Lab Members
Principal Investigators
Peter Cranston, Ph.D.
pscranston(at)ucdavis.edu
Webpage
Evert and Marion Schlinger Chair in Insect Systematics
Senior editor of Systematic Entomology
B.Sc. (Honours)
Biology, University of London, U.K.
Ph.D Entomology, University of London, U.K.
Systematics, ecology and biogeography of aquatic insects, particularly the Chironomidae
(non-biting midges).
Penelope Gullan, Ph.D.
pjgullan(at)ucdavis.edu
Webpage
B.Sc.
(Honours) Zoology, Monash University, Australia
Ph.D. Entomology, Monash University, Australia
Systematics
(taxonomy and phylogeny) and biology of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea),
especially soft scales, eriococcids, margarodids and mealybugs; ant-coccoid
interactions; insect-plant interactions involving sap-sucking insects,
especially gall-inducing taxa.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Takumasa Kondo, Ph.D.
takumasa.kondo(at)gmail.com
Webpage
and C.V.
Takumasa ("Demian")
completed his B.S. and M.S. at Tokyo University of Agriculture in 1994
and 1996 respectively where he worked with Dr. Shozo Kawai on the scale
insect fauna of the Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and that of the mango tree
worldwide. In 2003 he received his Ph.D. from Auburn University in Alabama
where he tackled the morphologically challenging soft scale insects of
the subfamily Myzolecaniinae. Demian is currently a postdoctoral researcher
in the lab working with funds from an NSF PEET grant on the phylogenetic relationships
of soft scales found in association with acrobat ants that live inside
Macaranga plants in southeast Asia. In his spare time he works
on various side projects including faunistic surveys of Colombian scale
insects, and monographs and descriptions of ant- and bee-loving scale
insects. During his postdoc, he has collected scale insects in Jamaica,
Colombia, Chile, Japan, Ghana, Turkey, Thailand, Mexico and throughout the United States.
In January he will start a new job in Colombia, where he will be investigating
scale insects and other pests of fruit trees.
Cory Unruh
cmunruh(at)ucdavis.edu C.V.
B.S. Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, UCLA
M.S. Entomology, UC Davis
Ph.D. Entomology, UC Davis
Cory completed her PhD in September, 2007 and continues to work in the lab as a postdoc. Her dissertation focused on
the systematics of the scale insect tribe Iceryini (Monophlebidae), specifically the reclassification and identification of
iceryine genera and species based a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the group. With Penny Gullan, Cory has submitted for
publication a comprehensive identification guide to species in the tribe that includes keys to species in each genus, complete
type data, type material information and diagnoses for each species. The guide also includes lectotype designations for over 50
species names. She has also submitted a revision of the Crypticerya species of the southwestern United States and Mexico, including
a new species from Baja California. As a postdoc, she is working with Penny Gullan and Doug Williams (BMNH) on revising the Icerya
species of Australia, which includes a number of undescribed species.
Graduate Students
Nate Hardy
nbhardy(at)ucdavis.edu webpage, C.V.
B.S. Entomology, Cornell University
My research interests are centered on the diversity and evolution of scale insects, especially felt scale (Eriococcidae) and mealybugs (Pseudococcidae).
Most of my taxonomic work has dealt with Southern Hemisphere felt-scale species, specifically species feeding on Eucalyptus, several of which induce galls,
and species on southern beech (Nothofagus), a few of which induce galls. My phylogenetic work has been focused on mealybugs and the Eucalyptus-feeding felt scales.
I am interested in the evolution and ecology of gall-inducing insects in general, as well as the problem of species-delimitation.
In the future I hope to continue describing scale insect diversity and contribute to the assembly of the scale-insect tree of life.
Alex Van Dam
arvandam(at)ucdavis.edu
Alex is a new Ph.D. student in the lab who is working on cochineal insects (Dactylopius spp.). We have no photo of Alex, and
can not take one now because he is in Mexico collecting. While he is gone, his pet gecko is at his station in the lab. We all dote over her,
and she has grown fat.
Former UC Davis Lab Members
Shelah Morita, Ph.D. - Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Wiegmann Lab at North Carolina State University
Geoff Morse, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor at Arizona State University
Doug Downie, Ph.D. - Professor at Rhodes University
Sophia Dimitriadis, Ph.D.
Janie Booth, M.S.
Nam Nguyen, M.S.
Danielle DuCharme, M.S.