Graduate Students
Anne McHugh
PhD Student
Email: akmchugh [at] uvm.edu
Webpage: annemchugh.wordpress.com
Email: akmchugh [at] uvm.edu
Webpage: annemchugh.wordpress.com
Research Interests
I love evolutionary history and thinking about the complexities of relationships over time. I especially enjoy the study of evolutionary history when it is applied to questions of biogeography, biodiversity and conservation. To better understand these large fields, I utilize the phylogenetic relationships of arthropod taxa ranging from spiders such as Micrathena, Gasteracantha, and Deinopis to butterflies such as Speyeria.
I am currently working with Dr. Agnarsson on the Caribbean biogeography project. I have field collected in Cuba and the Dominican Republic and am currently working in his lab at the University of Vermont. I am looking forward to the upcoming field season and to beginning to address questions about the importance of dispersal in determining the history of the Caribbean region.
Other Interests
I am an avid outdoorsperson, enjoying a wide variety of pursuits from cross-country skiing to rock climbing. I love to travel, eat, photograph and garden.
Publications:
McHugh, A., Bierzychudek, P., Greever, C., Marzulla, T., Van Buskirk, R., and Binford, G. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of Speyeria and its implications for the conservation of Speyeria zerene hippolyta. (in prep).
Bierzychudek, P., Warner, K. A., McHugh, A. & Thomas, L. Testing the host-finding ability of a monophagous caterpillar in the field. Ecol. Entomol. 34, 632-637, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2009.01112.x (2009).
I am currently working with Dr. Agnarsson on the Caribbean biogeography project. I have field collected in Cuba and the Dominican Republic and am currently working in his lab at the University of Vermont. I am looking forward to the upcoming field season and to beginning to address questions about the importance of dispersal in determining the history of the Caribbean region.
Other Interests
I am an avid outdoorsperson, enjoying a wide variety of pursuits from cross-country skiing to rock climbing. I love to travel, eat, photograph and garden.
Publications:
McHugh, A., Bierzychudek, P., Greever, C., Marzulla, T., Van Buskirk, R., and Binford, G. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of Speyeria and its implications for the conservation of Speyeria zerene hippolyta. (in prep).
Bierzychudek, P., Warner, K. A., McHugh, A. & Thomas, L. Testing the host-finding ability of a monophagous caterpillar in the field. Ecol. Entomol. 34, 632-637, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2009.01112.x (2009).
Sohath Zamira Yusseff Vanegas
PhD student
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Vermont
Phone:
Email: sohath.yusseff@gmail.com
Web: http://sohathyusseff.wix.com/entoforensecaribe#!home/c1riq
Blog: http://caribbeancalliphoridae.blogspot.com/
My research primary focus is the Forensic sciences. Since grade school I have been fascinated with reading books about research, forensic sciences and CSI. This hunger for science made Biology my passion. Collecting insects in the field, knowing their behavior, looking at their habitat and the hours spent under the microscope (while describing, drawing and identifying them in the lab) was the perfect combination of what I am today; a Forensic Entomologist.
I have been involved in Forensic Entomology since 2002, working with the Order Diptera, primarily with members of the Calliphoridae family (commonly known as blow flies). Recently I started working in Dr. Agnarsson’s research lab, where our effort will be the identification of the insects involved in the cadaveric decomposition in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. Our research will study the taxonomy, distribution, phylogeny, systematics and biogeography of the Calliphoridae in the West Indies, filling the gasps that exists today regarding this group in the Caribbean. In addition our goal will be to understand the importance of these organisms and the role they play, or could potentially play, in the field of Forensic Sciences.
Other interests: I like working with insect’s collections, museum and curator related activities. Also I enjoy photography, drawing, and reading.
Publications
García-Espinoza F, Martínez MT, Sánchez FJ, Yusseff-Vanegas SZ. 2012. Desarrollo larval y requerimientos calóricos de Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) durante primavera y verano en Torreón, Coahuila. Acta Zoológica Mexicana 28 (1) xxx-xxx (in press).
