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.

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.

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.

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.

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.