Peter C. Wainwright

Research on the comparative biology of feeding mechanisms of fishes occupies the nexus of several fields: ecology, functional morphology, biomechanics/biophysics, and phylogenetic reconstruction. Synthetic comparative and intraspecific analyses are at the forefront of several areas of contemporary evolutionary studies, including speciation, diversification of lineages and morphologies, and the evolution of function and form. He made fundamental contributions to understanding the biomechanics and evolution of aquatic feeding, especially suction feeding in fishes. His comparative analyses of the evolution of alternative feeding mechanisms are distinguished by being coupled with rigorous experimental studies relating form to function. He used elegant biomechanical models to elucidate both the diets and the evolutionary histories of the fishes he studies. He contributed to understanding their phylogenies and time-scales of diversification. Currently serving as president-elect of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.