A5019493623- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Marine animal studies overview
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Plant and animal studies
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia detection and treatment
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Genetic and Environmental Crop Studies
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Louisiana State University
2015-2024
Houston Museum of Natural Science
2015-2024
The University of Melbourne
2016
McMaster University
2011-2013
University of Kansas
2004-2012
American Museum of Natural History
2004-2008
Natural History Museum
2004
Big, time-scaled phylogenies are fundamental to connecting evolutionary processes modern biodiversity patterns. Yet inferring reliable phylogenetic trees for thousands of species involves numerous trade-offs that have limited their utility comparative biologists. To establish a robust timescale all approximately 6,000 living mammals, we developed credible sets capture root-to-tip uncertainty in topology and divergence times. Our "backbone-and-patch" approach tree building applies newly...
Long celebrated for its spectacular landscapes and strikingly high levels of endemic biodiversity, the Philippines has been studied intensively by biogeographers two centuries. Concentration so many land vertebrates into a small area shared patterns distribution in unrelated forms inspired search common mechanisms production, partitioning, maintenance life archipelago. In this review, we (a) characterize an ongoing renaissance species discovery, (b) discuss changing way conceive archipelago,...
Prospects for a comprehensive inventory of global biodiversity would be greatly improved by automating methods species delimitation. The general mixed Yule–coalescent (GMYC) was recently proposed as potential means increasing the rate exploration. We tested this method with simulated data and applied it to group poorly known bats ( Hipposideros ) from Philippines. then used echolocation call characteristics evaluate plausibility boundaries suggested GMYC. In our simulations, GMYC performed...
Geological and climatic processes potentially alter speciation rates by generating modifying barriers to dispersal. In Southeast Asia, two have substantially altered the distribution of land. Volcanic uplift produced many new islands during Miocene-Pliocene repeated sea level fluctuations Pleistocene resulted in intermittent land connections among islands. Each process represents a potential driver diversification. We use phylogenetic analysis group Asian shrews (Crocidura) examine...
Phylogenetic relationships in recent, rapid radiations can be difficult to resolve due incomplete lineage sorting and reliance on genetic markers that evolve slowly relative the rate of speciation. By incorporating hundreds thousands unlinked loci, phylogenomic analyses have potential mitigate these difficulties. Here, we attempt phylogenetic among eight shrew species (genus Crocidura) from Philippines, a problem has proven intractable with small (< 10 loci) data sets. We sequenced...
The phylogeny of eutherian mammals contains some the most recalcitrant nodes in tetrapod tree life. We combined comprehensive taxon and character sampling to explore three debated interordinal relationships among placental mammals. performed silico extraction ultraconserved element loci from 72 published genomes invitro enrichment sequencing elements 28 additional mammals, resulting alignments 3,787 loci. analyzed these data using concatenated multispecies coalescent phylogenetic approaches,...
After nearly a decade of field inventories in which we preserved voucher specimens the small terrestrial mammals Sulawesi, combined qualitative and quantitative analyses morphological traits with molecular phylogenetics to better understand diversity shrews (Soricidae: Crocidura) on island. We examined morphology 1368 obtained extensive data from many them, including mitochondrial DNA sequences 851 specimens, up five nuclear exons 657 thousands ultraconserved elements 90 specimens. By...
Natural history museums are vital repositories of specimens, samples and data that inform about the natural world; this Formal Comment revisits a Perspective advocated for adoption compassionate collection practices, querying whether it will ever be possible to completely do away with whole animal specimen collection.
Abstract Aim Nearly 150 years ago, T. H. Huxley modified Wallace’s Line, including the island of Palawan as a component Asian biogeographic realm and separating it from oceanic Philippines. Although recognized some characteristics transition between regions, has since been regarded primarily peripheral Sunda Shelf. However, several recent phylogenetic studies Southeast lineages document populations on to be closely related taxa Philippines, apparently contradicting association with In light...
Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is rapidly gaining popularity in population genetics. One example, msBayes, infers the distribution of divergence times among pairs taxa, allowing phylogeographers to test hypotheses about historical causes diversification co‐distributed groups organisms. Using we infer 22 populations vertebrates distributed across Philippine Archipelago. Our objective was whether sea‐level oscillations during Pleistocene caused islands. To guide interpretation our...
