Special seminar by Dr. K. H. Chu

“The Decapod Tree of Life:  Stories from Nuclear Protein-Coding Genes”

Friday, August 5, 2016, 10:30 am
DRC 212 (NRC Building)

“The tremendous morphological diversity of decapod crustaceans is fascinating, but it is also a major hurdle for phylogenetic reconstruction due to challenges in acquiring and coding for sufficient homologous characters.  The use of DNA markers has become integral in helping to resolve the question.  Over the past decade, our group has developed several new nuclear gene markers for decapod phylogenetics and achieved good resolutions in gene tree topologies.  In this seminar I will present a molecular phylogeny of Decapoda based on sequences from two mitochondrial rRNA and five nuclear protein-coding genes, using more than 500 species from >150 families, representing over 80% of the 190 decapod families. Monophyly of the Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata, and all pleocyemate infraorders is confirmed, with the surprise that Procarididea is nested within Caridea. Relationships within Caridea, Anomura and Brachyura will also be discussed.  We believe we will soon attain a comprehensive decapod tree of life.”

Prof. K. H. Chu received his bachelor degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1976 and completed his PhD study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography in 1984. He is a professor at the School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and was the founding the Director of the school. He is also an outstanding fellow of the Faculty of Science, and associate head of the New Asia College of the University. Prof. Chu has diverse interests in marine science and published over 180 papers. His primary research focus is molecular systematics and ecology of crustaceans, covering phylogenetics and population genetics, biodiversity conservation, and marine phylogeography of the Indo-West Pacific.

Everyone Welcome!