Sydney K. Decker
Post-Doctoral Scholar, Ohio State University
Ongoing Projects
Species Boundary Morphometrics
As with genetic data, technological advances have changed how we analyze morphology in our study systems. I am comparing different methods of morphological analysis at the species boundary. In collaboration with the Imageomics Institute, I collected high-resolution CT scans of bat skulls and am developing machine learning architectures to understand morphological variation at the species boundary.
Systematics of Yellow Bats
I have been using molecular methods to research Yellow bats since my first year as an undergraduate student, starting by sequencing cytochrome b for the two lineages of Lasiurus intermedius. I am now using Next Gen Sequencing methods to assess evolutionary patterns and speciation in the Yellow bat group.
Legless Lizard CT Scanning
In collaboration with an undergraduate researcher, I am describing historical legless lizard specimens from CT scans. These specimens were collected during the Civil War in Ohio and are too fragile to be manipulated for morphological work. CT scanning whole specimens allowed us to characterize morphological traits without risking damage to the specimens.
