Postdoc 1995-1997 (deutsches Volontariat mit Schwerpunkt auf Forschungsprojekt)

Postdoc 1997-1999

For more see Resume

Grants and Funding

• grant from the "Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst" (DAAD) to study one year at the University of East Anglia, England, 1987/88
• grant from the DAAD to study material relevant to my dissertation in North American Museum Collections, 1993
• Postdoc fellowship from the "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (DFG) to do research at the UC Berkeley, 1997/98
• funding from PARSYS to work at the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle Paris for a short time, 2000
• funding from DFG to attend the SVP meeting 2000 in Mexico City
• funding through the HIGH LAT Programm to visit the Museum of Natural History in Stockholm to work there with Thomas Mörs, January/February 2004
• funding of the DFG to attend the annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists in Arcata, California and to visit collections at the Universtiy of California Berkeley, June 2004
• funding from the American Museum of Natural History New York to work in their collections, January 2005
• funding through the SYNTHESYS programm approved to visit the Museum of Natural History in Stockholm to work there again with Thomas Mörs, April 2006
• FUnding for field studies in Saxony from FAN (B) Förderkreis für allgemeine Naturkunde (Biologie) in 2008
• Funding from the Ungerer Stiftung to visit the Institut de Palaeontologie Crusafont in Sabadell, 2009.

Research Interests and current Research Activities also with students

I am principally interested in mammalian morphology, bascic biomechanics, diversity, phylogeny, and the structure and causes of mammalian radiations. My research has been - and still is - mainly focused on:

Investigations on tooth enamel, microwear and use of teeth

I am interested to analyse the three dimensionally complex structure of different types of tooth enamel and in related functional, biomechanic and evolutionary questions

During my Ph.D. and postdoc project at Berkeley, I analyzed structural changes of tooth enamel during time in different mammalian lineages, mainly carnivores of different systematic affinity and "Condylarths". The goal was

1. to accurately describe the ultrastructure of the enamel in three dimensions,
2. to map their distribution on phylogenies of the studied species,
3. to evaluate the taxonomic and phylogenetic relevance of the structures,
4. to see how structural changes are related to factors such as food, chewing mechanisms, and body size, and

to understand the mode of change and the evolutionary rate of changes.

Overall I try to understand which factors caused the evolutionary changes visible in the structure of tooth enamel. and to interpret the funciton of the visible structures. This implies trying to to understand what tensile stresses occur during mastication within the enamel.

My work on carnivores has shown that tensile stresses are an important factor causing changes in the tooth enamel structure. And I think that complex arrangement of different structural features in the enamel within a single teeth as well as within dentitions can only be better explained if the biomechanic constraints are better understood. I would like to address this issue by mathematical modeling using finite elements and to consider different surface characters, and morphological shapes of the teeth in this respect.

To learn more about tooth enamel see The enamel webpage

Tooth microwear of Recent and fossil species, (Student intern: K. BUCHWALDER)

Evolution of beavers (Rodentia: Castoridae)

I am interested in the PHYLOGENY AND TAXONOMY OF TERTIOARY BEAVERS in North America and Europe. Work concerned the taxonomic status of some genera and their ecology and a general phylogeny of beavers.

The main focus is to understand the evolution of this taxonomically difficult group of rodents. It seems that the exact study and docomentation of variability within populations or fossil beavers from one site is an important factor to understand the evolution. Studies focused on Steneofiber from the early Miocene, in Germany as well as other species in Europe and North America (in previous and current cooperation with T. MÖRS, Stockholm, H. WAGNER; San Diego, T. FREMD, Oregon, M. RUMMEL, Augsburg)

My goal is to revise the taxonomy and systematics of Miocene beavers in Europe and America and to understand their phylogenetic relationship using modern phylogenetic analysis. I want to compare the mode, course and speed of evolution in European and American beavers in order to better understand what might drive mammalian radiations. I am also interested to differentiate the functional morphology and ecology of the different species in a fairly conservative group.

Also I work on biomechanic aspets of chewing in cooperation with Prof. Dr. WITZEL, Bochum.

To learn more about beavers see for example:

• Die Biberburg

Taxonomy and Biology of fossil and recent Carnivores

Work on the carnivores from Sandelzhausen (Miocene, Germany) in cooperation with D. NAGEL, Vienna, and M. MORLO, Frankfurt) - see publications.

Work on wild cats in Thuringia and Saxony (in cooperation with M. GÖRNER, Jena, student interns: A. TUNGER, n.n.)

