Alexandra
Hiller |
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Phylogeny
of Porcellanid crabs |
I
am interested in the evolution and ecology of decapod crustaceans. My work
focuses primarily on the use of morphological and molecular data to address
questions on the systematics, biogeography and ecology of porcelain crabs
(Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura).
Porcellanids are marine crab-like anomurans (they are not true crabs, like
brachyurans), with most of its species occurring in tropical regions. There
are about 260 currently recognized species classified in nearly 30 genera.
Porcellanidae is a morphologically well-defined taxon but the evolutionary
relationships within this family are poorly known.
My PhD work involves studying the morphology of these crabs, with emphasis
on the genus Petrolisthes, a heterogeneous genus with world-wide
distribution and more than 100 species. I use DNA sequence variation to
establish hypotheses about the evolution of morphological and ecological
traits and the phylogenetic relationships within this genus. One aspect
of my work involves disentangling complexes of species that are morphologically
difficult to distinguish but that have a genetic identity and unique colour
and colour patterns. One of these species complexes is the Petrolisthes
galathinus complex (Werding, 1983). Petrolistes galathinus (Bosc,
1802) has been reported as a highly variable species containing several
different colour morphs, and with a wide geographic distribution in the
western Atlantic and eastern Pacific. Much of the current taxonomic confusion
can be traced to the original ambiguous description by Bosc in 1802, who
failed to specify a type specimen or type locality. The complex, mentioned
the first time by Werding (1983), currently consists of six described species
and several colour forms.
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The
following link will bring up pictures of the Petrolisthes
galathinus complex, including the different colour varieties and
the original P. galathiuns drawing, described by Bosc as Porcellana
galathina. |
| P.
galathinus was described by Bosc in 1802 as Porcellana galathina.
This author failed to specify a type specimen or type locality and the original
drawing is rather imprecise. This has led to taxonomic confusion and lack
of identity of this species. The Petrolisthes galathinus complex
(Werding, 1983) currently consists of six described species. P. galathinus
still comprises an assemblage of different colour forms, which needs further
analysis. An additional colour morph for another species in the complex,
P. caribensis, was identified during recent collections on the
Caribbean coast of Colombia.
P. galathinus (Bosc, 1802), with different colour
morphs, including one from the eastern Pacific
P. rosariensis Werding, 1982
P. caribensis Werding, 1983, with two different colour morphs
P. columbiensis Werding, 1983
P. sanmartini Werding & Hiller, 2002
P. bolivarensis Werding & Kraus, 2002
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Pictures
of Petrolishtes galathinus complex: Each thumbnail
will open a large image |
A
new sibling species within Petrolisthes edwardsii (de Saussure
1853)
Material
sampled during a recent field trip to the Pacific coast of Colombia revealed
two different color forms morphologically matching Petrolisthes edwardsii
(de Saussure, 1853) (Crustacea: Anomura: Porcellanidae). A more careful
examination allowed discovering constant morphological differences correspondent
to each color morph.
One of them
was designated as “Violet” and the other color form was designated
as “Orange”. These forms were collected in sympatry, and seem
to have the same geographic range and similar ecological requirements,
judging from collecting data of museum material. Examination of museum
material indicated that the two morphotypes are distributed from Lower
California and the Sea of Cortez, through Central America to Colombia.
Specimens from Galapagos Islands corresponded morphologically to the “Violet”
variation.
Those available
from the coast of Ecuador corresponded to the “Orange” variation.
Analysis of DNA sequences of a fragment of the COI mitochondrial gene
revealed a different genetic identity for each morphotype, irrespectively
of its geographic origin. Both morphological and molecular data support
the designation of each morphotype as a separate species. The “Violet”
form is being currently redescribed as P. edwardsii and the “Orange”
variation is being described as a new species.
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Pictures
of Petrolisthes edwardsii
(de Saussure, 1853): Each thumbnail will open a large
image
P. edwardsii Violet |
P. edwardsii Orange |
A
new porcellanid species
from the Caribbean Sea: Each thumbnail will open
a large image
Recent collections
of Porcellanidae on the northern coast of Hispaniola revealed a small
new species, which belongs to a putative natural division of American
Petrolisthes species represented in the eastern Pacific by six
species (Haig, 1960) and in the western Atlantic by Petrolisthes jugosus
(Streets, 1872) and P. magdalenensis Werding 1978. This new species
is being currently described.
Petrolisthes
sp. nov. |
Another aspect
of my research is the exploration of the influence of the Isthmus of Panama
in driving speciation. Porcellanids constitute an ideal model to conduct
this study, since from the more than 120 American species there are 6
nominal transisthmian species and a series of species pairs.
