Jessie Maisano
Research Associate
The University of Texas at Austin

B.A. Geology, Kent State University (1994)
M.Phil. Vertebrate Paleontology, Yale University (1997)
Ph.D. Vertebrate Paleontology, Yale University (2000)

DigiMorph Contributions

DigiMorph brought me to the UT High-Resolution X-ray CT Facility in January 2000 as a postdoctoral fellow. I have helped to oversee the scanning, image processing, and incorporation of specimens into DigiMorph. I have also taken an active part in producing the imagery, specimen summaries, and pages for the website.

As of January 2004 I am a collaborator on the National Science Foundation Assembling the Tree of Life Initiative grant entitled The Deep Scaly Project: Resolving Squamate Phylogeny using Genomic and Morphological Approaches. My collaborators are Jacques Gauthier of Yale University, Maureen Kearney of the Field Museum, Tod Reeder of San Diego State University, Olivier Rieppel of the Field Museum, Jack Sites of Brigham Young University, and John Wiens of SUNY Stonybrook. For Deep Scaly we are scanning almost 200 Recent and fossil squamate taxa, and the resulting imagery will be made available on DigiMorph as well as on the Deep Scaly project website.

Research Interests

My research focuses on the skeletal morphology of lizards. Of particular interest are 'extra-skeletal' systems (e.g., osteoderms, endolymphatic system) and the postnatal development of the skeleton (e.g., secondary centers, sesamoids, terminal fusions), which I investigate using a combination of cleared and double-stained specimens and high-res CT.

Publications

Maisano, J. A.. 2008. A protocol for clearing and double-staining squamate specimens. Herpetological Review 39:52-54.

Rieppel, O., Gauthier, J., and J. A. Maisano. 2008. Comparative morphology of the dermal palate in squamate reptiles, with comments on phylogenetic implications. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 152:131-152.

Maisano, J. A., and O. Rieppel. 2007. The skull of the Round Island Boa, Casarea dussumieri Schlegel, based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Journal of Morphology 268:371-384.

Maisano, J. A., Kearney, M., and O. Rieppel. 2007. Variation in the inner ear skeleton in squamates: a preliminary report. Journal of Morphology 268:1102.

Molineux, A., Scott, R. W., Ketcham, R. A., and J. A. Maisano. 2007. Rudist taxonomy using X-ray computed tomography. Palaeontologia Electronica 10.3.13A.

Rieppel, O., and J. A. Maisano. 2007. The skull of the rare Malaysian snake Anomochilus leonardi Smith, based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 149:671-685.

Rieppel, O., Conrad, J. L., and J. A. Maisano. 2007. New morphological data for Eosaniwa koehni Haubold, 1977 and a revised phylogenetic analysis. Journal of Paleontology 81:760-769.

Maisano, J. A., Kearney, M., and T. Rowe. 2006. Cranial anatomy of the spade-headed amphisbaenian Diplometopon zarudnyi (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Journal of Morphology 267:70-102.

Bever, G. S., C. J. Bell, and J. A. Maisano. 2005. The ossified braincase and cephalic osteoderms of Shinisaurus crocodilurus (Squamata: Shinisauridae). Palaeontologica Electronica 8.1.14.

Evans, S. E., Lally, C., Chure, D. C., Elder, A. and J. A. Maisano. 2005. A Late Jurassic salamander (Amphibia: Caudata) from the Morrison Formation of North America. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143:599-616.

Kearney, M., Maisano, J. A., and T. Rowe. 2005. Cranial anatomy of the extinct amphisbaenian Rhineura hatcherii (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Journal of Morphology 264:1-33.

Bell, C. J., Evans, S. E., and J. A. Maisano. 2003. The skull of the gymnophthalmid lizard Neusticurus ecpleopus (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 139:283-304.

Stuppy, W. H., Maisano, J. A., Colbert, M. W., Rudall, P. J., and T. B. Rowe. 2003. Three-dimensional analysis of plant structure using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Trends in Plant Science 8:2-6.

Maisano, J. A. 2002. Postnatal skeletal ontogeny in Callisaurus draconoides and Uta stansburiana (Iguania: Phrynosomatidae). Journal of Morphology 251:114-139.

Maisano, J. A. 2002. Postnatal skeletal ontogeny in five xantusiids (Squamata: Scleroglossa). Journal of Morphology 254:1-38.

Maisano, J. A. 2002. The potential utility of postnatal skeletal developmental patterns in squamate phylogenetics. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22:82A.

Maisano, J. A. 2002. Terminal fusions of skeletal elements as indicators of maturity in squamates. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22:268-275.

Maisano, J. A. 2002. The potential utility of postnatal skeletal developmental patterns in squamate phylogenetics. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 136:277-313.

Maisano, J. A., Bell, C. J., Gauthier, J. A., and T. Rowe. 2002. The osteoderms and palpebral in Lanthanotus borneensis (Squamata: Anguimorpha). Journal of Herpetology 36:678-682.

Maisano, J. A. 2001. A survey of state of ossification in neonatal squamates. Herpetological Monographs 15:135-157.

Maisano, J. A. 2001. Digital preparation of a beautifully preserved rhineurid (Squamata: Amphisbaenia) via high-resolution CT. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 21:76A.

Maisano, J. A. 2000. Postnatal skeletal development in squamates: Its relationship to life history and potential phylogenetic informativeness. Ph.D. Dissertation, Yale University. 1227 p.

Rowe, T. B., Colbert, M., Ketcham, R., Maisano, J., and P. Owen. 2001. High-resolution X-ray computed tomography in vertebrate morphology. Journal of Morphology 248:277-278.