Diverse mainly collecton based research and local faunistic studies

For example:

* geographic variation in skull morphology of shrews (togehter with H.-J. KAPISCHKE, Dresden)

* Skull morphology of some Vietnamese Primates (together with T. NADLER, Vietnam)

* Studies on the hybrid zone of the Eastern and Western House Mouse (Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus in Saxony. (Student intern: S. SPRENZEL)

* Panthera tigris in our collection with Dr. A. FEILER

* Hair cuticula structure of some Vietnamese Primates and other species (student intern: F. SZOKOLI)

and older projects

* Relevance of the publications on mammals in the publications of the Naturwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft ISIS in Dresden (A. PAPKE)

* Regional owl pellet analyses to determine the occurrence of mammals in different areas of Saxony (interns: F. BAUER, S. BRAGADO, P. LACHMANN);

* work on a sample of microtines from Tharandt (student intern: P. LACHMANN)

* Occurrence of small mammalas at different heights in the Erz Mountains, Saxony (student interns: H. WITTHAUER, D. HALTAUS, A. MÜLLER, W. FRENZEL)

* Teeth of pleistocene mammuts from Saxony in the Collection of the Museum for Mineralogie und Geologie Dresden (intern: MÖRSEBURG, A.)

* Limb morphology, variability and functional anatomy in some mustelids (student intern: K. REUTHER; intern: T. LAI)

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Work on Saxonian Mammals

Maintaining the Bibliography on Saxonian Mammals online; it is located here; please e-mail additions and comments to me, it can only be maintained by your help. Bibliography of Saxoninan Mammals ("Bibliographie Sächsischer Säugetiere").

Information on the distribution of some small mammals (exclusive bats) in and around Dresden " see here".

diverse faunistic studies of mammals in Saxony, mainly concerning rodents and Insectivores.

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Current Teaching Involvements

• since 2002 year two lectures within the course: Zoogeography with Prof. Dr. R. Entzeroth and Dr. R. Lücker at the TU-Dresden; see lecture handouts and figures (for students with password only).

• since 2002 each term two days on mammals within the Lab-course on Vertebrates at the Institut für Biologie II (Molekulare Evolution und Systematik der Tiere) of the University Leipzig

• since 2004 each year two week Lab-course: "Biology and Systematics of Mammals" at the TU-Dresden, (see schedule)

• 2004/05, and 2003 supervision of two Diploma-thesis in Biology, Zoology at the TU-Dresden, together with Prof. Entzeroth: K. REUTHER and A. DIETZE

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Exhibition work

I was the curator of the exhibit "Megatherium & Co. - extinct giants" in the Museum für Tierkunde Dresden Open from 11th February 2006 to 6th June 2008

The exhibit was developed in co-operation with ö-Grafik in Dresden

The cataloque in German can be ordered at the Library at the Senckenberg Naturhistorsche Sammlungen Dresden - or contact me.

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Publications

Books for the general publicStefen, C. 2006 Megatherium & Co. - ausgestorbene Riesen. Katalog zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung im Museum für Tierkunde Dresden. Staatliche Naturhistorsche Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Tierkunde Dresden, 128 p.

Presentations at Meetings (with or without published summary)
In edited books
Book reviews
mainly of Saxonian local interest
Invited Seminars and General talks

in Journals

STEFEN, C. & WAGNER, H. M. (submitted) Cranial Morphology of the Early Miocene beaver Capacikala gradatus from the John Day Basin and comments on the genus.

STEFEN, C. (in revision) Morphometric considerations on the palaeocastorine beavers Capacikala, Palaeocastor and “Capatanka”. Palaeontologica Electronica.

MÖRS, T. & STEFEN, C. (in revision) Steneofiber (Mammalia, Castoridae) from the Miocene of Hambach (NW-Germany) with Remarks on the taxonomy of S. depereti. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

STEFEN, C. & NADLER, T. (in press) Cranial morphology of the three Vietnamese species of douc langurs, Pygathrix. Vietnamese Journal of Primatology.

39. STEFEN, C. & GÖRNER, M. (2009) Die Wildkatze (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) in Deutschland und Mitteleuropa – zum Stand der Forschung und Schlußfolgerungen für den Schutz. [Wild cat (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) in Germany and Central Europe – current status of research and consequences for Conservation]. Säugetierkundliche Infromationen

38. STEFEN, C. (2009) Artenvielfalt und Aussterbeereignisse in der Erdgeschichte. Artenschutzreport 25, 42-46.

37. STEFEN, C. (2009) The European Tertiary beaver Chalicomys jaegeri (Rodentia: Castoridae) revisited. Kaupia 16, 161-175..

