Current Program: Ph.D. in Biology

B.S. in Biology, Duke Univeristy, 2000

My primary research interest is in the biomechanics and evolution of elasmobranch (sharks, skates, and rays) feeding mechanisms, and in particular, the generation of bite force by the cranial musculature. My dissertation research uses theoretical 3-D modeling, bite force measurements, kinematic analyses, and material science to compare the feeding mechanisms of sharks utilizing crushing, suction, and gouging feeding mechanisms. Representative of these mechanisms are the horn shark Heterodontus francisci, whitespotted bamboo shark Chiloscyllium plagiosum, and lemon shark Negaprion brevirostris respectively. I use theoretical estimates of maximum force production by the cranial musculature to perform static equilibrium analyses of the feeding mechanisms of these sharks during prey capture. These equilibrium models, which are performed with Mathcad software, are also used to determine the loadings at the various articulations between the jaws and skulls of these sharks. Knowledge of these loadings will help us to infer the mechanical influences involved in the evolution of shark jaw suspension, or the way in which the jaws are suspended from the skull. Sharks, and elasmobranchs in general, possess a surprising diversity of jaw suspensions for a group their size.

Our lab is also one of few in the world conducting feeding performance studies on elasmobranchs. We are in fact the first research group to perform high-precision bite force measurements on free-swimming sharks, which is done through the use of data acquisition technology and custom designed force transducers. These studies allow us to get at the behavioral basis of differentiation in elasmobranch feeding mechanisms, which provides a better understanding of the relationship between the morphology and ecology of these animals. The majority of this research occurs either on site at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL or at the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL, although some has been conducted at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. For additional information on bite force research click here.

Additional projects I am currently involved in include:

• The crushing bite of the water bunny Hydrolagus colliei
• Jaw adductor recruitment in the generation of bite force by the horn shark Heterodontus francisci
• Suction pressure generation in the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum
• Prey capture kinematics of the sandtiger shark Carcharias taurus

University of South Florida - Comparative biomechanics of chondrichthyan feeding mechanisms.

Duke University Molecular Systematics Laboratory - Tissue specific expression of opsin genes in the lateral and median eyes of the ostracods Skogsbergia lerneriand Vargula hilgendorfii

Horn Point Environmental Laboratory - Physiology and biochemistry of the "brown tide" causing chrysophyte Aurecoccus anophagefferens.

Huber, D.R., Motta, P.J., and Hueter, R.E. (In prep). Comparative prey capture biomechanics of sharks: implications for the evolution of jaw suspension mechanisms.

Huber, D.R. and Motta, P.J. (In prep). Mechanical consequences of functional constraint in the feeding mechanism of the whitespotted bamboo shark Chiloscyllium plagiosum.

Huber, D.R., Motta, P.J., and Hueter, R.E. (In prep). Prey capture kinematics and kinetics of sharks utilizing ram, suction, and suction-biting feeding methodologies.

Huber, D.R., Dean. M.N., and Summers, A.P. (In prep). The crushing bite of the whitespotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei.

Motta, P.J., Hueter, R.E., Tricas, T.C., Summers, A.P., Huber, D.R., Lowry, D., Mara, K.R., Matott, M.P., Whitenack, L.B., and Wintzer, A.P. (In prep). Functional morphology of the feeding apparatus, feeding constraints, and suction performance of the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum. Journal of Morphology.

Huber, D.R., Weggelaar, C.L., and Motta, P.J. (2006). Scaling of bite force in the blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus. Zoology. 109: 109-119.

Huber, D.R., Eason, T.G., Hueter, R.E., and Motta, P.J. (2005). Analysis of the bite force and mechanical design of the feeding mechanism of the durophagous horn shark Heterodontus francisci. Journal of Experimental Biology. 208: 3553-3571.

Dean, M., Huber, D., and Nance, H. (2005). Functional morphology of jaw trabeculation in the lesser electric ray Narcine brasiliensis. Journal of Morphology. Published online with cover (DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10302)

Lowry, D., Patel, A.N., Matott, M.P., Whitenack, L.B., Huber, D.R., Dean, M.N., and Motta, P.J. (2005). Aerial and aquatic feeding in the silver arawana Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 73: 453-462.

Huber, D.R. and Motta, P.J. (2004). A comparative analysis of methods for determining bite force in the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 301A: 26-37.

Oakley, T.H. and Huber, D.R. (2004). Differential expression of duplicated opsin genes in two eye-types of ostracod crustaceans. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 59(2): 239-249.

Huber, D.R., Dean, M.N., and Summers, A.P. (2004). The crushing bite of the water bunny Hydrolagus colliei . Integrative and Comparative Biology. 44(6): 573. (published abstract)

Weggelaar, C.L., Huber, D.R., and Motta, P.J. (2004). Scaling of bite force in the blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus . Integrative and Comparative Biology. 44(6): 662. (published abstract)

Huber, D.R. and Motta, P.J. (2004). Cranial biomechaincs of sharks utilizing durophagous and piscivorous feeding mechanisms. Journal of Morphology. 260(3): 300. (published abstract)

Huber, D.R. and Motta, P.J. (2003). Bite force and cranial design of a hard prey specialist, the horn shark Heterodontus francisci. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 43(6): 981. (publlished abstract)

Dean, M.N., Huber, D.R., and Nance, H. (2003). Functional morphology of jaw trabeculation in Narcine brasiliensis. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 43(6): 1018. (publlished abstract)

Huber, D.R. (2001). A comparative analysis of methods for determining bite force in the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias. American Zoologist. 41(6): 1476. (published abstract)

Mote Marine Laboratory
American Elasmobranch Society
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Redlake Digital Imaging Solutions
Fishbase
Amcells Corporation
National Instruments Corporation