I’m a postdoc fellow of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and currently working in the Laboratory for Functional Morphology of the University of Antwerp, Belgium. My scientific interest covers a broad field in animal biology and focuses on functional morphology in vertebrates.
In vertebrates, I study feeding systems with reptiles and amphibians as models. The uptake of food is perhaps the most crucial activity in animal life. It is often complex requiring the coordinated activity of many body parts whose anatomical and dynamic relationships must be tightly integrated to gather food energy in a particular environment. In this aspect, I’m especially intrigued on how early aquatic tetrapods captured prey and how tetrapods further in evolution acquired a terrestrial lifestyle with the ability to exploit terrestrial food sources.
Turtles are of special interest in studying feeding systems because this ancient group has evolved terrestrial forms secondly and independently to all other vertebrates. Furthermore, they show from fully aquatic to fully terrestrial many intermediate forms, making them suitable models for studying mechanisms behind aquatic-terrestrial transitions.
Just recently I started a project on prey capture biomechanics in salamanders. Here, I’m special interested in the seasonal plasticity of some newt species who are indeed “masters of change”. Once adult, they change from a terrestrial to an aquatic and again terrestrial form every year due to their breeding activities. These habitat shifts demand major morphological and physiological changes of every organ system, including the prey capture system.
Apart from strategies and mechanisms how to efficiently get food from the environment into the own stomach, strategies to avoid being food are another subject of my studies. Here, I’m especially intrigued by the different, sometimes bizarre – but highly effective – strategies in amphibians used to defend themselves against predators.
Professional background
2011-2014: post-doc fellow at the Laboratory for Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Belgium and the Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna
2010-2011: post-doc fellow at the Department of Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna
2008-2010: phD-student at the Department of Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna
Since 2008: lecturer in general zoology, comparative and experimental vertebrate morphology at the University of Vienna
2007-2008: graduate researcher at the Department of Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna
2005- 2008: tutor in general zoology and vertebrate morphology at the University of Vienna
2004-2007: laboratory technician at the Department of Oral Implantology, Medical University of Vienna
Education
July 2010 Doctor’s degree in natural sciences, University of Vienna
June 2006 Master’s degree in zoology, University of Vienna
2002-2006 study of zoology at the University of Vienna, Austria
1999-2002 study of biology at the University of Innsbruck, Austria
Publications
Heiss E, Natchev N, Gumpenberger M, Weissenbacher A, Van Wassenbergh S. (in press). Biomechanics and hydrodynamics of prey capture in the Chinese giant salamander reveal a high-performance jaw-powered suction feeding mechanism. Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
Lintner M, Weissenbacher A, Heiss E. 2012. The oropharyngeal morphology in the semiaquatic Giant Asian pond turtle, Heosemys grandis, and its evolutionary implications. PLoS ONE 7(9): e46344.
Heiss E, Natchev N, Schwaha T, Salaberger D, Lemell P, Beisser CJ, Weisgram J. 2011. Oropharyngeal morphology in the basal tortoise Manouria emys emys with comments on form and function of the testudinid tongue. Journal of Morphology 272: 1217-1229 [cover image]
Natchev N, Heiss E, Singer K, Kummer S, Salaberger D, Weisgram J. 2011. Structure and function of the feeding apparatus in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus (Chelonia, Kinosternidae). Contributions to Zoology 80:143-156
Lechner W, Heiss E, Schwaha T, Glösmann M, Ladich F. 2011. Ontogenetic Development of Weberian Ossicles and hearing abilities in the African Bullhead Catfish. Plos One 6(4): e18511
Heiss E, Natchev N, Beisser CJ, Lemell P, Weisgram J. 2010. The fish in the turtle: On the functionality of the oropharynx in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus (Chelonia, Kinosternidae) concerning feeding and underwater respiration. The Anatomical Record 293: 1416-1424
Natchev N, Lemell P, Heiss E, Beisser CJ, Weisgram J. 2010. Aquatic feeding in a terrestrial turtle: a functional-morphological study of the feeding apparatus in the Indochinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons (Chelonia, Geoemydidae). Zoomorphology 129: 111-119
Heiss E, Natchev N, Salaberger D, Gumpenberger M, Rabanser A, Weisgram J. 2010. Hurt yourself to hurt your enemy: new insights on the function of the bizarre antipredator mechanism in the salamandrid Pleurodeles waltl. Journal of Zoology 280:156-162 [cover image]
Natchev N, Heiss E, Lemell P, Kummer S, Schwaha T, Weisgram J. 2009. Kinematical analysis of animal behaviour - the challenge to increase the frame rate in digital high - speed cinematography. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment 23SE: 117-120
Heiss E, Natchev N, Rabanser A, Weisgram J, Hilgers H. 2009. Three types of cutaneous glands in the skin of the salamandrid Pleurodeles waltl: A histological and ultrastructural study. Journal of Morphology 270:892-902
