M.S., The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Ph.D., The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
I am interested in questions concerning diversity and extinction and the evolutionary patterns and processes associated with these phenomena. Paleozoic gnathostomes provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate a number of these important evolutionary questions. During the Devonian there was a major radiation within this group. The water column, in which these fishes lived, was not devoid of other predators; however, the history of early vertebrates shows the origin and evolution of organisms with specializations in locomotion, feeding structures, and sensory organs, as well as central processing and coordination of sensory and motor systems.
Devonian sediments offer a unique and important view of early gnathostome history since they represent the largest estimated volume and geological map area for Paleozoic systems. Placoderms provide an excellent model for the analysis of evolutionary patterns and mechanisms at a time early in gnathostome history.
My interest in the evolution of early gnathostomes has combined phylogeny, evolution, ecology, and functional morphology of Arthrodira (Class Placodermi) in the context of global gnathostome patterns. This study has required a major revision of the systematics of arthrodires centering on North American fossils from the Appalachian and Michigan Basins.
Ongoing field work is being conducted in the Michigan and Catskill (Appalachian) Basins to document faunal patterns within the basins before and after three major global extinction events.
Sedimentological and fossil evidence are being used to evaluate
autecology
and community ecology within and among basins. Additionally, postmortem
patterns are used to determine the sources of fossil material because
organisms
are often preserved in areas outside their natural habitat.
Recent Publications
Carr, R. K., 1994. A redescription of Gymnotrachelus hydei (Placodermi, Arthrodira) from the Cleveland Shale (Famennian) of northern Ohio, U. S. A. Kirtlandia. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 48:3—21.
Carr, R. K., 1995. Placoderm diversity and evolution. VIIth International Symposium: Studies on Early Vertebrates. Bulletin du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 17:85-125.
Carr, R. K., 1995. Opportunity knocked and no one was home: Aspinothoracid arthrodires (Placodermi) from the Ohio Shale Formation (Upper Devonian, North America). Geobios 19:81—83.
Carr, R. K., and W. J. Hlavin, 1995.
Dinichthyidae
(Placodermi): A paleontological fiction? Geobios 19:85—87.
Carr, R. K., 1996. Stenosteus angustopectus sp. nov. from the Cleveland Shale (Famennian) of northern Ohio with a review of selenosteid (Placodermi) systematics. Kirtlandia 49:19—43.
Elliot, D. K., Johnson, H. G., Cloutier, R., Carr, R. K., and Daeschler, E. B., (2000). Middle and Late Devonian vertebrates of the western Old Red Sandstone Continent. In Blieck, A. and Turner, S., editors. Palaeozoic Vertebrate Biochronology and Global Marine/Non-marine Correlation, Final Report of IGCP 328 (1991-1996).
Kent, G. C., and Carr, R. K., 2001. Comparative
Anatomy of the Vertebrates, 9th edition, McGraw-Hill,
Dubuque.
Carr, R. K., (2004).
Recognizing paraphyletic stem groups: A case study in the analysis of
eubrachythoracid arthrodires (Placodermi). In Arratia, G., Wilson, M. V. H.,
& Cloutier, R. (eds), Recent
Advances in the Origin and Early Radiation of the Vertebrates.
p. 127-138. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfiel, München.
Carr, R. K. and G. L. Jackson, (in
press). Diplognathus lafargei
sp. nov. from the Antrim Shale (Upper Devonian) of the Michigan Basin,
Michigan, U.S.A.
Carr, R. K., (in press).
Paleoecology of Dunleosteus terrelli
(Placodermi: Arthrodira). Kirtlandia, Cleveland Museum of Natural
History.
Posters:
Carr, R. K. and G. L. Jackson, 2002. New information on an old fish:
Bungartius perissus (Placodermi: Arthrodira). 62nd Annual
Meeting, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Norman, Oklahoma.
Carr, R. K., 2004. Teaching comparative anatomy: A Place for
Pedagogical Theory and Practice. 7th International Congress of
Vertebrate Morphology, Boca Raton, FL.
