Manja Voß

Address
Museum für Naturkunde
Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity
Invalidenstrasse 43
10115 Berlin
Germany

Phone +49 (0)30 2093 8662
Fax +49 (0)30 2093 8868
E-mail manja.voss(at)mfn-berlin.de

Scientific fellow (Administrator) in the EU-Project SYNTHESYS
Ph.D. student in the research project at the MfN Berlin: Revision of the genus Halitherium (Sirenia, Mammalia) from the Oligocene of Europe (DFG, PD Dr. O. Hampe)

The evolutionary history and diversity of marine mammals like whales, sea cows and pinnipeds focusing on the physical drivers for the secondary adaptations to life in the water are one of the main interests of my research.
I am particularly interested in the reconstruction of the interrelationships of fossil and recent sea cows (Sirenia) from Central Europe, the atlantic and indo-pacific regions employing detailed skeletal character description and cladistic analyses.
Therein the revision of the Eocene/Oligocene genus Halitherium from Europe is fundamental to our understanding of the evolution, origin and definition of modern sea cows. Furthermore this taxonomic-systematic approach with the addition of morphometric studies enable to reconstruct palaeobiogeographic and palaeoenvironmental patterns.

• Revision of the Halitherium - Species - Complex

Voss, M. (2009): New aspects on innerspecific variation in the genus Halitherium
(Mammalia: Sirenia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29, Supplement to Number 3: 196; Bristol.

Voss, M. (2009): Taxonomic and systematic problems within the genus Halitherium (Mammalia: Sierenia).  Terra Nostra, 3: 118; Bonn.

Voss, M. (2008): New finds of Halitherium (Sirenia, Mammalia) from the lower Oligocene of the Rhine area, Germany. — Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, 249: 257-269; Stuttgart.

Voss, M. (2008): Vertebral anomaly in fossil sea cows (Mammalia, Sirenia). — Erlanger Geologiche Abhandlungen, Sonderband 6: 117; Erlangen.

Voss, M. (2007): Discoveries of Sirenian Remains from the early Oligocene of the Rhine-Ruhr Area (Germany) and a new look on the genus Halitherium. — [In:] Warren, A. (ed.): Conference on Australasian Vertebrate Evolution, Palaeontology and Systematics. — Geological Society of Australia 85: 45; Melbourne.