Porcellanid-material
sampling on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Colombia were conducted
in cooperation with the Taxonomy, Systematics and Marine Ecology Research
Group (GTSEM: Grupo de Investigación sobre Taxonomía, Sistemática
y Ecología Marina of INVEMAR (Institute of Marine and Coastal Research,
Santa Marta, Colombia).
To visit the GTSEM
page go to the following link:
http://web.invemar.org.co/redcostera1/invemar/noticias.jsp?idart=146&idcat=17
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Other
projects:
Development of an interactive taxonomic key of the western Atlantic Porcellanidae
with B. Werding and K. Ekschmitt. More on this and other interactive keys
(see K.
Ekschmitt)
Development
of a catalogue of Porcellanidae world wide.
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Department of Animal Ecology
Justus-Liebig-University
Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32
35392 Giessen
Germany
tel.: +49 641 99 35624
fax: +49 641 99 35639
Alexandra.Hiller-Galvis@allzool.bio.uni-giessen.de |
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PERSONAL |
Birth
Date:
Birth Place:
Citizenship:
Languages:
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May
24, 1972
Bogotá, Colombia
Colombian and German
Spanish (native), English and German
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EDUCATION |
| 2001-present |
PhD candidate,
Department of Animal Ecology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
“Evolutionary studies of crustacean decapods” Advisor: Bernd
Werding. |
| 1996-2000 |
Diplom-Biologist,
Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany |
| 1991-1995 |
Undergraduate
student, Biology Faculty, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia |
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SPECIALIZATIONS |
| March 2002 |
Cladistics
Workshop “Phylogenetic Analysis: Theory and Practice”. First
workshop of the Willi Hennig Society: Universidad Nacional de Tucumán,
Argentina. |
| May 2002 |
Workshop “Molecular
Evolution”. Facultad de Ciencias Del Mar y Del Ambiente, Universidade
do Algarve, Faro, Portugal |
| Oct. 2003 |
Workshop “Theorie
und Praxis der Computer Kladistik”. Zoologisches Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
München. |
| Sept. 2004 |
Workshop:
"Use of molecular markers for the study of marine biodiversity".
Institute of Marine Research, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal. |
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RESEARCH EXPERIENCE |
| 1999-present |
Member of
the Taxonomy, Systematics and Marine Ecology Research Group (GTSEM: Grupo
de Investigación sobre Taxonomía, Sistemática y Ecología
Marina), Institute of Marine and Coastal Research - INVEMAR - Santa Marta,
Colombia. |
| Apr. 2004 |
Research visitor,
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Crustacean collections. |
| Sept. 2003 |
Participation
in the “Nuquí Expedition INVEMAR”, Colombian Pacific.
Responsible for crustacean material sampling. Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems
Program of INVEMAR. |
| Feb. 2002 |
Field work
in the Gulf of Morrosquillo, Colombian Caribbean. Responsible for material
sampling for the study of the Caribbean crustacean fauna in cooperation
with the Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. |
| Jan. 2002 |
Field work
in different localities of the Colombian Caribbean. Responsible for material
sampling for the study of the Caribbean porcellanid fauna (Crustacea: Anomura).
Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems Program of INVEMAR |
| July 2001 |
Research visitor,
Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen. Crustacean collections. |
| June 2001 |
Research visitor,
Rosenstiel School of Marine And Atmospheric Science University of Miami.
