Katrien Dierickx
About
I am a post-doctoral researcher for 4-Oceans at NTNU since 2023. My background is in biology and archaeology, focusing on ecology and diversity, with a keen interest in the morphology and evolution of animals. I became interested in zooarchaeology and the past relationship between humans, animals and the environment during my masters, when I had the opportunity to identify different fish species from an archaeological site using comparative osteology. My interest in fish was further sparked as a research assistant to the MbiSa-Congo project (2017-2019), working on the diversity and ecology of modern African freshwater fish. I recently completed a PhD (2019-2022) in archaeology at the University of York (on medieval flatfish exploitation) as part of the SeaChanges Innovative Training Network, using comparative osteology, geometric morphometrics, and collagen peptide mass fingerprinting to identify the individual species and stable isotope analysis to infer catch habitats.
My research is multidisciplinary, combining several methods to understand the past relationship between humans and animals. For the 4-Oceans project, I will be analysing the impact humans could have had on marine taxa in the past using morphometric and geometric morphometric analyses. This will include measurements and 3D scanning of faunal remains from archaeological, historic and modern settings to compare geographical regions, chronological periods, and human exploitation strategies. We will combine the results from this research with the data collected from molecular analyses by other members of the 4-Oceans team to acquire an in-depth understanding of the history of our focus taxa during the past 2000 years. More specifically, I will be working on the Atlantic walrus within the project.
Publications
Dierickx K., Wouters W., Van Neer W., 2017. Comparative osteological study of three species of distinct genera of Haplotilapiini (Cichlidae). Cybium, 41, 223-235.
Dierickx K., Hanssens M., Rusuwa B., Snoeks J., 2018. Trematocranus pachychilus, a new endemic cichlid from Lake Malawi (Teleostei, Cichlidae). Zookeys, 743, 153-166. Doi: 10.3897/zookeys.743.22814
Van Neer W., Alhaique F., Wouters W., Dierickx K., Gala M., Goffette Q., Mariani G.S., Zerboni A., di Lernia S., 2020. Aquatic fauna from the Takarkori rock shelter reveals the Holocene central Saharan climate and palaeohydrography. PLoS ONE, 15, e0228588. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228588
Dierickx K., Snoeks J., 2020. Protomelas krampus, a new paedophagous cichlid from Lake Malawi (Teleostei, Cichlidae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 672, 1-18. Doi: 10.5852/ejt.2020.672
Dierickx K., Presslee S., Hagan R., Oueslati T., Harland J., Hendy J., Orton D., Alexander M., Harvey V.L., 2022. Peptide mass fingerprinting of preserved collagen in archaeological fish bones for the identification of flatfish in European waters. Royal Society Open Science, 9, Article 220149. Doi: 10.1098/rsos.220149
Atmore L.M., Ferrari G., Martínez-García L., van der Jagt I., Blevis R., Granado J., Häberle S., Dierickx K., Quinlan L.M., Lõugas L., Makowiecki D., Hufthammer A.K., Barrett J.H., Star B., 2023. Ancient DNA sequence quality is independent of fish bone weight. Journal of Archaeological Science, 149, 105703. Doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2022.105703
Dierickx K., Presslee S., Harvey V.L., 2023. Rapid collagen peptide mass fingerprinting as a tool to authenticate Pleuronectiformes in the food industry. Food Control, 148, 109680, Doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.109680
Dierickx K., Oueslati T., Profico A., 2023. Geometric morphometric analysis of Pleuronectiformes vertebrae: A new tool to identify archaeological fish remains? Journal of Anatomy, 243, 982-996. Doi: 10.1111/joa.13934
Dierickx K., Schauer P., Harland J., Pipe A., Oueslati T., Lehouck A., Ervynck A., Wouters W., Von Tersch M., Orton D., Alexander M., 2024. Finding the right plaice at the right time: Multi-molecular analysis of flatfish reveal historical catch habitats. Fish and Fisheries. Doi: 10.1111/faf.12847
2025
-
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C;
Wouters, Wim.
(2025)
Comparative osteology of the North Sea flatfishes (Teleostei; Pleuronectiformes).