The island of Sulawesi, in Indonesia, lies at the crossroads Indo-Australian Archipelago and has remained isolated from Asian (Sunda) Australian (Sahul) continental shelves for least last 10 million years. Of 50 native species rodents on all are endemic represent evolution a variety ecological morphological forms within Muridae Sciuridae. Carnivorous have evolved, perhaps independently, Philippines, Sahul, but semi-aquatic murids only known Sahul. Here we describe new genus insectivorous...
Convergent evolution, often observed in island archipelagos, provides compelling evidence for the importance of natural selection as a generator species and ecological diversity. The Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) is world's largest system encompasses distinct biogeographic units, including Asian (Sunda) Australian (Sahul) continental shelves, which together bracket oceanic archipelagos Philippines Wallacea. Each these units houses numerous endemic rodents family Muridae. Carnivorous...
Abstract Turbinal bones are key components of the mammalian rostrum that contribute to three critical functions: (1) homeothermy, (2) water conservation and (3) olfaction. With over 700 extant species, murine rodents (Murinae) most species-rich subfamily, with diversity residing in Indo-Australian Archipelago. Their evolutionary history includes several cases putative, but untested ecomorphological convergence, especially traits related diet. Among spectacular rodent ecomorphs vermivores...
Understanding the number of times a trait has evolved is necessary foundation for comprehending its potential relationships with selective regimes, developmental constraints and evolutionary diversification. Rodents make up over 40% extant mammalian species, their ecological success been partially attributed to increase in biting efficiency that resulted from forward shift one or two portions masseter muscle zygomatic arch onto rostrum. This occurred three discrete ways, but it never...
Abstract Aim Using molecular data and dental features, we investigated the genetic morphological diversity among species of palm civets in genus Paradoxurus , with a focus on common civet, hermaphroditus (Carnivora, Viverridae), order to address biogeographic scenarios provide recommendations for taxonomic revision. Location Asia: Pakistan Lesser Sunda Islands. Methods We within using two mitochondrial (cytochrome b control region) one nuclear (intron 7 β‐fibrinogen) markers. used samples...
Rodents are important ecological components of virtually every terrestrial ecosystem. Their success is a result their gnawing incisors, battery grinding molars and diastema that spatially functionally separates the incisors from molars. Until now these traits defined all rodents. Here, we describe new species genus shrew-rat Sulawesi Island, Indonesia distinguished other rodents by absence cheek teeth. Moreover, rather than this animal has bicuspid upper also unique among more 2200 Stomach...
Abstract Aim To determine the historical dynamics of colonization and whether relative timing predicts diversification rate in species‐rich, murine rodent communities Indo‐Australia. Location Indo‐Australian Archipelago including Sunda shelf continental Asia, Sahul Australia, Philippines Wallacea Indonesia. Taxon Order Rodentia, Family Muridae. Methods We used a fossil‐calibrated molecular phylogeny Bayesian biogeographical modelling to infer frequency temporal sequence transitions among...
Olfaction and thermoregulation are key functions for mammals. The former is critical to feeding, mating, predator avoidance behaviors, while the latter essential homeothermy. Aquatic amphibious mammals face olfactory thermoregulatory challenges not generally encountered by terrestrial species. In mammals, nasal cavity houses a bony system supporting soft tissues sensory organs implicated in either or functions. It hypothesized that cope with aquatic environments, have expanded their capacity...
We describe a new species of flying fox the genus Desmalopex from Mindoro Island, Philippines. Discrete and mensural morphological characters distinguish other foxes in Southeast Asia. The shares several probable synapomorphies with leucopterus, including features pelage, patagia, dentition, cranium, suggesting that 2 are closely related. present phylogenetic analyses mitochondrial DNA sequences, which support taxonomic status recently revalidated Desmalopex. Together, D. leucopterus form...
Abstract Aim Colonization of the Philippines from Taiwan or neighbouring areas Asian mainland has been proposed as an important source diversity for some plant and animal groups in northern Philippines. Previous inferences, however, were based on taxonomic groupings, which sometimes fail to reflect phylogenetic history. Here, we test colonization north a group shrews (Soricomorpha: Crocidura ) using explicit inferences evolutionary Location Southeast Asia. Methods We estimate relationships...
Abstract In theory, competition among species in a shared habitat results niche separation. the case of small recondite mammals such as shrews, little is known about their autecologies, leaving open questions regarding degree to which closely related co‐occur and how or whether ecological niches are partitioned. The extent able coexist may depend on they exploit different features habitat, turn influence our ability recognize them species. We explored these issues biodiversity hotspot, by...