Ecomorphological Analysis and development of virtual mobile models of buccal apparatus of notothenioid fish species

The ecomorphology is the science that studies the mutual relationship between environment and forms of organisms. EMPHASIS will focus on the ecomorphology of the feeding apparatus in nototheniods, a high diversified group of teleost fish endemic of Antarctic waters where they have colonized all available niches in different habitats, during their adaptive radiation. We propose the comparative analysis peculiar traits of head, mouth and gill rakers of a wide number of notothenioid species, from the various lineages in order to connect specific design of the feeding apparatus and feeding performance. The results are expected to deepen the knowledge on the ecological roles of nototheniod species in the Antarctic trophic web, their capability to adapt to prey availability, and their specific potential capability to respond to environmental changes. The prject will also test the potential of 3D graphics technologies to depict interactively the feeding apparatus and demonstrate the motion of the mouth apparatus during the expected different feeding activities through 3D animation. This digital product obtained, in addition to represent a scientific result, will be used as an expressive and engaging tool for communication and outreach activity. This will help, in a modern and effective way, the knowledge transfer from polar specialists to large audience of general and not specialized public and will contribute to improve the public awareness of the importance of polar ecosystems and polar science. The project is designed to meet the specific requirement of the PNRA projects line A and therefore it will be based on fish samples already available in Polar Museum collections, thus reducing the logistical effort of new field activities, and related costs, and maximizing human and material resources.

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