Franz, N. M. & S. Z. Yusseff Vanegas. 2009. The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez insect collection - then and now. Entomological News 120: 401-408 http://academic.uprm.edu/franz/publications/UPRM-InsectCollection.pdf
Yusseff, S. Z. 2007. Efectos de la temperatura sobre el desarrollo de Chrysomya rufifacies y Cochliomyia
macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae), dos especies importantes para la entomología forense en Puerto Rico.
Tesis M. S. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, P.R. 86 pp. http://grad.uprm.edu/tesis/sohathyusseff.pdf
Yusseff, S. Z. 2006. Entomología Forense: Los Insectos en la escena del Crimen. Revista Luna Azul. Manizales,2006-11-16(Rev.2007-01-10). http://lunazul.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=312
Yusseff, S. Z. y M. del C. Daza. 2003. Caracterización de la entomofauna asociada a la descomposición cadavérica empleando como biomodelo el cerdo (Sus scrofa) en el municipio de Tunja. Tesis de Pregrado Biología. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Tunja. Colombia. 141 pp
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Vermont
Phone:
Email: sohath.yusseff@gmail.com
Web: http://sohathyusseff.wix.com/entoforensecaribe#!home/c1riq
Blog: http://caribbeancalliphoridae.blogspot.com/
My research primary focus is the Forensic sciences. Since grade school I have been fascinated with reading books about research, forensic sciences and CSI. This hunger for science made Biology my passion. Collecting insects in the field, knowing their behavior, looking at their habitat and the hours spent under the microscope (while describing, drawing and identifying them in the lab) was the perfect combination of what I am today; a Forensic Entomologist.
I have been involved in Forensic Entomology since 2002, working with the Order Diptera, primarily with members of the Calliphoridae family (commonly known as blow flies). Recently I started working in Dr. Agnarsson’s research lab, where our effort will be the identification of the insects involved in the cadaveric decomposition in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. Our research will study the taxonomy, distribution, phylogeny, systematics and biogeography of the Calliphoridae in the West Indies, filling the gasps that exists today regarding this group in the Caribbean. In addition our goal will be to understand the importance of these organisms and the role they play, or could potentially play, in the field of Forensic Sciences.
Other interests: I like working with insect’s collections, museum and curator related activities. Also I enjoy photography, drawing, and reading.
Publications
García-Espinoza F, Martínez MT, Sánchez FJ, Yusseff-Vanegas SZ. 2012. Desarrollo larval y requerimientos calóricos de Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) durante primavera y verano en Torreón, Coahuila. Acta Zoológica Mexicana 28 (1) xxx-xxx (in press).
Franz, N. M. & S. Z. Yusseff Vanegas. 2009. The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez insect collection - then and now. Entomological News 120: 401-408 http://academic.uprm.edu/franz/publications/UPRM-InsectCollection.pdf
Yusseff, S. Z. 2007. Efectos de la temperatura sobre el desarrollo de Chrysomya rufifacies y Cochliomyia
macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae), dos especies importantes para la entomología forense en Puerto Rico.
Tesis M. S. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, P.R. 86 pp. http://grad.uprm.edu/tesis/sohathyusseff.pdf
Yusseff, S. Z. 2006. Entomología Forense: Los Insectos en la escena del Crimen. Revista Luna Azul. Manizales,2006-11-16(Rev.2007-01-10). http://lunazul.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=312
Yusseff, S. Z. y M. del C. Daza. 2003. Caracterización de la entomofauna asociada a la descomposición cadavérica empleando como biomodelo el cerdo (Sus scrofa) en el municipio de Tunja. Tesis de Pregrado Biología. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Tunja. Colombia. 141 pp
Heine Kiesbüy
PhD student (or just plain Igor)
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Vermont
Phone:
Email: heine [at] kiesbuy.com
Homepage: www.kiesbuy.com
Keywords:
Biogeography
Spiders
Kleptoparasitism
Photography
Reptiles
Pollination
Island ecology
Fungi
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Vermont
Phone:
Email: heine [at] kiesbuy.com
Homepage: www.kiesbuy.com
Keywords:
Biogeography
Spiders
Kleptoparasitism
Photography
Reptiles
Pollination
Island ecology
Fungi
Research Interests:
For some odd reasons I have always been extremely fascinated about spiders – maybe something went wrong in my childhood, pushing me away from the general trend of arachnophobia in the human population and allowing me to see how incredible and diverse spiders can be.
