 Andrew M. Simons
Associate Professor, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation
Biology
Curator of Fishes, Amphibians, and Reptiles, Bell Museum
of Natural
History
E-mail: asimons@umn.edu
Ph.D.
The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Fields of Interest
North American freshwater fish systematics, theory and practice of phylogenetic
systematics using morphological and molecular data, evolution of complex
morphological character systems
Fish Collection: www.bellmuseum.org/fish.html
Amphibian and Reptile Collection: www.bellmuseum.org/herps.html
Courses
- FW 3136/5136 Biology of Fishes
Research
My research focuses on reconstructing phylogenetic relationships of North
American fishes. A phylogenetic hypothesis provides a historical framework for
investigating hypotheses of speciation and adaptation and has proven to be critical
in many evolutionary studies. I am particularly interested in relationships
of minnows and carps (family Cyprinidae), one of the largest families of fishes.
These fishes are very diverse and occur in a wide range of freshwater environments,
from hot springs to large rivers. Much of my work has utilized mitochondrial
DNA sequences to recover the pattern of relationships among North American cyprinid
genera. I am also interested in using phylogeographic techniques to understand
speciation and dispersal of Central Highlands fishes. Future research involves
integrating mitochondrial sequences with nuclear sequences and morphological
characters, using these data to explore the evolution of morphology, behavior,
and biogeography of these fishes. I am particularly interested in utilizing
phylogenies to investigate the evolution of complex trophic morphological characters
and historical constraints that act on trophic shifts in fishes.
Selected Publications
- Egge, J.J.D. and A.M. Simons. 2009. Molecules, morphology, missing data and the phylogenetic position of a recently extinct madtom (Actinopterygii: Ictaluridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155: 60-75.
- Berendzen, P.B., T. Gamble, and A.M. Simons. 2008. Phylogeography of the bigeye chub, Hybosis amblops (Teleostei: Cypriniformes): Early Pleistocene diversification and post-glacial range expansion. Journal of Fish Biology 73:2021-2039.
- Gamble, T., P.B. Berendzen, B. Shaffer, D.E. Starkey, and A.M. Simons. 2008. Species limits and phylogeography of North American cricket frogs (Acris: Hylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48: 112-125.
- Berendzen, P.B., A.M. Simons, and R.M. Wood, T.E. Dowling, C.L. Secor. 2008. Recovering cryptic diversity and ancient drainage patterns in eastern North America: Historical biogeography of the Notropis rubellus species group (Teleostei: Cypriniformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (46): 721-737.
- Gamble, T., A.M. Simons, G.R. Colli, L.J. Vitt. 2008. Tertiary climate change and the diversification fo the Amazonian gecko genus Gonatodes (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 46: 269-277.
|
