Barbara L. Lundrigan
Assistant Professor of Zoology, Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology
Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1988
318 Museum
Office Telephone: 517-355-6752
lundriga@msu.edu
Research Website
Mammalian Systematics; Patterns of Behavioral and Morphological Evolution
My research integrates data from a variety of sources -- behavior, morphology, and molecules -- to address questions in mammalian evolution. Recent examples include a comparative study of the relationship between rodent skull ontogeny and life-history strategies (with M. Zelditch), a comparative study of morphological and behavioral ontogeny in carnivores (with K. Holekamp), and exploration of rapid changes in the geographical ranges of small mammals in the Great Lake's region (with P. Myers). I encourage my graduate students to work on projects of thir own design within the broad relam of ecology, behavior, morphology, and systematics of mammals.
Representative Publications
Myers, P., B. Lundrigan, S. Hoffman, A. Haraminac, and S. Seto. 2009. Climate-induced changes in the small mammal communities of the northern Great Lakes. Global Change Biology. Published on line in advance of print.
Tanner, J.B., E.R. Dumont, S.T. Sakai, B.L. Lundrigan, and K.E. Holekamp. 2008. Of arcs and vaults: The biomechanics of bone-cracking in spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Biological Journal of the Linnaen Society 95: 246-255.
Zelditch, M, B. Lundrigan, and T. Garland, Jr. 2004. Developmental regulation of skull morphology I: Ontogenetic dynamics of variance. Evolution and Development Vol. 6: 194-206.
Lundrigan, B.L., S. Jansa, and P.K. Tucker. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Mus based on maternally, paternally, and bi-parentally inherited characters. Systematic Biology 51: 410-431.
Lundrigan, B. 1996. Morphology of horns and fighting behavior in the family Bovidae. Journal of Mammalogy 77:462-475.