Closeup of Annalisa Berta

Annalisa Berta, Ph.D.

Pronouns: Annalisa

Professor Emerita

College of Sciences
Department of Biology
Evolutionary Biology

San Diego

Office Hours

By Appointment

Location
[room number][address][City, State, Zip]
Mail Code
[1234]
Fax
[619-594-####]
Accounts

Areas of Expertise

Anatomy, Evolution, Systematics, Biogeography, Cetaceans

Bio

Annalisa Berta, Professor Emerita, Department of Biology, College of Sciences SDSU taught courses in organismal biology, genetics and evolution and marine mammal biology for 36 years. Research in her lab focused on the anatomy, evolution, systematics, and biogeography of various marine mammals especially pinnipeds and mysticete cetaceans. A project recently pursued involved developmental patterns of tooth formation and loss in fetal baleen whales with implications for mysticete evolution. Her research was funded by NSF (Systematic Biology). More recently her interests have expanded to include the communication of science to the public, history of women in paleontology and museum science.

Details

Courses
  1. [COURSE 1 – Title]
  2. [COURSE 2 – Title]
  3. [COURSE 3 – Title]
Education
  1. Ph.D. in Paleontology
    University of California, Berkeley, 1979.
  2. B.A. in Anthropology, Geology
    University of Washington, Seattle, 1974.
Publications
  1. Hammond, A. and Berta, A. Submitted. Professional Amateurs: early female community scientists at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Journal of San Diego History
  2. Ekdale, E.G., El Adli, J.J., McGowen, M.R., Deméré, T.A., Lanzetti, A., Berta, A., Springer, M.S., Gatesy, J. In press. Lateral palatal foramina are not widespread in Artiodactyla and can be indicators of baleen in extinct whales when identified correctly. Scientific Reports
  3. Gatesy, J., Ekdale, E.G., Deméré, T.A., Lanzetti, A., Randall, J., Berta, A., El Adli, J.J., Springer, M., and McGowen, M.R. 2022. Anatomical, ontogenetic, and genomic homologies guide reconstructions of the teeth-to-baleen transition in mysticete whales. Journal of Mammalian Evolution https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-022-09614-8
  4. Berta, A., Kienle, S.S., Lanzetti, A. 2022. Evolution: Killer whale bites and appetites. Current Biology 32: R375-R377.
  5. Turner, S. and Berta, A. 2021. Illustrating the unknowable: women paleoartists who drew ancient vertebrates. In: Clary, R. (ed.) The Evolution of Paleontological Art. Geological Society of America Memoir 218 https://doi.org/10.1130/2021.1218(21)
  6. Berta, A. 2020. Art revealing science: marine mammal paleoart. Historical Biology doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2020.1834541.
  7. Berta, A. and Lanzetti, A. 2020. Feeding in marine mammals: an integration of evolution and ecology through time. Palaeontologica Electronica, 23(2): a40.
  8. Collareta, A. Collareta, M., Berta, A., Bianucci, G. 2020. On Leonardo and a fossil whale: a reappraisal with implications for the early history of paleontology, Historical Biology, doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2020.1787403
  9. Berta, A., Churchill, M., Boessenecker, R. 2022. Phocid Evolution. pp. 3-30. In, The Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Phocids (eds. D.P. Costa and E. McHuron), Springer-Verlag.
  10. Wolsan, M., Wyss, A., Berta, A., and Flynn, J.J. 2020. Pinnipedia. 1019-1024. In, Phylonyms: a Companion to the PhyloCode. University of California Press.
  11. Wolsan, M., Wyss, A.R., Berta A. and Flynn, J.J. 2020. Pan-Pinnipedia 1015-1018. In, Phylonyms: a Companion to the PhyloCode. University of California Press.
  12. Young, R. and Berta, A. in press. The Little Book of Whales, Princeton University Press. Berta, A. 2023. Sea Mammals: the past and present lives of our oceans’ cornerstone species. Princeton University Press.
  13. Berta, A. and Turner, S. 2020. Rebels, Scholars and Explorers: Women in Vertebrate Paleontology. Johns Hopkins University Press.
