Systematics & phylogenomics

 

Our group integrates molecular and morphological data to refine molluscan taxonomy and improve the resolution of molluscan phylogeny. Currently, we're untangling the systematics of several nudibranch (Felimida, Archidoris) and caenogastropod (Janthina, Cyphoma) genera. We're also resolving dorid phylogeny using sequence capture. We're broadly interested in molluscan speciation and in building molecular datasets for understudied groups. We're still very fond of eulimid gastropods, and micros in general! See some of our previous work in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, BMC Evolutionary Biology, Zoologica Scripta and Ecology and Evolution.

Ecological & evolutionary genomics

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Biodiversity is structured at different scales, meaning that to gain a deeper understanding of it, we need to hone in on the microevolutionary processes driving this diversity. We also know that climate change is driving extinctions in many taxonomic groups and that molluscs are one of the most endangered groups of animal in North America. Our group scans and compares genomes from multiple populations and species to look for signatures of local adaptation and integrates this information with ecological modelling to forecast biodiversity response to climate change. We're currently applying these methods to the highly endangered freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), using non-invasive genetic sampling for downstream sequencing. See some of our work in Nature Climate Change, Global Change Biology and Conservation Genetics.

Colour pattern variation & mimicry

 

Colour pattern variation in molluscs, and the processes governing it, is of central interest to our group. Our previous work on Chromodoris demonstrated that colour is largely unreliable as a diagnostic character. We also uncovered a near-perfect case of mimicry in Western Australia. From these early findings, we've become interested in the genomic basis of colour pattern variation (and the evolution of phenotypic traits more broadly), and mimicry dynamics. We're tackling these questions in nudibranchs but we've also expanded this to other polymorphic gastropods. See our previous work in: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, PLoS ONE, and Ecology and Evolution (and stay tuned for upcoming papers).

(Meta)barcoding

 

Our group participates in a number of local and global barcoding initiatives as part of BIOSCAN, and more recently, has begun to apply  metabarcoding to better understand invertebrate biodiversity in critically important habitats (e.g. seagrass). We're currently generating barcode reference libraries for tropical micromolluscs, among other groups, and doing gut content metabarcoding in gastropods. See some of our previous barcoding work published in Ecology and Evolution, Marine Policy, PLoS ONE, and Scientific Data

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