shape and scales lab logo. A zebrafish and a horned lizard with points noting different landmarks on both animals.

Welcome!

We are a group of consistently curious humans who enjoy using math to ask questions about the living world. We are most interested in what factors influence how animals are shaped and how these shapes influence how animals move. We mainly work on animals that have scales, such as lizards and fishes. If you have any questions that you think we could help answer please reach out!

The Team

Want to collaborate or join the lab?

I do not serve on graduate committees, but am always open to collaborations with researchers at all levels! If you are a current Rhodes student and like what you see, send me an email to set up a meeting to discuss potential projects in the lab!

headshot of Kelly Diamond

Kelly Diamond, Principal Investigator (diamondk@rhodes.edu)

I am an integrative biologist who cares more about the people I work with than the questions we develop or data we analyze. I have worked with teams to study how different groups of rattlesnakes are related to eachother, how different environmental factors effect the migration of a group of waterfall-climbing fishes, and to develop methods for automating the collection of shape data on 2D and 3D images of fishes. When not on campus you can find me playing outside with my partner and our pup. We particulary enjoy camping, paddling, and climbing rocks!

Team Dog CT

Stella Venn '25 & Sophia Kessler '24 are currently looking at how skull shape differs among different breeds of dogs. Stella also works on protocol development and articulating our skeletal collection!
Lorenzo Martinez '26 is currently looking at how foramina in the cribiform plate differs among different breeds of dogs
Henry Hobbs Brown '26 is currently looking at how canine tooth structure differs among different breeds of dogs

Memphis Zoo Behavior

Sarah Heckmann '26 is studying meerkat social behaviors
Malak Ibrahim '26 is studying meerkat responses to zoo visitors
Zaha Sarwar '27 is studying how behaviors differ between red panda subspecies

Team Frog Jumping

Raphael Yang '27 is using machine learning to track frog jumping in the Dusty Gopher Frog

Team Goby CT

Marissa Maheu '25, Alex Johnson (Denver College), & Emily Pertuit '26 are all looking at how vertebral morphology impacts escape performane in waterfall-climbing goby fishes o'opu nopili

Previous Students Mentored

Rachel Igharas - Captive habitat use differences in red panda subspecies (2024)
Jadyn Scott - Using Machine Learning to track Endler's guppies (2023-2024)
Yihan Li Using machine learning to study how swimming behavior changes with size in Endler's guppies
El Ellsworth Ecomorphometric of salamanders
Joanne Hu - Analysis of captive elephant spacial behaviors (2024)
Gwen Wheeling & Brandon Leake - Effects of nitrtite on Endler's guppies (2023)
Abby Burtner, Daanya Siddiqui, Kurtis Alvarado, and Sanford Leake - Using computqtional anatomy to quantify phenotype in CRISPR-modified zebrafish (2021-2022)
Gill Griner - Using geometrics morphometrics on goby body shape and kinematics (2019-2021)
Nikole Schneider & AJ McKamy - In stream predator attack performance using 3D videography (2017- 2020)
Grace Forker - Relationships between escape performance and vertebral morphology in goby fishes (2017-2019)
Alex Rubin - Field observation of intraspecific and predatory attack behaviors of the Hawaiian sleeper fish, Eleotris sandwicensis (2014-2017)
Rachel Keeffe - Comparative climbing kinematics in climbing goby fishes of RĂ©union Island and the Hawaiian Islands (2016)
Thomas Offerle - Climbing kinematics in climbing goby fish (Sicyopterus lagocephalus) from RĂ©union Island (2015-2016)

Community

Community Statement

The questions we ask as scientists are inspired by what we as humans have seen, read, and learned from those around us. This fact makes the process of science inherently biased by our lived experiences. Our lab attempts to combat biases by collaborating with people from different backgrounds and from different parts of the world, who do not share the same world view. We attempt to learn not only the natural history of the species we study, but also their cultural significance, and aim to collaborate with local experts when developing research questions and experiments. We aim to create an environment where people from all backgrounds, identities, and cultures feel safe and welcome to ask questions and work together to search for answers.

In addition to making a conscious effort to use language that is as inclusive as possible, we encourage lab members and collaborators to let let us know when intentions and their interpretation are not aligning. Another way we aim to create a safe space is through conversations about mental health. We are people that do science, not machines. Learning how to balance work, research, learning, and personal endeavors is part of the scientific process!

Kelly's job as a mentor is to remove any barrier I can for current lab members so that they can focus on their science. We have a lab agreement for all researchers on the team that explains expectations for everyone working in the lab.

Lab Community Policies

The humans that work in the lab are more important the questions we ask, data we collect, or results we present. Working with the Shape and Scales Lab requires mutual respect for ALL members of the lab. This means:
1. Ask. If you have a question, ask.
2. Let others know what you need. Communication is the most important skill you need to learn in science. It is also how we ensure we are giving everyone the respect we strive for.
3. Value team members because of the different viewpoints they bring to the lab.
4. Listen and appreciate different perspectives. Especially when you do not agree.
5. Refer to every person in the lab the way they wish to be referred. If you make a mistake, apologize, and make a conscious effort to give more respect in the future.
6. Speak up. Let people know when someone does something that you feel excludes or discriminates against you or another human for any component of their identity.
7. Be flexible. There are many aspects of our lives we do not have control over, be willing to modify timelines or adjust expectations as life happens.
8. Give credit where credit is due. We are constantly building on the work of those who came before us and those we are currently collaborating with. The best way to build a good network is to ensure we link all of the ideas that have allowed the research we present to be done.

Research

We study why animals are shaped in such odd ways, and how these shapes allow animals to move and eat and do all the things they need to do to survive. Here are some ongoing and past projects. If you would like to collaborate on any of these or on a new project please reach out using the contact info at the bottom of the page!

Current projects

Using machine learning to process behavior and kinematic data. Some current questions for this project include how guppy swimming behavior and perfomrance changes with size and environment.
Form-function relationships in waterfall-climbing goby fishes. Here we are using microCT data and previously collected performance data to better understand how anatomy relates to ability in group of fishes.
Geometrics morphometrics of physical and digital natural history collections. Students are currently looking at shape changes across different groups of salamanders and dogs.

Past projects

Quantitative anatomy of CRISPR modified zebrafish

Using tools from computational anatomy our team of developmental biologists and morphologists are quantifing how bones change shape when different genes are modified using CRISPR methods.

Using machine learning to quantify animal shape and movements

We are working with the imageomics institute to better apply machine learning methods to questions about animal shape and locomotion.

Ecomophology of waterfall-climbing fishes

We study how shape and environmental factors (such as how fast the stream water is moving) effecgt the migration patterbs of group of stream fish called gobies or as they are called in Hawaii, o'opu!

Ontogney x functional morphology

We are working with the Erell Institute to examine how body proportions and agility change as baby lizards become adults using desert horned lizards as a model system!

Teaching

Courses @Rhodes College: comparative vertebrate morphology, biology 2, research in biology
Lab courses @Clemson University: vertebrate biology, human physiology, mammalogy, comparative vertebrate morphology, SlicerMorph
Workshops: SlicerMorph
Content Development: Clemson Campbell Museum of Natural History (website and content for interactive display of museum exhibits); Ask An Animal Scientist outreach website, 3D Anatomy Studios (worked with team to develop anatoy education kits.)

Contact Information

Shape and scales logo

diamondk@rhodes.edu
Rhodes College
Department of Biology
2000 N. Parkway
Memphis, TN 38112