  14. Berta, A. 2021. (Review of). Semi-Aquatic Mammals (written by G.L. Hood), Johns Hopkins University Press, Marine Mammal Science 37: 761-762.
Presentations
  1. Berta, A. Tales from Sea Mammals: Past and Present. Brown Bag Lunch Seminar, San Diego Museum of Natural History, February 7, 2024
  2. Berta, A. Women in Vertebrate Paleontology, Brown Bag Lunch Seminar, San Diego Museum of Natural History 2023
  3. Berta, A. Women Time Travelers: Discoverers of life forms from the Earth’s ancient past Scholia, San Diego, April, 2023
  4. Berta, A. and Turner, S. 2021. Women in Vertebrate Paleontology: Past, Present, and Future. GSA Annual Meeting, Portland, OR [oral presentation]
  5. Berta, A. and Turner, S. 2021. Rebels, Scholars, Explorers: Women in Vertebrate Paleontology, SVP Annual Meeting, [oral presentation]
  6. Berta, A. Women in Vertebrate Paleontology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA (September 19, 2022)
  7. Berta, A. 2021. Women in Vertebrate Paleontology, Virtual Presenter, Mary Anning Conference of Curiosities, Dorset, UK (April 12, 2021)
Service
  1. Thesis Committee Chair. (2015 – Present).
    Advised: Bridget Borce
  2. Thesis Committee External Member. (2015 – Present).
    Advised: C. Vega
  3. Thesis Committee Chair. (2014 – Present).
    Advised: Agnese Lanzetti
  4. Thesis Committee Chair. (2014 – Present).
    Advised: Meaghan Smallcomb
  5. (2013 – Present).
    William Ary
  6. Thesis Committee Chair. (2013 – Present).
    Advised: Nicholas Zellmer
  7. Thesis Committee Chair. (2015).
    Advised: Reagan Furbish
  8. Thesis Committee Chair. (2010 – 2013).
    Advised: Sarah Kienle
Grants
  1. Berta, A. (Principal), Ekdale, E. (Co-Principal), Demere, T. (Co-Principal), “Evolution of the Auditory Complex of Mysticeti (cetacea): Phylogenetic and Morpholigic Evidence from Toothed, Edentulous “Cethothere”, and Extant Baleen Whales,” Sponsored by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, Federal, $171,192.00. (February 1, 2013 – January 31, 2015).
  2. Berta, A. (Principal), Ekdale, E. (Co-Principal), Demere, T. (Co-Principal), “Evolution of the Auditory Complex of Mysticeti (cetacea): Phylogenetic and Morpholigic Evidence from Toothed, Edentulous “Cethothere”, and Extant Baleen Whales,” Sponsored by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, Federal, $156,776.00. (February 1, 2012 – January 31, 2015).
  3. Berta, A. (Principal), “Preliminary Proposal: Phylogenetic Implications of Intraspecific Variation in the Skulls of Modern and Fossil Baleen Whales (Cetacea: Mysticeti),” Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $0.00. (January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013).
  4. Berta, A. (Principal), “Evolution of Feeding and Bimechanics in Otarid Pinnipeds,” Sponsored by Texas A & M University Research Foundation, Private, $37,030.00. (February 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013).
  5. Berta, A. (Principal), “Evolution of Pinniped Feeding, Bimechanics During the Land-to-sea Transition,” Sponsored by Texas A & M University Research Foundation, Private, $34,266.00. (February 1, 2011 – January 31, 2012).
  6. Berta, A. (Principal), “Evolution of Pinniped Feeding Biomechanics During the Land-Sea Transition,” Sponsored by Texas A & M University Research Foundation, Private, $34,187.00. (February 1, 2010 – January 31, 2011).
Clinical Trials
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  2. [B]
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Awards & Honors
  1. Fellow, Paleontological Society, 2022
  2. Book Award, French Navy Academy, Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises: a Natural History and Species Guide, 2018
  3. Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2015
Patents & Copyrights
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Media
  1. “How did baleen whales ancestors lose their teeth?,” The Christian Science Monitor. (November 30, 2016).
Fun Facts
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  3. [C]