Job Title: Postdoctoral fellow
Location: Otago University
Supervisor and budget source: A/Prof Hamish Spencer, Funded by AWC, Marsden and University of Otago
Project: 2

 

Biogeography of New Zealand's Animals

My current work concentrates on using phylogenies to investigate biogeographic and taxonomic questions about land snails.

Projects include several on the Rhytididae (e.g., on the parayphantines, Rhytida and Wainuia, Schizoglossa, and Delos and Delouagapia) and their relatives, and one on the charopid genus Allodiscus (and its supposed relatives). These molluscan groups are all of interest as their taxonomic status is sometimes unclear and they are all of some conservation concern.

Other ongoing projects include several on the pelecaniform birds. These studies include ones on the relationships within groups of cormorants and shags, the relationships within the darters, and the relationships between the pelecaniforms as a whole, as well as on the evolution of behaviour within these groups.