Regina L. Cunha
I am interested in integrating paleoceanographic, phylogeographic, and molecular approaches to infer evolutionary patterns and processes mostly in marine organisms from isolated oceanic islands. These islands are excellent natural laboratories to study biogeography and evolutionary factors underlying the generation of diversity and to test the relative role of historical contingency in evolution.
During my doctoral research I focused on natural populations of marine gastropods genus Conus from the Cape Verde Islands, where molecular data combined with geometric morphometric analysis were used to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology regarding marine speciation. I have also analyzed the influence of historical processes, as the effect of eustatic sea-level changes on species diversification.
Publications
Correia, AT, Ramos AA, Barros F, Silva G, Hamer P, Morais P, Cunha RL, Castilho R (2012) Population structure and connectivity of the European conger eel (Conger conger) across the Northeastern-Atlantic and Western-Mediterranean: integrating molecular and otolith elemental approaches. Marine Biology (in press). IF2010–2.011
Decker, C., Olu, K., Cunha, R.L., Arnaud-Haond, S. (2012) Phylogeny and diversification patterns among vesicomyid bivalves. PLoS one 7(4): e33359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033359. IF2011=4.411 PDF
González EG, Cunha RL, Sevilla RG, Ghanavi HR, Krey G, and Bautista JM (2011) Evolutionary history of the genus Trisopterus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62:1013-1018. IF=3.889 PDF
Reis D, Cunha RL, JR, Patrão C, Rebelo R, Castilho R. (2011) Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia: Caudata) in Portugal: not all black and yellow. Genetica 139:1095-1105. DOI: 10.1007/s10709-011-9609-6. IF=2.358 PDF
Cunha RL, Verdú JR, Lobo, Zardoya, R. (2011) Ancient origin of endemic earth-boring dung beetles (Geotrupidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 59: 578-586. IF=3.889 PDF
Cunha RL, Lopes EP, Reis DM, Castilho R (2011) Genetic structure of Brachidontes puniceus populations in Cape Verde archipelago shows signature of expansion during the last glacial maximum. Journal of Molluscan Studies 77: 175-181. IF=1.253 PDF
Aires T, Marbà N, Cunha RL, Kendrick GA, Walker DI, Serrão EA, Duarte CM, Arnaud-Haond S (2011) Evolutionary history of the seagrass genus Posidonia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 421: 117-130.IF=2.48 PDF
Cunha RL, Blanc F, Bonhomme F, Arnaud-Haond S (2011) Evolutionary Patterns in Pearl Oysters of the Genus
Pinctada (Bivalvia: Pteriidae). Marine Biotechnology 13: 181-192. IF=2.962 PDF
Cunha RL, Grande C, Zardoya R (2009) Neogastropod phylogenetic relationships based on entire mitochondrial
genomes. BMC Evolutionary Biology: 9, 210. PDF
Cunha RL, Tenório MJ, Afonso C, Castilho R, Zardoya R (2008). Replaying the tape: recurring biogeographical patterns in Cape Verde Conus after 12 million years. Molecular Ecology, 17 (3): 885-901. (2006 - IF: 4.825; Ranking – Ecology: 6/114; Evolutionary Biology: 5/34). PDF
Cunha RL, Castilho, R Rüber, R and Zardoya, R (2005). Patterns of Cladogenesis in the Venomous Marine Gastropod Genus Conus from the Cape Verde Islands. Systematic Biology, 54(4):634–650. (IF – 10.523; Ranking - Evolutionary Biology – 2/33). PDF
Center for Marine Sciences
University of Algarve
Campus de Gambelas,
8005-139 Faro, Portugal
