Dissertation Research: Patterning of Genetic Variation Among Closely Related Butterflyfishes

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Butterflyfishes make excellent models for studying patterns of genetic variation and diversification in marine organisms. They are common and conspicuous members of coral reef communities and display considerable ecological diversity. This study is designed to integrate population genetics (using both nuclear and mitochondrial gene markers) and ecology in an effort to examine overall patterns of variation seen in related species of Indo-west Pacific Butterflyfishes. Indo-west Pacific coral reef communities are some of the most diverse, and possibly threatened, marine systems. Research on Butterflyfishes will provide valuable information on how such coral reef communities form from an historical perspective. In addition, the combined use of genetic and morphological markers will provide a better assessment of the uniqueness of various Butterflyfish stocks occupying these coral reef communities, an absolute necessity for the preservation and management of biodiversity.