Holistic Insect Systematics Laboratory

Home

People

Research

A.J. Cook Collection

Teaching

Travels

Links

Anthony Cognato - Principle Investigator and Director of the A. J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection

Research interests: Integration of phylogenetic and ecological research to provide insight into general questions of the patterns and processes of biodiversity.

Bernice Bernice DeMarco - PhD Student

Research Interests: The phylogenetics of Myrmicine ants, focusing on the genus Aphaenogaster.  I am looking at the fulva-rudis-texana complex of this genus in North America and hope to untangle it using modern systematics and molecular tools.

No picture

 

 

 

Rachel Olson - PhD Student

Research interests:

Aaron Smith - PhD Student

Research interests: My research interests are broadly centered on questions relating to biodiversity; including revisionary systematics, biogeography, evolutionary ecology, and speciation within the family Tenebrionidae. In particular, I am interested in a tribe of flightless desert dwelling tenebrionids known as asidines. For my dissertation I am revising the North American Asidini, at the generic level, and working on species level revisions for several asidine genera (Astrotus, Stenosides, Parasida, etc). My goal is to use modern phylogenetic methods to create a phylogeny for the tribe that will help guide my revisionary work.

Sarah Smith - PhD Student

Research interests: I am interested in the systematics and evolutionary relationships of bark and ambrosia beetles. My reserch currently focuses on the phylogenetics of the bark beetle tribe Scolytini, specifically the genus Camptocerus Dejean. I am also interested in the evolution of host use in the scolytinae.

Liu

Liu Yang - Master's Student

Research interests:



Former Lab Members
Jiri Hulcr PhD, 2009. See Jiri's Ambrosia Symbiosis page.
Currently in the Currie lab at University of Wisconsin-Madison. .
Stephanie Dole PhD, 2008.
Paul Tinerella Postdoc, 2006-7. Currently at Illinois Natural History Survey
Katrina Menard Master's, 2006. Currently at Texas A&M University
Glené Mynhardt Master's, 2006. Currently in the Wenzel Lab (Ohio State)
Joe Gillespie PhD, 2005.
Jessica Usener Master's, 2004.
Ryan Caesar Master's, 2003. Currently in the Wenzel Lab (Ohio State)


Interlab Associates
April Harlin-Cognato MSU Department of Zoology and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife


Collaborators
Spencer Johnston Texas A&M University
Jakob Damgaard University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Nancy Gillette USDAFS
Robert Wharton Texas A&M University