Huskey

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Steve Huskey

Assistant Professor

Department of Biology
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY 42101
270-745-2062 office
270-745-6856 fax

Specialty - Vertebrate Form and Function

email: steve.huskey@wku.edu

Office Hours

Research Interests:
My research interests focus on the link between functional design and realized utility in vertebrates. My research attempts to shed light on our understanding of the relationship between form and function by using tools such as biomechanics, kinematics, electromyography, and negative pressure generation in lower vertebrates. Currently, my focus is on the feeding mechanism of fishes and how it relates to: 1) the environment in which it feeds, 2) the type of prey it feeds upon, and 3) the amount of manipulation and processing involved once the prey has been captured. Specifically, I have been comparing the feeding morphology and behaviors of members of the genus Micropterus, or freshwater black basses, for inter- and intraspecific functional morphological differences. Other areas of interest to me are: 1) the consequences of hybridization for prey capture in fishes, 2) the adaptations by subterranean vertebrates for underground locomotion, 3) the effects of tail autotomy on lizard locomotion, and 4) righting and prey capture behaviors in insects. I also construct fully articulated skeletons and skulls of vertebrates for use in examining the underlying anatomical support structures of feeding and locomotory mechanisms.

Classes I Teach

Current Semester Courses
BIOL 113 - General Biology
BIOL 122 - Biological Concepts: Evolution, Diversity, & Ecology
BIOL 131 - Human Anatomy and Physiology
BIOL 377 - Animal Form and Function

Recent Publications:

Peer-reviewed:
Huskey, S.H. In prep. Modulation of prey capture kinematics in largemouth bass.

Wainwright, P.C., S.H. Huskey, & R.G. Turingan. In press. Scaling suction feeding
performance in common snook, Centropomus undecimalis. J. Exp. Zool

Carroll, A.M., P.C. Wainwright, S.H. Huskey, D.C. Collar, & R.G. Turingan. 2004.
Morphology predicts suction feeding performance in centrarchid fishes.
J. Exp. Biol. 207: 3873-3881.

Huskey, S.H. 2003. Functional and morphological bases of intraspecific variation in the
feeding ecomorphology of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Dissertation.
Florida Institute of Technology. 137pp.

Huskey, S.H. & R.G. Turingan. 2001. Variation in prey-resource utilization and oral jaw
gape between two populations of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Env.
Biol. Fish. 61(2): 185-194.

Technical reports:
Cox, D. & S.H. Huskey. 2003. Population assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates
in three headwater lakes of the St. John's River, Florida. Project Report, Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida. 55pp.

Turingan, R.G. & S.H. Huskey. 2000. Estimated biting strength of fishes and the effects
of substratum type and jacket color on the vulnerability of underwater cables to fish
bites. Technical Report - Lockheed-Martin Federal Systems, Manassas, Virginia.
65pp.

Turingan, R.G. & S.H. Huskey. 1999. Biological hazard assessment: Spatial and
temporal variation in the occurrence of aggressive behavior in fishes and other
benthic organisms in the marine environment. Technical Report - Lockheed-Martin
Federal Systems, Manassas, Virginia. 72pp.

Popular press:
Scott, E.C., N.J. Matzke, G. Branch, S.H. Huskey, et al. 2004. The morphology of Steve.
Annals of Improbable Research, July-August 24-29.

Huskey, S.H. 2003. How bass attack. North American Fisherman, February.
Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Huskey, S.H. 2003. Michigan vs. Florida bass: battle of the big mouths. North American
Fisherman, February. Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Huskey, S.H. 2002. Hybridization in sunfish - superfish? North American Fisherman,
December/January. Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Outside interests
My hobbies include: fishing, hunting, hiking, SCUBA diving, travel, and being outdoors.

Great barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda, caught in Florida.

Snook, Centropomus undecimalis, and king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla, caught in Florida.

Great barracuda skull Striped burrfish skeleton Shortnose batfish skull
Sphyraena barracuda Chilomycterus schoepfi Ogcocephalus nasutus

Anaconda, Eunectes murinus, constricting and consuming a caiman, Paleosuchus palepebrosus.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake skeleton Dwarf caiman with every osteoderm intact
Crotalus adamanteus Paleosuchus palepebrosus

36" mangrove monitor, Varanus indicus, skeleton.

Mangrove monitor, Varanus indicus, skull.

57" Crocodile monitor, Varanus salvadori, skeleton.

Crocodile monitor, Varanus salvadori, skull.

18" gila monster, Heloderma suspectum, skeleton.

Gila monster, Heloderma suspectum, skull.

24" Meller's chameleon, Chamaeleo melleri, skeleton.

Meller's chameleon, Chamaeleo melleri, skull.

18" veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, skeleton.

Veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, skull.

43" white-throated monitor, Varanus albigularis, skeleton.

White-throated monitor, Varanus albigularis, skull.

Copperband butterflyfish, Chelmon rostratus Forceps butterflyfish, Forcipiger flavissimus

Longnose butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris

Spiny seahorse Grey triggerfish Lined seahorse
Hippocampus histrix Balistes capriscus Hippocampus erectus

Comments or questions on the format of this page should be directed to steve.huskey@wku.edu Last Modified: Nov.2005