UAntwerp FunMorph
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uafunmorph.bsky.social
UAntwerp FunMorph
@uafunmorph.bsky.social
Functional Morphology Lab Group of Department of Biology, University of Antwerp.

https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/research-groups/funmorph/
In collaboration with cichlid fish experts from the Evolutionary Ecology Lab @SvardalGroup at #UAntwerpen
Read more here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
An alternative pattern of head expansion during feeding in cichlids - Communications Biology
Kinematic analyses of Lake Malawi cichlids reveal that algae specialists use head expansions that happen synchronously along the head. This contrasts with the wave-like pattern of piscivores and is hypothesized to increase algae feeding efficiency.
www.nature.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
To help them with a smooth start, we organised an introduction session where they got the opportunity to present themselves and their project.

Keep an eye out for more updates from our lab, including the student projects, throughout the coming year!

#masterinbiology
September 8, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Reposted by UAntwerp FunMorph
Lukas Hageneder from @uafunmorph.bsky.social is studying how the tongue and skeleton of ducks interact to successfully filter food
July 31, 2025 at 7:09 AM
This suggests beak adaptations for strength don’t necessarily reduce efficiency on easier foods. 🐤 Read the full study by PhD student Tim Andries here: doi.org/10.1242/jeb.... @jexpbiol.bsky.social #canaries #kinematics #morphology
Beak dimensions affect feeding performance within a granivorous songbird species
Summary: In canaries, individuals with greater beak depth were faster at dehusking large seeds. Unexpectedly, however, individuals with smaller beaks did not perform significantly better at processing...
doi.org
March 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Larger beaks generate more force for tough seeds, while smaller beaks move faster. We found that birds with larger beak depths dehusked large seeds faster, but smaller or longer beaks didn’t provide a processing advantage for small seeds. 💪⚡
March 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
[2/2] This piece features work from her own PhD project as well as that of FunMorph's PhD student Jana De Ridder.
theconversation.com/hard-bites-a...
#ornithology #bird #science
Hard bites and slow songs: How beak size affects the singing and evolution of songbirds
Researchers have discovered that massive beaks and strong bites hinder the velocity of beak movement in songbirds. The musical differences that result may have consequences for evolution.
theconversation.com
February 6, 2025 at 2:29 PM