Ricerc@Sapienza

My researches concerns two main aspects of evolutionary biology, both having marine gastropods as study model: (i) pattern and dynamics of biodiversity, which includes integrative taxonomy, molecular phylogenetics, and correlation between different larval development strategies and species genetic connectivity, with a focus on morphologically cryptic neglected groups; (ii) macroevolution of phenotypic traits, especially in host-parasite systems and in prey-predator interactions, with a particular interest in trophic ecology and predation-related toxins diversity. Among my target groups there are Capulidae, a marine gastropods family of kleptoparasite that undergo a host-driven limpetization process, the family Velutinidae for which a molecular based species delimitation approach revealed a hidden species diversity, and Conoidea, a neogastropod superfamily that developed venom as a defensive/predatory strategy.