Molecular Ecology Research Group
Research Group
Research Interests
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The Saproxylic community - Biological Sciences(Monash University)
Why study log-dwelling invertebrates?
A selection of Australian onychophora
Like many of the invertebrates that represent most of multicellular life, log-dwelling invertebrates have been largely
neglected in research. We have been researching a range of members of the community that live in decomposing wood. We started by researching velvet worms or Onychophora. Our recent genetic research on velvet worms and morphological analyses by Mandy Reid (see Reid AL. 1996. Review of the Peripatopsidae (Onychophora) in Australia, with comments on peripatopsid relationships. Invertebrate Taxonomy 10: 663-936) have highlighted that there are as many as 100x as many species of these amazing animals in Australia than thought only 20 years ago. We have been applying genetic markers to understand the source of this hidden diversity, and some of the basic biology of velvet worms.
While our research has begun with Onychophora, they are only an example of the amazing life forms that are to be found
in rotting logs, and how little we know about them.
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