Promoter: Raoul Van Damme
Supervisor: Eleesha Annear
Osteoderms are bony structures found within the skin of a few disparate groups of tetrapods. These structures are hypothesised to serve various functions, including protection, calcium storage, and limiting water loss. Here, we will focus on their role in thermoregulation. A thermoregulatory function has been proposed due to the rich vascular network observed in the osteoderms of various species. Currently, there are contradictory viewpoints regarding the function of osteoderms in thermoregulation, with some suggesting that osteoderms facilitate heating or cooling through their vascularization, while others suggest that as osteoderms are bony elements, they may reduce the rates of heating and cooling. The presence, absence, and variability of osteoderms and their effects on the thermal dynamics of lizard skin remain poorly understood.
In this project, the student will conduct heating and cooling experiments on skin samples both with varying degrees of osteoderm expression, to determine how the presence of bone influences the thermal properties of the skin. The student will be involved in (1) designing the experimental set-up; (2) quantifying osteoderm expression through micro-CT scans; and (3) executing the heating and cooling experiments.