Collecting Tephitids in Sri Lanka
Research Overview
I am a Junior Researcher from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. My research interests focus on the systematics, population genetics, and evolution of native and invasive insects in Hawaii. For my research, I use molecular methods to study the economically damaging tribe Dacini (Diptera: Tephritidae) which includes many pest species such as the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the melon fruit fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae). I have several projects on phylogenetics of several moth genera; Hyles (Sphingidae), Manduca (Sphingidae) Syndemis (Tortricidae) and Hemileuca (Saturniidae). I analyze molecular data using a variety of methods to investigate how various forces (geography, drift, selection, dispersal, vicariance, life history, etc.) shape population structure, species boundaries, and evolutionary relationships.
Research
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