Ph. D., University of Chicago, 2000

MA, Biology, Humboldt State University, 1995

BA, Dramatic Art, U.C. Davis,1989

Awards:

1999 American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology Gaige Award "Prey capture in thamnophiine snakes"

1999 Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Grant in Aid of Research "Post-cranial function during prey capture in thamnophiine snakes"

1999 Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research "Prey capture in thamnophiine snakes"

1997-1998 Lester Armour Fellowship, Field Museum, Chicago

1997 American Museum of Natural History Teddy Roosevelt Award "Molecular systematics of thamnophiine snakes"

1997 Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research "Molecular systematics of thamnophiine snakes"

1997 University of Chicago Hinds Award "Molecular systematics of thamnophiine snakes"

1996 University of Chicago Hinds Award "Molecular systematics of thamnophiine snakes"

Research Interests:

Evolution and Functional Morphology of Vertebrate Feeding Mechanisms

Current Research:

My research focuses on vertebrate feeding and the evolution of feeding behaviors and morphologies. For my dissertation I am examining the kinematics of prey capture (striking) in the tribe Thamnophiini, a group of North American snakes. This group includes garter snakes (Thamnophis), water snakes (Nerodia), and crayfish snakes (Regina) as well as a number of other less-studied species. The dietary breadth exhibited by the thamnophiines is impressive with members taking fish, frogs, salamanders, slugs, leeches, worms, crayfish, and small mammals and birds. I am using high-speed cameras to film predatory strikes in order to understand how the skull and trunk function to capture different kinds of prey. A second goal of my research is to trace the evolution of specialized prey capture behaviors and morphologies. To accomplish this, I have undertaken a molecular study of thamnophiine relationships with Dr. Stevan Arnold (Oregon State University).
I am also interested in feeding in parrotfishes (family Scaridae), a colorful group of coral reef grazers. Dr. Mark Westneat (my advisor) and I have studied the kinematics, motor patterns, and functional morphology of biting in the parrotfishes Cetoscarus bicolor and Scarus iserti. To understand the evolution of feeding behavior within this family, Mark, Dr. Todd Streelman (University of New Hampshire), Dr. Steve Karl (University of S. Florida) and I are collaborating on a molecular study of the Scaridae.

Publications:

Alfaro, M. E. and M.W. Westneat. In press. Motor patterns of herbivorous feeding: EMG analysis of biting in the parrotfishes Cetoscarus bicolor and Scarus iserti. Brain, Behav, Evol.

Alfaro, M. E. and S. J. Arnold. Molecular phylogenetics of the tribe Thamnophiini (Colubridae). In prep.

Current Position:

http://brahms.ucsd.edu/alfaro.html