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Introduction
Dr Marie Attard is an Australian Ecologist and Evolutionary Biologist. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Royal Holloway, University of London studying functional adaptations of avian eggs that allow them to survive in a range of nesting conditions and habitats. She is also actively involved as a collaborator in several international studies to assess the ecology and behaviour of pinnipeds, raptors, deer and cetaceans.
She uses a multi-disciplinary approach in her studies, including biomechanics (laboratory and computer-based), phylogenetic comparatative analysis, stable isotope analysis, microscopy (SEM, light microscope) and morphometrics (Geometric Morphometrics and Elliptical Fourier Analysis).
Current institution
Additional affiliations
June 2019 - June 2021
February 2016 - December 2018
April 2014 - April 2015
Publications
Publications (23)
Functional trade-offs can affect patterns of morphological and ecological evolution as well as the magnitude of morphological changes through evolutionary time. Using morpho-functional landscape modelling on the cranium of 132 carnivore species, we focused on the macroevolutionary effects of the trade-off between bite force and bite velocity. Here,...
Many of the world's 10 000 bird species lay coloured or patterned eggs. The large diversity of eggshell patterning among birds, achieved through pigment, has been attributed to a few selective agents such as crypsis, thermoregulation, egg recognition, mate signalling, egg strength and protecting the embryo from UV. Pigmentation may influence the te...
The eggs of avian obligate brood-parasitic species have multiple adaptations to deceive hosts and optimize development in host nests. While the structure and composition of the eggshell in all birds is essential for embryo growth and protection from external threats, parasitic eggs may face specific challenges such as high microbial loads, rapid la...
The amniote eggshell is a fundamental aspect of the embryo life‐support system, protecting it from UV light, microbes and mechanical damage, while regulating gas exchange and providing calcium for growth. The thickness of eggshells is highly diverse across modern birds and influences multiple eggshell functions, yet the selective pressures driving...
The extinct Haast's eagle or harpagornis ( Hieraaetus moorei ) is the largest known eagle. Historically, it was first considered a predator, then a scavenger, but most recent authors have favoured an active hunting ecology. However, the veracity of proposed similarities to carrion feeders has not been thoroughly tested. To infer feeding capability...
Individual longitudinal records of diet, movement, and physiological state of endangered Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) are needed for effective management of wild populations, yet most traditional techniques are expensive or labor‐intensive. Stable isotope analysis of inert tissue, such as vibrissae (whiskers), provides a viable and minim...
Complex and at times extreme environments have pushed many bird species to develop unique eggshell surface properties to protect the embryo from external threats. Because microbes are usually transmitted into eggs by moisture, some species have evolved hydrophobic shell surfaces that resist water absorption, while also regulating heat loss and the...
Embryo survival in birds depends on a controlled transfer of water vapour and respiratory gases through the eggshell, and this exchange is critically sensitive to the surrounding physical environment. As birds breed in most terrestrial habitats worldwide, we proposed that variation in eggshell conductance has evolved to optimize embryonic developme...
We compared the shape and eggshell thickness of Great Auk’s eggs with those of its closest relatives, the Razorbill, Common Guillemot and Brünnich’s Guillemot in order to gain additional insights into the breeding biology of the extinct Great Auk. The egg of the Great Auk was most similar in shape to that of Brünnich’s Guillemot. The absolute thick...
Most birds of prey (raptors), rely heavily on their talons for capturing prey. However, the relationship between talon shape and the ability to take prey is poorly understood. In this study we investigate whether raptor talons have evolved primarily in response to adaptive pressures exerted by different dietary demands, or if talon morphology is la...
In 1695 the Italian anatomist and physician Lorenzo Bellini published an account of the ‘airways’ in birds’ eggs. Bellini suggested that these structures — that appear as dark channels running between the inner surface of the eggshell and the shell membranes, from the pointed to the blunt end of the egg — were connected to the eggshell pores and tr...
This paper proposes a new methodology to quantify patterns of egg shape variation using geometric morphometrics of three-dimensional landmarks captured on digitally reconstructed eggshells and demonstrates its performance in capturing shape variation at multiple biological levels. This methodology offers unique benefits to complement established li...
Fig. S1. Digital three-dimensional (3D) surface model of a razorbill Alca torda egg using photogrammetry.
A total of 145 photographs were taken at multiple angles around the egg. The photographs were processed in Agisoft PhotoScan (v. 1.2.6) to create the 3D model. The specimen (ID number: 2016.R15.Top.LWB) was provided by the Alfred Denny Museum,...
Table S1. Body size, life history and evolutionary origin of four species of bird included in this study.
Incubation period is from completion to of clutch to hatching. Sources are Higgins, Peter & Steele, 2001; Higgins & Peter, 2002; Higgins, Peter & Cowling, 2006.
Parasitic cuckoos lay their eggs in nests of host species. Rejection of cuckoo eggs by hosts has led to the evolution of egg mimicry by cuckoos, whereby their eggs mimic the colour and pattern of their host eggs to avoid egg recognition and rejection. There is also evidence of mimicry in egg size in some cuckoo-host systems, but currently it is unk...
The moa (Dinornithiformes) are large to gigantic extinct terrestrial birds of New Zealand. Knowledge about niche partitioning, feeding mode and preference among moa species is limited, hampering palaeoecological reconstruction and evaluation of the impacts of their extinction on remnant native biota, or the viability of exotic species as proposed e...
Thylacinidae is an extinct family of Australian and New Guinean marsupial carnivores, comprizing 12 known species, the oldest of which are late Oligocene (∼24 Ma) in age. Except for the recently extinct thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), most are known from fragmentary craniodental material only, limiting the scope of biomechanical and ecological...
The description of a Neanderthal hyoid from Kebara Cave (Israel) in 1989 fuelled scientific debate on the evolution of speech and complex language. Gross anatomy of the Kebara 2 hyoid differs little from that of modern humans. However, whether Homo neanderthalensis could use speech or complex language remains controversial. Similarity in overall sh...
Background/Question/Methods
Australia's iconic thylacine, Thylacinus cynocephalus, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, was the largest apex predator to survive up to modern times in Tasmania. After over a century of persecution by European settlers, the species became extinct in 1936. The status of the extinct thylacine as a meat specialist has be...
Extinction risk varies across species and is influenced by key ecological parameters, such as diet specialization. For predictive conservation science to be effective, we need to understand extinction risk factors that may have implicated recent species extinctions. Diet and feeding behaviour of the large extinct marsupial carnivore Thylacinus cyno...
The vocal characteristics of a species can be immensely diverse, and can significantly impact animal social interactions. The social structure of a species may vary with geographical variation in call characteristics. The ability of pinnipeds (true seals, fur seals, sea lions and walrus) to distinguish between conspecifics may assist male reproduct...
