LAB MEMBERS

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Lab members at the 2019 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Snowbird, Utah—Rene Martin, Xavier Urbina, David Wolf, Leo Smith, and Matt Girard (left to right).


Leo Smith

Principal Investigator at KU since 2013

@fishphylogeny

Leo studies the phylogenetics of fishes using anatomical, morphometric, and genomic analyses to understand character evolution and fish diversification.

Representative publication: 

Near, T.J., Eytan, R.I., Dornburg, A., Kuhn, K.L., Moore, J.A., Davis, M.P., Wainwright, P.C., Friedman, M., and Smith, W.L. 2012. Resolution of ray-finned fish phylogeny and timing of diversification. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 109:13698-13703.

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Rene Martin

@lampichthys

Doctoral Candidate at KU since 2017

Rene studies the biology and phylogeny of lanternfishes (Myctophiformes) and the evolution of midwater fishes.

Representative publication: 

Martin, R.P., Olson, E.E., Girard, M.G., Smith, W.L., and Davis, M.P. 2018. Light in the darkness: New perspective on lanternfish relationships and classification using genomic and morphological data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 121:71–85

Matthew Girard

Doctoral Candidate at KU since 2014

@marineiac_matt

Matt studies the evolution of marine and freshwater fishes, focusing on the evolution and relationships of carangiform fishes.

Representative publication: 

Girard, M.G., and Smith, W.L. 2016. The phylogeny of marine sculpins of the genus Icelinus with comments on the evolution and biogeography of the Pseudoblenninae. Zootaxa 4171:549–561.

LAB ALUMNI

Matthew P. Davis

Postdoctoral Fellow 2012-2014

Now, associate professor at St. Cloud State University

Matt studies the evolution and diversification of bioluminescent and deep-sea fishes.

Representative publication:
Davis, M.P., Holcroft, N.I., Wiley, E.O., Sparks, J.S., and Smith, W.L. 2014. Species-specific bioluminescence facilitates speciation in the deep sea. Mar. Biol. 161:1139-1148.

Nicholas J. Lang

Postdoctoral Fellow 2008-2011

Now, instructor at Lane Tech in Chicago

Nick studied the phylogenetics of darters and lampreys.

Representative publication:
Lang, N.J., Mayden, R.L. 2007. Systematics of the subgenus Oligocephalus (Teleostei: Percidae: Etheostoma) with complete subgeneric sampling of the genus Etheostoma. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 43:605-615.

Rebecca B. Dikow

Doctoral Student 2007-2012

Now, research data scientist at the Smithsonian Institution’s Data Science Lab

Rebecca is involved with biodiversity research, including genomics, informatics, and machine learning.

Representative publication:
Dikow, R.B. 2011. Genome-level homology and phylogeny of Shewanella (Gammaproteobacteria: Alteromonadales: Shewanellaceae). BMC Genomics 12:237.

Timothy Sosa

Doctoral Student 2010-2013 

Now, adjunct professor at Sierra College

Tim studied the diversification of characoids after their invasion into Middle America.

Representative publication:
Balete, D.S., Rickart, E.A., Heaney, L.R., Alviola, P.A., Duya, M.V., Duya, M.R.M., Sosa, T., Jansa, S.A. 2012. Archboldomys (Muridae: Murinae) reconsidered: A new genus and three new species of shrew mice from Luzon Island, Philippines
Amer. Mus. Novitates 3754:1-60.

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Elizabeth Everman

Undergraduate Intern 2011

Now, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Kansas

Elizabeth studied the molecular phylogenetics of scorpionfishes.

Representative publication:
Smith, W.L., Everman, E., and Richardson, C. 2018. Phylogeny and taxonomy of flatheads, scorpionfishes, sea robins, and stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the evolution of the lachrymal saber. Copeia 106:94–119.

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Jennifer Stern

Undergraduate Honors Student 2014–2015

Now, doctoral student at the University of Washington

Jenny studied the evolution of venomous sharks and rays.

Representative publication:
Smith, W.L., Stern, J.H., Girard, M.G., and Davis, M.P. 2016. Evolution of venomous cartilaginous and ray-finned fishes. Integrative and Comparative Biology 56:950–961.

University of Kansas, Biodiversity Institute, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045; 785.864.6874 ©2019 W.L. Smith