Tel Aviv University
The Wize faculty of life sciences, School of zoology
Research Areas
Ecology
Evolution and integrative biology of fish, with emphasis on early life stages
Prof. Roi Holzman is a marine biologist and functional morphologist affiliated with Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology and the Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat. He also serves as curator of Red Sea fishes at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. Holzman earned his PhD in Evolution and Systematics at the Hebrew University under Prof. Amatzia Genin, followed by postdoctoral work at UC Davis in the Department of Evolution and Ecology with Prof. Peter Wainwright.
A core aspect of Holzman’s research concerns how fishes and marine organisms manipulate fluid flow for feeding, respiration, and locomotion. He is particularly keen on studies on suction feeding across life stages (from larval to adult) that link morphology, kinematics, and performance under varying hydrodynamic regimes.
Recent work from his lab includes investigations of substrate-biting feeding mechanics, elastic energy storage in seahorses, and spatio-temporal flow interactions around pulsating corals, all of which contribute to our understanding of how organisms adapt their form and function to fluid environments.
Research Topics for Master’s and Doctoral Theses
1. Prey capture in seahorses.
2. Survival of larval fish.
3. Feeding in herbivorous fish.