STEFEN, C. (in press) Zur Veränderung der Säugetierfauna vom Pleistozän bis heute. In: GÖRNER, M. (Hrsg.) Atlas der Säugetiere Thüringens. Im Auftrag der Arbeitsgruppe Artenschutz Thüringen und des Landesjagdverbandes Thüringen.

36. STEFEN, C. (2009) The beaver (Mammalia: Castoridae) from Sandelzhausen (Sw-Germany). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 83(1), 183-186.

35. NAGEL, D., STEFEN, C. & MORLO, M. (2009) Middle Miocene (MN5) Carnivoran community of Sandelzhausen, Germany. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 83(1), 151-174.

34. STEFEN, C. (2008) A craniometric comparison of a dispersing and non-dispersing population of the greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) at the eastern distribution limit. Säugetierkundliche Informationen 6(36),

33. STEFEN, C. (2008) Intraspecific Variability of beaver teeth (Castoridae: Rodentia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

32. STEFEN, C. & MÖRS, T. (2008) The beaver Anchitheriomys from the Miocene of Central Europe. Journal of Paleontology 82(5), 1009–1020. Abstract

31. FEILER, A., NADLER, T. & STEFEN, C. (2008) Bemerkungen zu vietnamesischen Kleinsäugern der Nationalparke Cuc Phuong und Phong Nha-Ke Bang und des Naturschutzgebietes Ke Go. Vertebrate Zoology 58(1), 113-125. Abstract

30. STEFEN, C. (2007) Eine Wildkatze (Felis silvestris) im thüringisch-sächsischen Vogtland? – Mit einer Diskussion zur Unterscheidbarkeit zwischen Wild- und Hauskatzen. Säugetierkundliche Informationen 6(35), 105-120.

Abstract

29. STEFEN, C. & KAPISCHKE, H.-J. (2007) Craniometric study of the greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) from the eastern most edge of its distribution. Säugetierkundliche Informationen 6(34), 33-48. Abstract

28. STEFEN, C. (2007) Wissenschaftliches Sammeln von Tieren und Artenschutz. Artenschutzreport 21, 26-32.

27. STEFEN, C. & RUDOLF, M. (2007) Contribution to the taxonomic status of Niviventer confucianus and N. fulvescens. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde 72(4), 213-223. Abstract

26. STEFEN, C. (2007) Erste Ergebnisse zu microwear beim Biber (Castor fiber) [Preliminary results of microwear analysis of beaver (Castor fiber). Säugetierkundliche Informationen

25. KAPISCHKE, H.-J., STEFEN, C., & DANKHOFF, R. (2007) Ein Steinchen im Zahn einer Feldmaus (Microtus arvalis. Säugetierkundliche Informationen

24. STEFEN, C. & FEILER, A. (2006) Kommentiertes Überblicks-Verzeichnis der sächsischen Säugetiere im Museum für Tierkunde Dresden - Ein Beitrag zur Säugetierfauna Sachsens. Abhandlungen der Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft ISIS Dresden 2004-2005: 65-84.

23. STEFEN, C. (2006). Faunenwandel bei Säugetieren in Sachsen. Artenschutzreport 20/2006, 49-52.

22. RENSBERGER, J. M. & STEFEN, C. (2006) Functional differentiations of the microstructure in the upper carnassial enamel of the spotted hyena. In: Kalthoff, D., Martin, Th. & Mörs, Th. (eds). Festband für Herrn Professor Wighart v. Koenigswald anlässlich seines 65. Geburtstages - zweiter Teil.- . Palaeontographica A 278(1-6): 149-162. Abstract

21. FEILER, A. & STEFEN, C. (2006) Schädel- und Fellmerkmale ostslowakischer Wölfe im intraspezifischen Vergleich. Säugetierkundliche Informationen 5, 587-593. Abstract

20. STEFEN, C. (2005) Description of the cranial morphology of the Early Miocene beaver Steneofiber castorinus. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie und Paläontologie Monatshefte 2005(10), 577-596. Abstract