Cybium
Academic article
-
Grav, Ellen J. ;
Barrett, James Harold;
McLees, Christopher;
Ekroll, Øystein;
Kit, Kovacs;
Lydersen, Christian.
(2025)
Havets elfenbein/Sea Ivories.
NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet
Exhibition catalogue
2024
-
Dierickx, Katrien;
Schauer, Peter;
Harland, Jennifer;
Pipe, Alan;
Oueslati, Tarek;
Lehouck, Alexander.
(2024)
Finding the right plaice at the right time: Multi-molecularanalysis of flatfish reveals historical catch habitats.
Fish and Fisheries
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Boilard, Aurélie;
Häberle, Simone;
Blevis, Rachel;
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C.
(2024)
The Once and Future Fish: Assessing a Millennium of Atlantic Herring Exploitation Through Mixed-Stock Analysis and Ancient DNA.
Global Change Biology
Academic article
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Dierickx, Katrien;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliot, Deirdre;
Rankin, Lisa K.;
Whitridge, Peter.
(2024)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
-
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C;
Wamuini Lunkayilakio, Soleil;
Bills, Roger;
Vreven, Emmanuel.
(2024)
Morphometric synthesis of Pollimyrus (Teleostei, Mormyridae) with the description of four new species.
Journal of Fish Biology
Academic article
2023
-
Dierickx, Katrien;
Oueslati, Tarek;
Profico, Antonio.
(2023)
Geometric morphometric analysis of Pleuronectiformes vertebrae: A new tool to identify archaeological fish remains?.
Journal of Anatomy
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C;
Wouters, Wim.
(2025)
Comparative osteology of the North Sea flatfishes (Teleostei; Pleuronectiformes).
Cybium
Academic article
-
Dierickx, Katrien;
Schauer, Peter;
Harland, Jennifer;
Pipe, Alan;
Oueslati, Tarek;
Lehouck, Alexander.
(2024)
Finding the right plaice at the right time: Multi-molecularanalysis of flatfish reveals historical catch habitats.
Fish and Fisheries
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Boilard, Aurélie;
Häberle, Simone;
Blevis, Rachel;
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C.
(2024)
The Once and Future Fish: Assessing a Millennium of Atlantic Herring Exploitation Through Mixed-Stock Analysis and Ancient DNA.
Global Change Biology
Academic article
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Dierickx, Katrien;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliot, Deirdre;
Rankin, Lisa K.;
Whitridge, Peter.
(2024)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
-
Dierickx, Katrien Alfred C;
Wamuini Lunkayilakio, Soleil;
Bills, Roger;
Vreven, Emmanuel.
(2024)
Morphometric synthesis of Pollimyrus (Teleostei, Mormyridae) with the description of four new species.
Journal of Fish Biology
Academic article
-
Dierickx, Katrien;
Oueslati, Tarek;
Profico, Antonio.
(2023)
Geometric morphometric analysis of Pleuronectiformes vertebrae: A new tool to identify archaeological fish remains?.
Journal of Anatomy
Academic article
Books
-
Grav, Ellen J. ;
Barrett, James Harold;
McLees, Christopher;
Ekroll, Øystein;
Kit, Kovacs;
Lydersen, Christian.
(2025)
Havets elfenbein/Sea Ivories.
NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet
Exhibition catalogue
Outreach
2025
-
LectureDierickx, Katrien Alfred C. (2025) Flatfish and the origins of European marine fishing. Wageningen Marine Research Wageningen Marine Research group seminar , Wageningen, the Netherlands 2025-02-06 - 2025-02-06
2024
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LectureDierickx, Katrien Alfred C; Orton, David C.; Alexander, Michelle. (2024) Flatfish and the origins of European marine fishing. Wageningen University International Flatfish Symposium , Wageningen, the Netherlands 2024-11-25 - 2024-11-28
2023
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LectureDierickx, Katrien Alfred C. (2023) Walruses on Svalbard: a glimpse of their history. Wildlife and Glacier Cruise Wildlife and Glacier Cruise , Svalbard 2023-09-16 - 2023-09-16