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email:  msgordon@ucla.edu
phone:  (310) 825-4579
fax:  (310) 206-3987
office:  LS 1118
lab:  

research interests:  Comparative ecological physiology of lower vertebrates, with emphasis on the fishes

Research Interests

My personal research interests presently (2004) focus in three major areas. All three are themes I have pursued with varying levels of activity for many years: (i)The functional morphology, biomechanics, kinematics, and hydrodynamics of swimming in fishes using different methods of locomotion. This is the major, extramurally funded activity in the laboratory. Emphasis is on rigid-bodied, median and paired fin (MPF) swimming fishes and on the gait changes they demonstrate as they swim at progressively higher speeds. Species used are marine (puffers, spiny puffers, boxfishes, cowfishes, trunkfishes). Much of this work involves direct visualization and analysis of patterns of fluid flow around swimming fishes using 2- and 3-dimensional laser-based digital particle imaging velocimetry. This work is collaborative, primarily with colleagues at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
(ii)The biochemical, physiological and behavioral adaptations possessed by living amphibious teleost fishes for life on the land, and the significance of these adaptations for understanding of the evolutionary processes involved in the origins of the tetrapods. This theme involves collaboration with paleontologists. It does not presently involve active laboratory work.
(iii)The functional morphological and behavioral properties of rays and related elasmobranch fishes, primarily in the context of both locomotion and processes relating to finding and acquiring food. This theme is central to a current doctoral dissertation project now in progress.

Selected Publications

Kim, Y.T. and M.S. Gordon. 2010. Swimming and posture control of common carp when penetrating mesh nets in a water tunnel Fisheries Res 102: 166-172 .

Gordon, M.S.. 2009. Comparative physiology in IUPS and at IUPS 2009 J. Physiol Soc Japan 71: 49-51 .

Gordon, M.S.. 2009. Review of "Fish Osmoregulation," B. Baldisserotto, J.M. Mancera, and B.G. Kapoor (eds.), published 2007 Quart. Rev. Biol 84: 114 .

Jordan, L.K., S.M. Kajiura, and M.S. Gordon. 2009. Functional consequences of structural differences in stingray sensory systems. Part I: mechanosensory lateral line canals J. Exp. Biol 212: 3037-3043 .

Jordan, L.K., S.M. Kajiura, and M.S. Gordon. 2009. Functional consequences of structural differences in stingray sensory systems. Part II: electrosensory system J. Exp. Biol 212: 3044-3050 .

Bartol, I.K., M.S. Gordon, M. Gharib, P.W. Webb, and D. Weihs. 2008. Evidence of self-correcting spiral flows in swimming boxfishes Bioinspir Biomim 1-7 [link].

Gordon, M.S.. 2007. How some fishes swim: biomechanics and kinematics Heredity (Japan) 61: 57-61 .

Gordon, M.S. and M. Gharib. 2006. Biophysical and Biomechanical Adaptation and Bioinspired Engineering: a Satellite Symposium The Physiologist 49: 96-97 .

Gordon, M.S.. 2006. Review of ?Renal Structure and Function in Vertebrates? by H. Ditrich Quart. Rev. Biol 81: 184-185 .

Gordon, M.S., D.V. Lauritzen, and A.M. Wiktorowicz. 2006. Passive and active mechanisms for trim control in swimming fishes Quart. Rev. Biol Proc. 3rd Intl. Symp. Aero Aqua BiomechanismsOkinawa, Japan 1-6 .