Natchev N, Heiss E, Lemell P, Stratev D, Weisgram J. 2009. Analysis of prey capture and food transport kinematics in two Asian box turtles, Cuora amboinensis and Cuora flavomarginata (Chelonia, Geoemydidae), with emphasis on terrestrial feeding patterns. Zoology. 112: 113-127
Heiss E, Plenk H Jr, Weisgram J. 2008. Microanatomy of the palatal mucosa of the Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis, and functional implications. Anatomical Record 291: 876-885
Other publications
Heiss E. 2011. Die Papua-Weichschildkröte (Carettochelys insculpta) und ihre Nachzucht in Down Under. Marginata 3(2011):45-51
Lechner W, Heiss E. 2011. Im ältesten Zoo der Welt. DATZ 2(2011):10-12
Heiss E, Wolfram MT, Redl E, Schwaha T, Weisgram J. 2008. Defense mechanisms of Pleurodeles waltl (Amphibia, Urodela) against predators. Annual of the Konstantin Preslavsky Univeristy, Shumen, 18, B6:99-108
Redl E, Schwaha T, Handschuh S, Heiss E, Wolfram MT. 2008. Reconstruction techniques in morphological and developmental research. Part I: Historical overview, traditional methods and general principles. Annual of the Konstantin Preslavsky Univeristy, Shumen, 18, B6:201-203
Schwaha T, Redl E, Handschuh S, Wolfram MT, Heiss E. 2008. Reconstruction techniques in morphological and developmental research. Part II: computergenerated 3D – reconstruction. Annual of the Konstantin Preslavsky Univeristy, Shumen, 18, B6:214-221
Natchev N, Heiss E, Weisgram J. 2008. On the hyobranchial musculature in Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802): Chelonia, Geoemydidae. Annual of Konstantin Preslavsky University, Shumen, 18, B6:109-119
Congresses and meetings
Heiss E, Lintner M, Natchev N, Weisgram J. 2011. Form and function of the turtle tongue with special emphasis on the myo‐skeletal system. [talk]
5th International Meeting on Cranio-Cervical Systems in Vertebrates. Paris (France) 05-08.08.2011
Heiss E, Natchev N, Weissenbacher A, Gumpenberger M. 2011. Analysis of the prey capture mechanism in the Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus. [talk]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Glasgow (UK) 01-04.08.2011
Heiss E, Natchev N, Weisgram J. 2010. Morphology of the feeding apparatus and food uptake performance in the tortoise Manouria emys with comments on the evolution of terrestrial feeding in turtles. [talk]
9th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Punta del Este (Uruguay) 26-31.07.2010
Heiss E, Natchev N, Schwaha T, Weisgram J. 2010. Lieber morgen leben als heute sterben: Über die ungewöhnliche Verteidigungsstrategie des Spanischen Rippenmolches, Pleurodeles waltl (Amphibia, Salamandridae). [talk]
3. Graduiertenforum Morphologie (DZG), Vienna (Austria) 21-24.10.2010
Natchev N, Heiss E, Handschuh S, Weisgram J, Schwaha T. 2010. Defensive response in the ctenostome bryozoan Paludicella articulata: First kinematics of polypide retraction and associated muscles. [talk]
3. Graduiertenforum Morphologie (DZG), Vienna (Austria) 21-24.10.2010
Lechner W, Heiss E, Schwaha T, Glösmann M, Ladich F. 2010. Ontogeny of the Weberian apparatus and hearing abilities in the African claroteid catfish Lophiobagrus cyclurus. [talk]
9th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Punta del Este (Uruguay) 26-31.07.2010
Heiss E, Weisgram J, Natchev N. 2009. Feeding performance in two chelonian frontier-runners: Manouria emys and Sternotherus odoratus. [talk]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Glasgow (UK) 28.06-01.07.2009
Heiss E, Natchev N, Weissenbacher A, Weisgram J. 2009. Fast and furious: Prey capture in the Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus. [poster]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Glasgow (UK) 28.06-01.07.2009
Natchev N, Heiss E, Lemell P, Weisgram J. 2009. Diversity in terrestrial food uptake strategies within testudinoids (Chelonia; Cryptodira). [talk]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Glasgow (UK) 28.06-01.07.2009
Heiss E, Natchev N, Weisgram J. 2008. On the biochemical and bizarre mechanical defensive strategies of the salamandrid Pleurodeles waltl. [talk]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Marseille (France) 28.06-01.07.2008
Natchev N, Heiss E, Lemell P, Weisgram J. 2008. Kinematic analysis of prey capture, prey transport and swallowing in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus (Chelonia, Kinosternidae). [talk]
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Marseille (France) 28.06-01.07.2008
Heiss E, Wolfram MT, Redl E, Schwaha T, Weisgram J. 2007. Defense mechanisms of Pleurodeles waltl (Amphibia, Urodela) against predators. [talk]
Natural Sciences’ 2007 Scientific Conference, Varna (Bulgaria) 27-30.09.2007
Redl E, Schwaha T, Handschuh S, Heiss E, Wolfram MT. 2007. Reconstruction techniques in morphological and developmental research. Part I: Historical overview, traditional methods and general principles. [talk]
Natural Sciences’ 2007 Scientific Conference, Varna (Bulgaria) 27-30.09.2007
Schwaha T, Redl E, Handschuh S, Wolfram MT, Heiss E. 2007. Reconstruction techniques in morphological and developmental research. Part II: computergenerated 3D – reconstruction. [talk]
Natural Sciences’ 2007 Scientific Conference, Varna (Bulgaria) 27-30.09.2007
Natchev N, Heiss E, Weisgram J. 2007. On the hyobranchial musculature in Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802): Chelonia, Geoemydidae. [talk]
Natural Sciences’ 2007 Scientific Conference, Varna (Bulgaria) 27-30.09.2007
Heiss E, Plenk H Jr, Weisgram J. 2007. Structure and function of the palatal oral mucosa of the Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802). [poster]
8th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Paris (France) 16-21.08.2007