M.E.E.N. Fishes Lab (Kolmann Lab)

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About 

The M.E.E.N. Fishes Lab, or Mechanics, Ecology, Evolution and Natural history of Fishes Lab at the University of Louisville studies how anatomy, biomechanics, and evolutionary history shape organismal function and ecological diversity, with a focus on fishes. Using fieldwork, museum collections and imaging techniques, the lab investigates feeding mechanics, cranial evolution, and trophic ecology across diverse aquatic environments. Research integrates functional morphology and phylogenetic approaches to understand adaptation, diversification, and performance. The lab also contributes to biodiversity discovery and conservation by advancing our knowledge of how evolution produces biodiversity in the tropics and elsewhere.

Our Work

  • Functional morphology
  • Biomechanics
  • Ichthyology (Fish Biology)
  • Feeding mechanics
  • Comparative anatomy
  • Biodiversity
  • Systematics
  • Phylogenetics
  • Trophic ecology
  • The evolutionary ecology of fish-mediated seed dispersal in Neotropical forests and savannas
  • How do fishes breathe air at the surface? The evolution of air-breathing in anabantarian fishes
  • Open-source digital resources for teaching comparative vertebrate anatomy courses 
  • Rosen, J., Cohen, K., Donatelli, C.M., Summers, A.P., Crofts, S., Kolmann, M.A. 2025. Something to sink your teeth into: the mechanics of tooth indentation in frugivorous fishes. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 22: 20240725.
  • Kolmann, M.A., Poulin, E., Rosen, J., Hemraj-Naraine, D., Burns, M.D. 2024. Phenotypic convergence is stronger and more frequent in herbivorous freshwater fishes. Integrative & Comparative Biology. 64(5): 1467–1483.
  • Harrington, R.C., Kolmann, M.A., Day, J.J., Faircloth, B.C., Friedman, M., Near, T.J. 2023. Dispersal sweepstakes: Biotic interchange propelled air-breathing fishes across the globe. Journal of Biogeography. 51: 797–813. doi:10.1111/jbi.14781
  • Kolmann, M.A. & Nagesan, R., Andrews, J.V., Borstein, S., Figueroa, R.T., Singer, R., Friedman, M., López-Fernández, H. 2023. DiceCT for Fishes: Recommendations for pairing iodine contrast agents with μCT to visualize soft tissues in fishes. Journal of Fish Biology. 102(4): 893-903.
  • Kolmann, M.A., Hughes, L., Hernandez, L.P., Arcila, D., Betancur, R., Sabaj, M., López-Fernández, H., Ortí, G. 2020. Phylogenomics of piranhas and pacus (Serrasalmidae) reveal how convergent diets obfuscate morphological taxonomy. Systematic Biology. 70(3): 576–592.
  • Kolmann, M.A., Burns, M., Ng, J., Lovejoy, N.R., Bloom, D.D. 2020. Habitat transitions alter the adaptive landscape and shape phenotypic evolution in needlefishes. Ecology & Evolution. 10(8): 3769-3783.

Team 

Matt Kolmann, Asst. Professor

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