Mary Kosloski
Mary Kosloski
Mary Kosloski
Paleobiologist
Mary Kosloski is a paleobiologist. She studies the evolution of shell shape in marine (saltwater) mollusks, the group that includes snails, clams, squid, etc.
Mary received her bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2006 and her Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Cornell University in 2012. From 2011 to 2021, she taught college-level geological science courses, holding several temporary positions before becoming a Lecturer in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iowa in 2015. A lecturer is a university faculty member who primarily focuses on teaching. In 2021, she shifted to teaching science at the high school level.
Mary studies the the ways in which biotic and abiotic (non-biological) factors influence the evolution of shell shape in marine (saltwater) mollusks. Mollusks are a diverse group of invertebrates that include animals like snails, clams, scallops, and squid. In her work, Mary integrates a variety of paleontological, biological, and ecological research methods. She combines analysis of fossils with observations and experiments on living organisms, which allows her to compare how various factors (like the environment and predation) have affected the evolution of shell shape over time. She also uses paleontological data to better understand modern marine ecosystems and how humans have impacted them.
Daring to Dig Interview
In this video, Mary discusses how she got interested in paleontology and the challenges of balancing an academic career with a personal life. This interview was recorded in 2015, just after Mary started her position as a Lecturer at the University of Iowa.
Selected works by Mary Kosloski
Dietl, G.P., and M.E. Kosloski. 2013. On the measurement of repair frequency: how important is data standardization? PALAIOS 28: 394–402. Link
Kosloski, M.E. 2011. Recognizing biotic breakage of the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria caused by the stone crab, Menippe mercenaria: An experimental taphonomic approach. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 396: 115–121. Link
Kosloski, M.E., and W. D. Allmon. 2015. Macroecology and evolution of a crab “super predator”, Menippe mercenaria (Xanthidae), and its gastropod prey. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 116: 571–581. Link
Kosloski, M.E., G.P. Dietl, and J. Handley. 2017. Anatomy of a cline: dissecting anti-predatory adaptations in a marine gastropod along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Ecography 40: 1285–1299. Link