Research in my lab focuses on the evolution and biomechanics of insect mouthparts, with special attention to ants. I am interested in answering the question how mouthpart shape and mechanics determine what ants eat and how has that influenced their evolution? I am also the director of the J. Gordon Edwards Entomology Museum, and so am also interested in how we can use natural history collections to answer these research questions. Some ongoing projects in my lab include:
Researching the ecomorphology of mealybug ants (genus Acropyga) and how the shape of their mandibles affects their symbiosis with mealybugs.
Understanding the mechanics and evolution of trap-jaw ant mouthparts
Measuring changes in ant diversity and abundance in the Bay Area using natural history collections.
