Embedded Files
Publications
Publications
*UCSC Undergraduate Mentee
** REU Undergraduate Mentee
McElfish, M. M., Pruett, L. R.*, & Mehta, R. S. (2024). The influence of spatial context on prey manipulation behaviors in the California moray eel (Gymnothorax mordax). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 581, 152067. linked here
McElfish, M.M., Hess, N. A.**, Lewis, H. B.**, S. E., O’Connor*, and Mehta R. S. (2025) Chemical cues facilitate foraging across the water-land interface in a resident predatory fish. Accepted. Available upon request.
McElfish, M. M., McDaniel, A. A.*, O'Connor, S. E.*, Robinette, S. D.*, and Mehta R.S.(2025) Morays need to get a grip! – The California Moray (Gymnothorax mordax) uses its body and the environment for leverage during feeding. In review. Available upon request.
McElfish, M.M., Hess, N. A.**, Lewis, H. B.**, S. E., O’Connor*, and Mehta R. S. (2025) Chemical cues facilitate foraging across the water-land interface in a resident predatory fish. Accepted. Available upon request.
McElfish, M.M., Corneille G.**, Daniella León, D.**, and R.S. Mehta. (2025) Multimodal sense use during foraging in two predatory kelp forest fishes. In prep. Available upon request.
Presentations
Presentations
Conferences & Symposia
Conferences & Symposia
UCSC Grad Slam - 2025 (oral presentation)
"Where the land meets the sea: For a hungry moray, smell and taste are key"
Western Society of Naturalists - 2024 (poster presentation)
"Morays out of water! Can Gymnothorax mordax use prey odor to facilitate partially-exposed foraging?"- Won Best Poster
UCSC Graduate Research Symposium - 2024 (poster presentation)
"Morays out of water! Can Gymnothorax mordax use prey odor to facilitate partially-exposed foraging?"
Western Society of Naturalists - 2023 (oral presentation)
"Using behavior to catalog chemically-sensitive predatory fish guilds"
MARINE Spring Colloquium - 2023 (oral presentation)
"Are ecological characteristics linked to the evolution of sensory morphology in muraenids?"
Emporia State University’s Research & Creativity Day - 2014 (poster presentation)
"Behavioral responses of two salamander species to the chemical herbicide atrazine"
Kansas Herpetological Society Meeting - 2014 (oral presentation)
"Behavioral responses of two salamander species to the chemical herbicide atrazine"
Guest Lectures & Outreach
Guest Lectures & Outreach
“Ecosystems to Homeostasis” (2024 & 2025) Guest lecturer for Cowell 66 - Introduction to Systems Theory, UC Santa Cruz. (Oral)
Graduate Student Research & Career Seminar (2022, 2023, 2024) – USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability (Oral)
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