One of my main research interests is the study of evolutionary biology, with special focus on adaptive radiations, through molecular and morphological approaches and using spiders as a model organism. Since I started my PhD I have extensively worked towards understanding the evolution of the spider genus Dysdera in the Canary Islands, trying to decipher the patterns behind their amazing adaptive radiation. In 2010 I completed my PhD in the University of La Laguna in collaboration with the University of Barcelona, addressing the different aspects of the evolution, systematics, morphology and phylogeography of several species of Dysdera in the Canarian archipelago. In 2012-2013 I was awarded two postdoctoral fellowships to conduct research in Aarhus University (Denmark) and University of Kentucky (USA) to study the factors that promote morphological diversification due to food specialization in Dysdera. In October 2016 I started a postdoctoral researcher funded by a Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellowship at the Finnish Museum of Natural History (University of Helsinki) and at the Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), working in a project that aims at revealing the main drivers of biodiversity in different biogeographical areas and ecosystems (islands vs. continents) by analysing the different components of biodiversity (taxonomic (TD), phylogenetic (PD) and functional diversity (FD)), using spiders as model organisms. Since October 2019 I am hired as Associated Professor in the University of La Laguna conducting teaching and research activities.

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Email:
nemacias@ull.edu.es

Web References:

Keywords:
Evolutionary biology, systematics, phylogenetics, morphology, phylogeography, nutrition ecology, molecular prey detection, biodiversity, community assembly, ecosystem functioning.

Relevant Island Knowledge:
Canary Islands

Taxon:
Spiders

Geographic Location:
Canary Islands