Keiffer Williams

I am interested in the biodiversity of fish and the evolutionary processes that drive their diversification. Specifically, I am intrigued by factors that influence habitat shifts and the development of ecological niches, which are often coupled with changes in trophic morphology. The combtooth blennies (family Blenniidae) are an excellent study group of fishes to explore questions pertaining to habitats and ecological niches. They are a large family of fish with unique "combteeth" feeding structures, as well as diverse diets and habitat ranges across species. My research will explore the underlying mechanisms that drive habitat shifts and niche specializations in the combtooth blennies through the use of phylogenetic and morphological analysis techniques.