Home Department: Biology
Supported by: Bio-X
Mentor: Jonathan Payne, Geological & Environmental Sciences

Matt will be analyzing how body size has diverged between marine, freshwater, and terrestrial reptiles. He will compile data on habitat use and reconstruct phylogenetic relationships, then apply evolutionary models to determine if different habitats correspond with different optimal sizes. This analysis will help elucidate how habitat influences body size evolution.

Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 26, 2015:

Evolution of Larger Body Size During Transitions from Terrestrial to Aquatic Habitats in Snakes (Suborder Serpentes)

Matthew Benjamin¹, William Gearty², Jonathan Payne²
[Departments of Biology¹ and Geological Sciences², Stanford University]