Virginia L. Naples, Ph.D.

Professor

Education

• Ph.D., 1980, University of Massachusetts
• M.S., 1975, University of Massachusetts
• B. S., 1972, University of Massachusetts

Field of Interest

• Anatomy
• Functional morphology
• Mammalogy
• Forensic sciences
• Vertebrate paleontology

Research

Systematics, comparative and functional morphology, evolution and paleontology of living and fossil xenarthrans, carnivorans and cetaceans. Experimental modeling of masticatory mechanisms. Reconstruction of structure and function from fossil materials and fragmentary materials. Generation of new anatomical characters for systematic analyses. Anatomical basis of forensic analysis of human materials.

Selected Publications

• Naples, V. L., L. D. Martin and J. P. Babiarz. 2011. The Other Saber-tooths: Scimitar Tooth Cats of the Western Hemishere. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1-136.
• Naples, V. L. and J. S. Miller. (2010). A skeleton tells its own story: Forensic analyses for the science laboratory. American Biology Teacher, Vol. 72, 3:162-171.
• McDonald, H. G. and V. L. Naples. 2008. Xenarthrans. In: C. Janis, G. Gunnell and M. Uhen (eds.) In: Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America, Vol. 2: Marine Mammals and Smaller Terrestrial Mammals. Cambridge University Press. Pp. 147-160.
• Fisher, R. E., K. M. Scott and V. L. Naples. 2007. The forelimb mycology of the pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis). Anat. Rec. 290: 673-693.
• L. D. Martin and V. L. Naples. 2006. Mandibular kinesis in hesperornithiform birds.
• Rothschild, B. M., C. Rothschild and V. L. Naples, M. Billard and B. Pandero. 2006. Bejel: Acquirable only in childhood? Acta Tropica. October 16, 2006.
• Rothschild, B. M., V. L. Naples and L. Barbian. 2006. Bone manifestations of Actinomycosis. Annals of Diagnostic Pathology. February. 10(1): 24-27.
• Rothschild, B. M., F. J. Ruhli, C. Rothschild, V. L. Naples, I. Hershkovitz, J. Sebes and M. Billard. 2004-2005. Virgin Europe: Periosteal reaction prior to the 15th century and the potential influence of slavery. Palaeobios 13: 26-31.
• Rothschild, B. M. and V. L. Naples. 2005. Whale of a tale. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 64: 1385-1386.
• Naples, V. L. 2005. Xenarthra (Sloths, anteaters and armadillos). In: Grizmeck's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, Pp. 147-154.
• Naples, V. L. 2005. West Indian sloths and two-toed tree sloths (Megalonychidae). In: Grizmeck's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, pp. 155-158.
• Naples, V. L. 2005. Species accounts. Lesser Haitian ground sloth, Synocnus comes. In: Grizmeck's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, pp. 159.
• Naples, V. L. 2005. Three-toed sloths (Braypodidae). In: Grizmeck's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, pp. 161-165.
• Rothschild, B. M., F. J. Ruhli, J. Sebes, V. L. Naples and M. Billard. 2004-2005. Relationship between porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia? Paleobios 13: 4-7.
• Naples, V. L. and J. S. Miller. 2004. Making tracks: The forensic analysis of footprints and footwear impressions. The anatomical Record. Part B: The New anatomist 279B(1): 9-15.
• McCall, S., V. Naples and L. Martin. 2003. Assessing behavior in extinct animals: was Smilodon social? Brain, Behavior and Evolution.61(3): 159-164.
• Naples, V. L., J. S. Babiarz and L. D. Martin. 2002. Redesigning the saber-tooth paradigm. In: Ter-Qua Symposium Series 3: 1-4. Wakefield Dort, (ed.). Institute for Tertiary-Quaternary Studies. Kansas City, Kansas.
• Martin, L. D. and V. L. Naples. 2002. Environmental controls for multiple evolutionary events. In: Ter-Qua Symposium Series 3: 37-52. Wakefield Dort, (ed.). Institute for Tertiary-Quaternary Studies. Kansas City, Kansas.
• L. D. Martin, V. L. Naples and H. T. Wheeler. 2001. "Did mammoths have non-human predators?" University of Kansas Publications in Anthropology 22. Proceedings of the International Conference on Mammoth Site Studies.
• Naples, V. L. and L. D. Martin. 2000. Evolution of hystricomorphy in the Nimravidae (Carnivora; Barbourofelinae): Evidence for complex character convergence with rodents. Historical Biology 14: 169-188.
• Naples, V. L. and L. D. Martin. 2000. Restoration of the superficial facial musculature in Nimravids. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 130: 55-81.
• Naples, V. L. and L. D. Martin. 2002. The pelvis in early birds and dinosaurs. In: Proceedings of the 5th Symposium of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Zhonghe Zhou and Fucheng Zeng (eds.) Pp. 203-210. Science Press, Beijing, China.
• Miller, J. S. and V. L. Naples. 2002. Forensic entomology for the laboratory-based Biology classroom. American Biology Teacher 64(2): 136-142.
• L. D. Martin, J. P. Babiarz, V. L. Naples and J. Hearst. 2000. Three ways to be a saber-toothed cat. Naturwissenschaften 87(1): 41-44. Cover article.
• Naples, V. L. and L. D. Martin. 1999. A saber-toothed cat and the first record of a tapir from the Pleistocene of Kansas. Current Research in the Pleistocene. 16: 126-127.
• Naples, V. L . 1999. "Morphology, evolution and function of feeding in the giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla." Journal of Zoology (London). 249: 19-41.
• Naples, V. L. and L. D. Martin. 1996. The power of ecomorphy. Sixth North American Paleontological Convention, Special Publication – The Paleontological Scociety. 8.
• Naples, V. L. 1995. The artificial generation of wear patterns on tooth models as a means to infer mandibular movement during feeding in mammals. Ch. In: "Functional Morphology in Vertebrate Paleontology" (J. Thomason, ed). Cambridge University Press, Pp. 136-150.
• Naples, V. L. 1990. Morphological changes in the facial region and a model of dental growth and wear pattern development in Nothrotheriops shastensis. J. Vert. Paleo. 10(3): 372-389.
• Naples, V. L. 1989. The feeding mechanism in the Pleistocene ground sloth, Glossotherium. Contributions in Science. Los Angeles County Museum, No. 415, Pp. 1-23.
• Naples, V. L. 1987. Reconstruction of cranial morphology and analysis of function in the Pleistocene ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastense (Mammalia, Megatheriidae). Contributions in Science. Los Angeles County Museum, No. 389, Pp. 1-21.
• Naples, V. L. 1986. The morphology and function of the hyoid region in the tree sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus. J. Mammalogy 67(4): 712-724.
• Naples, V. L. 1985. Form and function of the masticatory musculature in the tree sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus. J. Morphology 183(1): 25-50.
• Naples, V. L. 1985. The superficial facial musculature of the sloths and anteaters. In: The Evolution and Ecology of the Xenarthra. G. Gene Montgomery, ed.). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D. C. Pp. 173-189.
• Naples, V. L. 1982. Cranial osteology and function in the tree sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus. Amer. Mus. Novitates, No. 2739, Pp. 1-41, Figs. 1-21, Tables 1-2.