WIlliam Bemis

I am interested in comparative anatomy, embryology, and evolution of vertebrates.  I seek to contribute data to basic questions in phylogenetic systematics of fishes.  Another objective is to make side-by-side comparisons of closely related Recent and fossil fishes to enhance both paleontology and neontology.  Lungfishes, coelacanths, and basal ray finned fishes including bichirs, ropefishes, sturgeons, paddlefishes, gars, and bowfins, particularly interest me.  I ask comparative questions, such as:  What does the histology of the skin of Recent lungfishes say about the organization of the dermal skeleton of Devonian lungfishes? or:  from comparative embryological study of paddlefishes, gars, bowfins and teleosts, is it possible to identify teleost-specific patterns of development of the adenohypophysis?  I use anatomical techniques such as LM histology and SEM.  Current projects with Lance Grande (Field Museum, Chicago) concern the systematics of fossil and living gars. Students are encouraged to develop expertise in the anatomy and systematics of groups of fishes, and combine study of conventional phylogenetic characters (i.e., skeleton) with study of less conventional characters (i.e., cranial nerve development).