Crustacean collections. |
| March 2001 |
Participation
in the marine cruise “Expedition INVEMAR-Macrofauna II”, Colombian
Caribbean. Responsible for crustacean samplings |
| Dec. 2000 |
Research visitor,
National Museum of Natural History, Washington. Crustacean collections. |
| Sept. 2000 |
Research visitor,
Museum National D´Histoire Naturelle - Paris. Training in molecular
methods at the Molecular Systematics Laboratory and visit to the crustacean
collections. |
| Feb. 2000 |
Field work
in Gorgona Island, Colombian Pacific coast. Responsible for material sampling
for conducting a study of the Colombian Pacific porcellanid fauna (Crustacea:
Anomura). Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems Program of INVEMAR. |
| Sept. 1998 |
Field course
“Marine Ecosystems” given by the Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems
Program of INVEMAR in cooperation with the Justus-Liebig University. |
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UNDERGRADUATE
PROJECTS SUPERVISED |
| 2004-present |
Juan Felipe
Lazarus (Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia). Taxonomic composition and
population structure of porcellanids (Crustacea: Anomura: Porcellanidae)
in the Bay of Buenaventura and Bay of Malaga, Colombian Pacific. |
| 2000 |
Antje Caelers
(Justus Liebig University). Behavioral and genetic studies of tropical cat
fish (Siluriformes). |
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RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| 2001-present |
INVEMAR-Macrofauna
II. Characterization of the Macrofauna of the Caribbean continental slope
of Colombia. |
| 2003 |
INVEMAR-Macrofauna
III. Characterization of the Macrofauna of the northern Pacific continental
slope of Colombia, with emphasis on the taxonomy, systematics and biogeography
of the American species of the families Porcellanidae and Galatheidae (Crustacea:
Anomura). |
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HONORS, AWARDS
AND GRANTS |
| Feb. 2005 |
Best Student
Poster Award. 12. Crustaceologen-Tagung, Deutsches Zentrum für Marine
Biodiversitätsforschung, Senckenberg Naturmuseum, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. |
| Feb. 2003 |
Best Student
Poster Award. The Crustacean Society. Crustaceologen-Tagung, Universität
Ulm, Germany. |
| 2000-2003 |
Graduate Research
Grant. Awarded by the Hesse State (Stipendium nach dem Hessischen Gesetz
zur Förderung von Nachwuchswissenschaftlern). |
| Jan.-Feb.
2002 |
DAAD Grant
to conduct field work in Colombia (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
- German Academic Interchange Service). |
| July 2001 |
COBICE Programme
Grant “Improving Human Potential”, Copenhagen. European Commission.
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| Sept. 2000 |
PARSYST Programme
Grant. Systematics Collections, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle,
Paris. |
| 2000 and 2005 |
Award to the
“Taxonomy and Systematics research group”, INVEMAR, as one of
the best research teams (category A) within the National Research Programme
of COLCIENCIAS (Colombian Institute for the Development of Research and
Technology). |
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TEACHING |
| 2001-present
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Teaching Assistant
in the course „Zoological Exercises - Advanced level: Phylogenetics
module”. |
| 2000-present |
Training of
Colombian researchers from INVEMAR in molecular techniques. |
| 2000-present
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Teaching Assistant
in the course „Zoological Exercises - Beginners level”. |
| 2001-present
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Teaching Assistant
in the course „Biology and Ecology of Crustacea ”. |
| 2001-2002
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Teaching Assistant
in the course „Molecular Ecology”. |
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ORAL AND POSTER
PRESENTATIONS |
| 2005 |
Hiller, A.,
K. Ekschmitt & B. Werding, 2005. More than just a taxonomic key: An
interactive identification key fort he western Atlantic Porcellanidae (Crustacea:
Decapoda: Anomura). In: 12. Crustaceologen-Tagung,. Program and Abstracts,
p. 38. |
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Almon, M &
A. Hiller, 2005. Morphometric studies of the Petrolisthes galathinus
species complex (Crustacea: Anomura: Porcellanidae). In: 12. Crustaceologen-Tagung,.
Program and Abstracts, p. 9. |
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Ekschmitt,
K., A. Hiller & B. Werding, 2005. Fast and reliable species-identification
with a PC? In: 12. Crustaceologen-Tagung,. Program and Abstracts, p. 12. |
| 2003 |
Hiller, A.
& H. Kraus, 2003. Congruence between color pattern and molecular and
larval characters in the American Petrolisthes galathinus species
complex. In: 11. Crustaceologen-Tagung, Universität Ulm. Program and
Abstracts, p.23. |
| 2002 |
Hiller, A.,
H. Kraus & B. Werding, 2002. Morphological and molecular characterization
of the Petrolisthes galathinus species complex (Crustacea: Decapoda:
Anomura). In: Book of Abstracts - 8th Colloquium Crustacea Decapoda Mediterranea,
2002. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens at the Ionian University,
Corfu, p. 100. |
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Werding, Bernd,
A. Hiller & H. Kraus, 2002. Biogeography of the temperate American porcellanid
crab species (Decapoda: Anomura: Porcellanidae). In: Book of Abstracts -
8th Colloquium Crustacea Decapoda Mediterranea, 2002, National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens at the Ionian University, Corfu, p. 100. |
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Kraus, H.,
A. Hiller & B. Werding, 2002. Zoeal morphology as a tool for porcellanid
phylogeny (Crustacea: Decapoda: Porcellanidae), with special emphasis on
the new world species of the genus Petrolisthes. In: Book of Abstracts -
8th Colloquium Crustacea Decapoda Mediterranea, 2002, National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens at the Ionian University, Corfu, p. 74. |
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