DEVELOPMENTAL AND EVOLUTIONARY MECHANISMS THAT SHAPE RODENT MOLARS

A critical problem in evolutionary biology is understanding the limits on phenotype. Developmental biology provides necessary insights to evaluate the total potential for a given phenotype, while empirical studies of organisms reflects the realized potential of phenotype. Here, I present a set of studies focused on elucidating the limits and mechanisms that shape rodent molars. Specifically, I utilize a combination of developmental-based simulations and empirical data to identify phenotypic limits on rodent molars, followed by application of those limits to an evolutionary event recognized within the North American sagebrush vole over the past two million years.