Research in collaboration with E. O. Wiley is focused on development and homology of epural bones in teleost fishes. Epurals are dorsal bones or cartilages in the upper epaxial body of the caudal fin of actinopterygian fishes. Their numbers varies from zero to as many as four or even five bones in adult teleosts and are hypothesized to be detached neural spines. In most studies epurals are simply numbered in sequence. The purpose of our research was to demonstrate that simple linear naming of serial structures such as epurals was unjustified and can lead to category mistakes when we move from serial to phylogenetic homology. We are utilizing growth series of representative species of several teleost orders to understand early development of epurals and the caudal fin in general.

A research project was recently completed in collaboration with Nick Domke, a undergraduate student researcher from the University of Kansas, which was focused on development of the caudal fin skeleton of Capelin Mallotus villosus (Family Osmeridae). A large growth series of wild-caught Capelin were cleared and stained to study the sequence of development and morphology of each caudal fin skeleton element.

Download the PDF

Wiley, E.O., Fuiten, A.M., Doosey, M.H., Lohman, B.K., Merkes, C., Azuma, M. 2015. The development and morphology of the caudal skeleton of zebrafish, Danio rerio, from a phylogenetic perspective: a polyural interpretation of homologous structures. Copeia 103:740-750. PDF

Doosey, M.H., Wiley, E.O. 2015. Epural bones in teleost fishes: a problem of phylogenetic homology. Ichthyological Research 62:131-144. PDF

Doosey, M.H., *Domke, N.D. 2014. Early development of the caudal fin skeleton of Capelin, Mallotus villosus (Osmeridae). Copeia 2014:355-365. *University of Kansas undergraduate student researcher. PDF

Back to Research