Maxime Taverne

I am a young researcher in evolutionary biology and functional morphology of vertebrates. After obtaining a BSc in organismal biology and ecology I graduated a MSc in systematics, evolution and paleontology. I am currently pursuing a PhD at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, under the supervision of Dr. Anthony Herrel (CNRS) and Pr. Michael Fagan (University of Hull, UK).

My project aims to unravel whether micro-evolutionary changes in morphology can significantly impact performance and survivorship in insular Podarcis lizards. It leads me to investigate how small-scale variation in skull morphology and the associated musculature influence bite force and subsequently diet. To do so I am leading a wide comparative study across many insular populations, using quantitative dissections, microCT imagery, 3D geometric morphometrics (GMM), multi-body dynamic analyses (MDA) and finite-element analyses (FEA).

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My interests as a natural history scientist is to understand the basis of the emergence of morphological diversification. Even if my PhD project focuses on the masticatory apparatus, I am also particularly interested in the musculoskeletal locomotor system of vertebrates, and its adaptations to the organisms' ecology and lifestyle.

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