Nikos Solounias

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Nikos Solounias, Ph.D., specializes in evolutionary biology, paleontology, anatomy. His research focuses on living and extinct ungulates such as horses, giraffes, and antelopes. Solounias teaches embryology and gross anatomy. He is also a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History and a collaborator for the ongoing research of extinct ungulates at the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology at Harvard. Nikos received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Colorado, master's degree in embryology from Clark University, and a bachelor degree in biology from Cornell.

Recent Projects/Research

• Topics of human embryology in the light of comparative anatomy and evolution.
• Evolution of the giraffe neck.
• Skeletal anatomy of the giraffe family.
• Skeletal anatomy of the modern giraffe species.
• Mesowear as an indicator of diet in herbivore mammals.

Publications

• Danowitz, M., Solounias N., 2016. Embryology, comparative anatomy, and malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. Journal of Anatomy and Embryology 3:39-50.
• Semprebon, G.M., Rivals, F., Solounias, N., Hulbert, R.C. 2016 Paleodietary reconstruction of fossil horses from the Eocene through Pleistocene of North America. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 442:110-127.
• Danowitz, M., Hou, S., Mihlbachler, M., Hastings, V., Solounias, N. A combined-mesowear analysis of late Miocene giraffids from North Chinese and Greek localities of the Pikermian Biome. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 449:194-204.
• Solounias, N., Danowitz, M. 2016. The Giraffidae of Maragheh and the identification of a new species of Honanotherium. Paleobiodiversity and Paleoenvironments 1 - 18
• Solounias, N., Danowitz, M. 2016. Astragalar morphology of selected Giraffidae. PLoS ONE 11(3): e0151310. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151310
• Danowitz, M., Zheng, H., Guigova, A., Solounias, N. 2016 A combined approach of teaching head development using embryology and comparative anatomy. Journal of Anatomy and Embryology 3:17 - 27.
• White, S., Danowitz, M., Solounias, N. Embryology and evolutionary history of the respiratory tract. Journal of Anatomy and Embryology 3:54-62
• Danowitz, M., Vasilyev, A., Kortlandt, V., Solounias, N. 2015. Fossil evidence and stages of elongation of the Giraffa camelopardalis neck. Royal Society Open Science 2 : 150393
  • Featured in at least 100 on line and printed journals internationally including National Geographic, Forbes Science and Live Science.
• Danowitz, M., Domalski, R., Solounias, N. 2015. The Cervical Anatomy of Samotherium, an Intermediate Necked Giraffid. Royal Society Open Science 2: 150521
  • Featured in several online media sources, including the Washington Post, CBS News, Fox News, and Live Science
• Danowitz M, Domalski R, Solounias N. A new species of Prolibytherium (Ruminant, Mammalia) from Pakistan, and the functional implications of an atypical atlanto-occipital morphology. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 1-7
  • Featured in a National Geographic "Paleo Profile"
• Danowitz, M., Solounias, N. 2015 : The Cervical Osteology of Okapia johnstoni and Giraffa camelopardalis. PLoS ONE 10(8) : e0136552. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0136552
• Hou S., M. Danowitz, J. Sammis, N. Solounias. 2015. Dead ossicones and other characters describing Palaeotraginae (Giraffidae; Mammalia) based on new material from Gansu, Central China. Zitteliana 32:91-98.
• Backus, T.C., Solounias, N., Mihlbachler, M.C. 2015. The Brachial Plexus of the Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and Application of Brachial Plexus Anatomy Toward Mammal Phylogeny. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 1-9.
• Grossman A. and Solounias, N. 2015. New Fossils of Giraffoidea (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from the Lothidok Formation (Kalodirr and Naserte Members, Early Miocene, West Turkana, Kenya) Contribute to our Understanding of Early Giraffoid Diversity. Zitteliana B32:63-70.

Courses Taught at New York Tech

• Gross Anatomy
• Embryology

Professional Honors and Awards

• Presidential Excellence Award, 2008

Contact Info

• nsolouni@nyit.edu