Taxonomy and Systematics

Freshwater mussels are very unique organisms due to their complicated life history and ecological role in freshwater biomes. They are very important for improving water quality and nutrient cycling, however; little is known about the species currently present worldwide and their decline appears to be enigmatic.

My research focus has involved applying phylogenetics to better understand species distribution and systematics of threatened populations. This is extremely important given the difficulty of identifying mussels in the field morphologically. I am also interested in how past geological processes and climate change have shaped riverine fauna. I have explored these research topics by investigating the status of a critically endangered freshwater mussel species (Family Unionidae), Popenaias popeii, in Mexico, and other species that occur in Texas and the Rio Pánuco Basin. We were able to determine P. popeii’s distributional range, phylogenetic structure, and molecular and morphological diagnoses of a new species, P. berezai, found in Mexico. In the Western Gulf of Mexico coastal rivers we were able to identify vicariant events that shaped current species distributions, which have helped guide conservation priorities for the Fusconaia species.