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Fields of study
Phylogeography, speciation, amphibian communication, amphibian population declines
Research interests
My dissertation research uses Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus varius and A. zeteki) as a model to demonstrate the utility of integrating phenotypic and genetic studies in the development successful conservation plans. My research addresses questions about the historical and current processes shaping patterns of genetic, demographic, morphological, and ecological variation among golden frog populations using information from molecular phylogenetic, phylogeographic, phenotypic, and mark-recapture studies. Aside from my dissertation, I am interested in: (1) understanding the role of emerging pathogens in amphibian population declines, (2) how key innovations, coupling divergence in male mating signals with female preferences, might facilitate population divergence and speciation, (3) the application of coalescent and ecological niche models to comparative phylogeography, and (4) courtship and male-male aggressive behaviors in the Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis).
Academic background
B.S. Biology, and B.S.E., Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2002.
Advisors
L. Lacey Knowles, Ronald A. Nussbaum
Recent publications
Richards, C. L., V. S. Arch and A. S. Feng. In review. Acoustic communication by the “earless” Kihansi Spray Toad despite
extreme noise. In review in Behavioral Ecology.
Richards, C. L., B. C. Carstens and L. L. Knowles. In review. Distribution modelling and statistical phylogeography: An
integrative framework for generating and testing alternative biogeographic hypotheses. In review in Journal of
Biogeography.
Richards, C. L. and L. L. Knowles. In press. Tests of phenotypic and genetic concordance and their application to the
conservation of Panamanian golden frogs. In press in Molecular Ecology.
Carstens, B. C. and C. L. Richards. In press. Integrating coalescent and ecological niche modeling in comparative
phylogeography. In press in Evolution.
Richards, C. L. 2006. Has the evolution of complexity in the amphibian papilla influenced anuran speciation rates? Journal of
Evolutionary Biology 19:1222-1230.
Karraker, N. E., C. L. Richards, and H. L. Ross. 2006. Observations on the reproductive ecology of Atelopus zeteki and
comparisons to other members of the genus. Herpetological Review 37(3): 284-288.
Richards, C. L., N. E. Karraker, E. J. Griffith, and R. G. Robbins. 2006. Atelopus varius (Variable Harlequin Frog) and Atelopus
zeteki (Panamanian Golden Frog) ectoparasites. Herpetological Review 37(3): 332-333.
Zippel, K. C., R. D. Ibanez, E. D. Lindquist, C. L. Richards, C. A. Jaramillo A., and E. J. Griffith. 2006. Implicaciones en la
conservacion de las ranas doradas de Panama, asociadas a su revision taxonomica. Herpetotropicos 3(1): 29-39.
Knowles, L. L. and C. L. Richards. 2005. Importance of genetic drift during Pleistocene divergence as revealed by analyses
of genomic variation. Molecular Ecology 14: 4023-4032.
Links
Richards' webpage
Project Golden Frog
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