19. DIETZE, A., STEFEN, C. & WOLF, R. (2005) Morphologische Untersuchung einer Hausmauspopulation aus Gniebitz in Sachsen - Ein Beitrag zur Säugetierfauna Sachsen. Säugetierkundliche Informationen 5(30), 533-541. Abstract

18. BAUER, F. & STEFEN, C. (2005) Eine Analyse von Gewöllen der Waldohreule (Asio otus) aus Limbach-Oberfrohna, Sachsen - Ein Beitrag zur Säugetierfauna Sachsen. Mitteilungen des Vereins Sächsischer Ornithologen 9, 527-531. Abstract

17. BAUER, F. & STEFEN, C. (2004) Übernahme einer Geweih- und Gehörnsammlung vom ehemaligen Forstzoologischen Institut Tharandt bei Dresden. Faunistische Abhandlungen 25, 151-153.

16. STEFEN, C. & REUTHER, K. (2004) Kommentierte Bibliographie über sächsische Säugetiere 1997 bis 2004. Faunistische Abhandlungen 25, 175-186.

15. STEFEN, C. & FEILER, A. (2004) Comments on a collection of small mammals of the late 1930s from Fukien, SE-China in the Museum für Tierkunde Dresden. Faunistische Abhandlungen 25, 155-174. Abstract

14. STEFEN, C. & FEILER, A. (2004) Bubalus mindorensis (Bovidae) Exemplare einer seltenen Art im Museum für Tierkunde und deren Bedeutung in der Forschungsgeschichte der Art. Abhandlungen der Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft ISIS, Dresden 1997/2003, 47-57. Abstract

13. STEFEN, C. & FEILER, A. (2004) Observations on the postnatal changes of skull morphology and wear of the teeth of the tamarao, Bubalus mindorensis (Bovidae). Zoologische Abhandlungen 54, 317-330. Abstract

12. STEFEN, C. (2003) Hydrodamalis gigas (Sirenia) material in the Museum für Tierkunde Dresden. Zoologische Abhandlungen 53, 205-214. Abstract

11. STEFEN, C. & RUMMERL, M. (2003) Trogontherium (Euroxenomys) minus (Castoridae: Mammalia) from Petersbuch 50, Miocene, South Germany. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Monatshefte 2003(1), 11-34. Abstract

10. STEFEN, C. & RENSBERGER, J. M. (2002) The specialized structure of hyaenid enamel: description and development within the lineage - including percrocutids. Zoologische Abhandlungen 52, 127-147.

9. STEFEN, C. (2001) the Barstovian (Miocene) beavers from Stewart Valley, Nevada, and a preliminary discussion of the genus Monosaulax mainly on the basis of tooth morphology. PaleoBios 21(1), 1-15. Abstract

8. STEFEN, C. (2001) Enamel structure of arctoid Carnivora - Amphicyonidae, Ursidae, Procyonidae and Mustelidae. Journal of Mammalogy 82(2), 450-462.

7. STEFEN, C. (1999) Enamel microstructure of archaic ungulates ("Condylarthra") and some other early Tertiary mammals. PaleoBios 19(3), 15-36. Abstract

6. STEFEN, C. (1999) Enamel structure of Recent and fossil Canidae (Carnivora, Mammalia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(3), 576-588.

5. STEFEN, C. (1999) The enamel structure of some Australian carnivorous marsupials. Alcheringa 23, 111-132. Abstract

4. STEFEN, C. (1997) Steneofiber eseri (Castoridae, Mammalia) von der Westtangente bei Ulm im Vergleich zu anderen Biberpopulationen. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde 255, 1-78. Abstract

3. STEFEN, C. (1997) The enamel of Creodonta, Arctocyonidae and Mesonychidae (Mammalia) with special reference to the appearance of Hunter-Schreger bands. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 71(3/4), 291-303.

2. STEFEN, C. (1997) Differentiations in Hunter-Schreger bands of carnivores. IN: Koenigswald, W., von & Sander, P.M. (Eds.) Tooth enamel microstructure; 123-136; Rotterdam/Brookfield (Balkema).

1. ENTZEROTH, R., STEFEN, C., CHOBOTAR, B., & DUBREMETZ, J.F. (1993) Evidence of secretion of an internal antigen of Eimeria papillata into cultured cells. Arch. Protistenkd. 143, 347-351.

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Some Memberships in Professional Organizations

Gesellschaft für Paläontologie

Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Säugetierkunde

American Society of Mammalogy

Arbeitsgruppe Artenschutz Thüringen

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Clara Stefen, August 2009

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