in J. Wyneken, M. H. Godfrey, and V. Bels, (eds.), Biology of Turtles, CRC Press, pp. 139-162. Available HERE
9. Rivera, G., Rivera, A. R. V., Dougherty, E. E., Blob, R. W. 2006. Aquatic turning performance of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and functional consequences of a rigid body design. Journal of Experimental Biology 209: 4203-4213. Available HERE
10. Young, V.KH., Vest, K.G., Rivera, A.R.V., Espinoza, N.R., Blob, R.W. 2017. One foot out the door: limb function during swimming in terrestrial versus aquatic turtles. Biology Letters, 13: 20160732 Available HERE

GABRIEL RIVERA (2009)

• Assistant Professor at Creighton University
• See Gabe's Google Scholar page for current projects and updates
• Lab research: Hydrodynamics of freshwater turtles: maneuverability, stability, and effects of shell shape
• Lab Publications:

1. Rivera, A. R. V., G. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2013. Forelimb kinematics during swimming in the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, compared with other turtle taxa: rowing versus flapping, convergence versus intermediacy. Journal of Experimental Biology 216:668-680. Available HERE
2. Rivera, G., A. R. V. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2011. Hydrodynamic stability of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta): effects of four-limbed rowing versus forelimb flapping in rigid-bodied tetrapods. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 1153-1162. Available HERE
3. Dougherty, E. E., G. Rivera, R. W. Blob, J. Wyneken. 2010. A comparison of stability in swimming loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle posthatchlings. Zoology 113: 158-167. Available HERE
4. Gosnell, J. S., G. Rivera, R. W. Blob. 2009. A phylogenetic analysis of sexual size dimorphism in turtles. Herpetologica 65: 70-81. Available HERE
5. Blob, R. W., G. Rivera. 2008. Going with the flow: ecomorphological variation across aquatic flow regimes: an introduction to the symposium. Integrative and Comparative Biology 48: 699-701. Available HERE
6. Rivera, G., Rivera, A. R. V., Dougherty, E. E., Blob, R. W. 2006. Aquatic turning performance of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and functional consequences of a rigid body design. Journal of Experimental Biology 209: 4203-4213. Available HERE

Msc

CASEY GOSNELL (2010)

• Now with National Marine Fisheries Service
• Lab research: Femoral loading mechanics in Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana): torsion and mediolateral bending in mammalian parasagittal locomotion
• Lab Publication:

1. Gosnell, W. C., M. T. Butcher, T. Maie, R. W. Blob. 2011. Femoral loading mechanics in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana): torsion and mediolateral bending in mammalian locomotion. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 3455-3466. Available HERE

MEGAN SHEFFIELD (2008)

• Science Librarian at Clemson University
• See Megan's website for current projects and updates
• Lab research: Loading mechanics in femora of tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and tegu lizards (Tupinambis merianae): implications for the evolution of limb bone design
• Lab Publications:

1. Blob, R. W., N. R. Espinoza, M. T. Butcher, A. H. Lee, A. R. D’Amico, F. Baig, K. M. Sheffield. 2014. Diversity of limb bone safety factors for locomotion in terrestrial vertebrates: evolution and mixed chains. Integrative and Comparative Biology 54:1058-1071. Available HERE
2. Sheffield, K. M., R. W. Blob. 2011. Loading mechanics of the femur in tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) during terrestrial locomotion. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 2603-2615. Available HERE
3. Sheffield, K. M., M. T. Butcher, S. K. Shugart, J. C. Gander, R. W. Blob. 2011. Locomotor loading mechanics in the hindlimbs of tegu lizards (Tupinambis merianae): comparative and evolutionary implications. Journal of Experimental Biology 214:2616-2630. Available HERE
4. Blob, R. W., Wright, K. M, Becker, M, Maie, T., Iverson, T. J., Julius, M. L., Schoenfuss, H. L. 2007. Ontogenetic change in novel functions: waterfall climbing in adult Hawaiian gobiid fishes. Journal of Zoology 273:200-209. Available HERE