Currently, I will be working with Dr. Agnarsson on biogeography of spiders in the Caribbean, with focus on the kleptoparasitic spiders of the genus Argyrodes. Focus will be biogeogrpahy, but other aspects will most likely revolve around behavior and adaptation, phylogeny, biochemistry … and a few more things, since I am unable to curb my curiosity.
Other Interests:
I like to document what I see when I am stumbling and crawling through the vegetation on the hunt for spiders, so I have developed quite an interest in photography. This interest will, hopefully, have a chance of growing into a fully fledged hobby during my stay in Puerto Rico.
Publications:
Dennis M. Hansen, Heine C. Kiesbuy, Carl G. Jones and Christine B. Muller (2007): Positive Indirect Interactions between Neighboring Plant Species via a Lizard Pollinator, The American Naturalist vol. 169, no. 4, 534-542
For some odd reasons I have always been extremely fascinated about spiders – maybe something went wrong in my childhood, pushing me away from the general trend of arachnophobia in the human population and allowing me to see how incredible and diverse spiders can be.
Currently, I will be working with Dr. Agnarsson on biogeography of spiders in the Caribbean, with focus on the kleptoparasitic spiders of the genus Argyrodes. Focus will be biogeogrpahy, but other aspects will most likely revolve around behavior and adaptation, phylogeny, biochemistry … and a few more things, since I am unable to curb my curiosity.
Other Interests:
I like to document what I see when I am stumbling and crawling through the vegetation on the hunt for spiders, so I have developed quite an interest in photography. This interest will, hopefully, have a chance of growing into a fully fledged hobby during my stay in Puerto Rico.
Publications:
Dennis M. Hansen, Heine C. Kiesbuy, Carl G. Jones and Christine B. Muller (2007): Positive Indirect Interactions between Neighboring Plant Species via a Lizard Pollinator, The American Naturalist vol. 169, no. 4, 534-542
Ximena Vélez-Zuazo
PhD student
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus
00931 San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Phone: 1-787-764-0000 ext: 2907
Email: xvelezuazo@gmail.com
Research Interests
I am a 3rd year student at the Agnarsson Lab. For my thesis I am integrating phylogenetic, phylogeographic and population genetic data from sharks to help improve their conservation planning and sustainable management (for species of commercial importance). In general, my research
interests are focused on understanding the mechanisms and processes regulating the structure, functioning and evolution of marine ecosystems. I am particularly interested in investigating how marine
populations are structured over space and time and how they are connected as a result of different historical and contemporary processes. For this purpose I combine tools and analytical and
methodological approaches from different disciplines like Ecology, Population Biology, Evolution and Genetics. My main research and professional goal is to promote the integration of scientific data
with social and economic information to improve current policies (e.g. Fishing closure areas, marine protected areas, fishing seasons and bans, listing of protected species) for the conservation and
maintenance of marine ecosystems, particularly in the East Pacific.
Publications
Velez-Zuazo X, Agnarsson I. 2011. Shark tales: A molecular species level phylogeny of sharks (Selachimorpha, Chondrichthyes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58: 207-217. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.11.018
Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X, Angulo F, Manrique C. 2010 Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea nesting in Peru: the southernmost records in the Eastern Pacific. Marine turtle newsletter 126:5-9
Boyle MC, FitzSimmons NN, Limpus CJ, Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X, Waycott M. 2009 Evidence for transoceanic developmental migrations undertaken by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the southern Pacific. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276(1664):1993-1999
Miro-Herrans AT, Velez-Zuazo X, Acevedo JP, McMillan WO. 2008. Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellites from the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
Molecular Ecology Resources 8: 1098-1101
Velez-Zuazo X, Ramos WD, van Dam RP, Diez CE, Abreu-Grobois A and WO McMillan. 2008. Dispersal, recruitment and migratory behavior of a hawksbill sea turtle population. Molecular Ecology 17:839-853.
Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X and C Manrique. 2004. New evidence on the Loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758) in Peru. Ecologia Aplicada, 2(1):141-142.
Diez CE, Velez-Zuazo X and RP van Dam., 2003. Hawksbill Turtles in Sea Grass Beds. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 102, pg 8-10
Velez-Zuazo X, Rondon M and CE Diez. 2002. First Record of Juvenile Leatherback Stranding in Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 99, page 18.
In Review
Patricio AR, Velez-Zuazo X, Diez CE, van Dam RP and Sabat A. Survival probabilty analysis as a tool to identify juvenile development sites for green turtles Chelonia mydas L. [In review by Molecular Ecology
Progress Series]
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus
00931 San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Phone: 1-787-764-0000 ext: 2907
Email: xvelezuazo@gmail.com
Research Interests
I am a 3rd year student at the Agnarsson Lab. For my thesis I am integrating phylogenetic, phylogeographic and population genetic data from sharks to help improve their conservation planning and sustainable management (for species of commercial importance). In general, my research
interests are focused on understanding the mechanisms and processes regulating the structure, functioning and evolution of marine ecosystems. I am particularly interested in investigating how marine
populations are structured over space and time and how they are connected as a result of different historical and contemporary processes. For this purpose I combine tools and analytical and
methodological approaches from different disciplines like Ecology, Population Biology, Evolution and Genetics. My main research and professional goal is to promote the integration of scientific data
with social and economic information to improve current policies (e.g. Fishing closure areas, marine protected areas, fishing seasons and bans, listing of protected species) for the conservation and
maintenance of marine ecosystems, particularly in the East Pacific.
Publications
Velez-Zuazo X, Agnarsson I. 2011. Shark tales: A molecular species level phylogeny of sharks (Selachimorpha, Chondrichthyes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58: 207-217. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.11.018
Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X, Angulo F, Manrique C. 2010 Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea nesting in Peru: the southernmost records in the Eastern Pacific. Marine turtle newsletter 126:5-9
Boyle MC, FitzSimmons NN, Limpus CJ, Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X, Waycott M. 2009 Evidence for transoceanic developmental migrations undertaken by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the southern Pacific. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276(1664):1993-1999
Miro-Herrans AT, Velez-Zuazo X, Acevedo JP, McMillan WO. 2008. Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellites from the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
Molecular Ecology Resources 8: 1098-1101
Velez-Zuazo X, Ramos WD, van Dam RP, Diez CE, Abreu-Grobois A and WO McMillan. 2008. Dispersal, recruitment and migratory behavior of a hawksbill sea turtle population. Molecular Ecology 17:839-853.
Kelez S, Velez-Zuazo X and C Manrique. 2004. New evidence on the Loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758) in Peru. Ecologia Aplicada, 2(1):141-142.
Diez CE, Velez-Zuazo X and RP van Dam., 2003. Hawksbill Turtles in Sea Grass Beds. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 102, pg 8-10
Velez-Zuazo X, Rondon M and CE Diez. 2002. First Record of Juvenile Leatherback Stranding in Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 99, page 18.
In Review
Patricio AR, Velez-Zuazo X, Diez CE, van Dam RP and Sabat A. Survival probabilty analysis as a tool to identify juvenile development sites for green turtles Chelonia mydas L. [In review by Molecular Ecology
Progress Series]
Lourdes Gonzalez
M. Sc student
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus
00931 San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Phone: 1-787-764-0000 ext: 2907
Email: lulumgc@gmail.com
Research Interests
I did my Bachelor of Science and music minor at the University of Florida. Currently I am pursuing my PhD in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico (where I am from). My project will aim to evaluate the evolution of echolocation signals in mammals and associated sound producing structures using phylogenetic tools.
Agnarsson Lab
Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus
00931 San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Phone: 1-787-764-0000 ext: 2907
Email: lulumgc@gmail.com
Research Interests
I did my Bachelor of Science and music minor at the University of Florida. Currently I am pursuing my PhD in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico (where I am from). My project will aim to evaluate the evolution of echolocation signals in mammals and associated sound producing structures using phylogenetic tools.
