Directory of Experts
Details for Dr Marcello Ruta
| Personal details | |
| Name | Dr Marcello Ruta |
| Job title | Research Associate |
| Department | School of Earth Sciences University of Bristol |
| Contact details | This expert can be contacted via the University of Bristol Public Relations
Office. To help us deal with your request, please mention the Directory of Experts when contacting the Public Relations Office. work+44 (0)117 928 7777 email: public-relations@bristol.ac.uk |
| Qualifications | BSc(Bari), PhD(Lond) |
| Professional details | |
| Keywords | fossils fossil record evolution vertebrates morphological diversification early limbed vertebrates adaptive radiation |
| Areas of expertise | The key contribution of the fossil record is its ability to address evolutionary issues in deep time. My scientific interests revolve around three main areas: 1) emergence and radiation of major animal groups, particularly early limbed vertebrates; 2) quantitative and qualitative aspects of morphological diversification; 3) patterns from the palaeontological record as a key to understanding crucial episodes in the history of life. Reconstruction of detailed phylogenetic relationships provides a basis for disentangling the origin and transformations of morphofunctional complexes, for generating and testing patterns of character acquisition and change, and for investigating models of adaptive radiation. |