Jones, K. and R. K. Carr, 2004. New discoveries of placoderm fishes
from the Callaway facies of the Cedar Valley Limestone (Middle
Devonian) of Callaway County, Missouri, U.S.A. . Xth
International Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates,
Gramado, Brazil.
Published
Abstracts:
Carr, R. K., 1989a. A
reanalysis of Heintzichthys gouldii.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 8 Supplement to No. 3:10A-11A.
Carr, R. K., 1989b.
Diversity of placoderms (Pisces) in the Late Devonian. Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology, 9, Supplement to No. 3:15A
Carr, R. K., 1990. Two new
dinichthyid arthrodires (Placodermi) from the Upper Devonian of Ontario
(Michigan Basin) and Ohio (Catskill Basin). Journal of Vertebrate
Paleontology, 10, Supplement to No. 3:16A-17A.
Carr, R. K., 1992. Ecology
of Dunkleosteus terrelli
(Arthrodira) within the Catskill Basin (North America). Journal
of Vertebrate Paleontology, 12, Supplement to No. 3:21A.
Hannibal, J. T., R. K. Carr, and
C. J. Frye, 1992. Tintenflecken from the Michigan Basin:
preservation, ontogeny, and variation of aptychi found in Upper
Devonian rocks at Paxton, Michigan. Geological Society of
America, Abstracts with Programs, 24(7):224.
Carr, R. K. and G. L. Jackson,
2002. New information on an old fish: Bungartius
perissus (Placodermi: Arthrodira). Journal of Vertebrate
Paleontology, Supplement to No. 3.
Carr, R. K. and G. L. Jackson,
2004. Diplognathus lafargei
sp. nov. from the Antrim Shale (Upper Devonian) of the Michigan Basin,
Michigan, U.S.A. Xth International Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower
Vertebrates, Gramado, Brazil.
PRESENTATIONS
(without separate abstract publication):
Carr, R. K. and E. Mark-Kurik, 1998. Reanalysis of Heterostius and Homostius (brachythoracid
arthrodires: Placodermi): Implications on systematics and
paleogeography. IGCP 406 Meeting on Circum-Arctic Palaeozoic
Faunas and Facies, Warsaw, Poland.
Carr, R. K., 1999. Reanalysis of Homostius. 47th Symposium of
Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Royal Museum of
Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Carr, R. K., 2000. Recognizing paraphyletic stem groups: A case study
in the analysis of Protitanichthys
(Placodermi, Arthrodira).. 9th International Meeting Early
Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Flagstaff, AZ, May 15-19, 2000.
Kampouris, G. E. and R. K. Carr, 2000. Revision of Protitanichthys, a pachyosteomorph
arthrodire from the Middle Devonian (Early Givetian) of the Michigan
and Appalachian basins. 9th International Meeting Early
Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Flagstaff, AZ, May 15-19, 2000.
Carr, R. K., 2002. Phylogenetic systematics and the arthrodires
(Placodermi): Why haven’t we reached a consensus? First
International Palaeontolgical Congress, Sydney, Australia, 5-10 July
2002.
Carr, R. K., 2004. A tale of two histories: Devonian fishes and
their impact on the history of science in Ohio. 1st Annual Ohio
Natural History Conference, Columbus, OH, 28 Feb 2004.
COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY
(BIOS 303 — Lecturer/Laboratory Instructor)
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy is presented as an integrative science developing an understanding of organisms, their parts and functional systems, development, evolution, and ecology. An integrative presentation demonstrates the reciprocal importance of other biological disciplines in understanding comparative anatomy and evolution. It provides an organismal context for students interested in these other disciplines, including pre-medical programs. This approach requires the combination of data from classical comparative anatomy with current developmental, ecological, and theoretical research. It provides students with an exposure both to underlying principles and to current theory.
INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY LABORATORY
(BIOS 170 — Laboratory Instructor)
| Address, Phone,
E-mail:
Dept. of Biological Sciences Irvine Hall Ohio University Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-2290 carrr1@ohio.edu Links |
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