Research Interests

Gobi on coralSystematics and Phylogenetics

Our lab is currently involved in systematics projects across multiple gobiiform groups. Projects include:

Projects:


1) Systematics of Kribia from Guinea, West Africa

2) Phylogenomics of gobioid fishes at the subfamily and family level using high-throughput hybrid-enrichment exon capture methods

3) Systematics of Sicydium

4) Systematics of Eviota

5) Systematics of the American seven-spined gobies (Gobiosomatini)

6) Evolution of Indo-Pacific and Caribbean reef gobies

7) Systematics of Stiphodon

8) Evolution of life history characteristics of sicydiine gobies

10) Systematics of Eleotris



Morphological Evolution

Most of the projects in our lab have a morphological component. Phylogenetic inference permits us to test hypotheses of morphological evolution and synapomorphy within and among groups of fishes.

Projects:

1) Morphological variation in Kribia


2) Evolution of oral dentition and replacement among sicydiine gobies

3) Covariation of morphology and microhabitat in reef gobies


Fish Conservation and Population Genetics


The conservation of biodiversity is critical to our changing planet.

Current projects:


1) Genetic structure and demographic history of sicydiine gobies.


2) IUCN Red-list assessment of Caribbean, Eastern Pacific, and Indo-Pacific gobioids


3) Genetic structure and biodiversity surveys of Indonesian freshwater fishes