Everyone in the lab is an evolutionary biologist interested in the phylogenetics of fishes or systematic theory. We focus on the large-scale phenomena that have shaped the history and diversification of fishes at various scales and in both geographic space and geologic time. We use a combination of phylogenetic trees, field collections, and focused anatomical, morphometric, and genomic analyses to understand the evolution and diversification of freshwater or marine fishes.

Most of the projects in the lab are currently focused on deep-sea fishes, fish phylogeny (with an emphasis on discrete morphology), and bioluminescence or biofluorescence. I am open to students interested in related or novel ideas. I encourage students interested in morphological and molecular phylogenetics of fishes to join the lab. There are a limited number of labs emphasizing morphology, and I am particularly interested in encouraging such students to apply.

If you are interested in opportunities in working on the evolution of fishes at the University of Kansas, we encourage you to contact anyone in the lab directly.

Our endeavors have been funded by the American Museum of Natural History, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, the Field Museum, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Kansas.