Biodiversity museums are superb spaces for hands-on student learning in the biodiversity sciences. In the SDSU Biodiversity Museum, we emphasize training of students from diverse backgrounds, including first-generation and underrepresented minority groups.

Please welcome the Spring 2024 cohort of Biodiversity Museum undergraduate researchers!

Spring 2024 Biodiversity Museum undergraduates (L to R): Francesca, Veronica, Malia, Ryan, and Sarah

Below is a short list of publications with SDSU undergraduate students as authors, using SDSU Biodiversity Museum specimens:

SDSU Undergrad Students: **

  • Ciaccio, E., A. Debray**, and M. Hedin. 2022. Phylogenomics of paleoendemic lampshade spiders (Araneae, Hypochilidae, Hypochilus), with the description of a new species from montane California. ZooKeys 1086: 163-204. 
  • Derkarabetian, S., S. Castillo**, P. K. Koo, S. Ovchinnikov and M. Hedin. 2019. A demonstration of unsupervised machine learning in species delimitation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 139: 106562.
  • Hedin, M., S. Derkarabetian, A. Alfaro**, M. J. Ramírez and J.E. Bond. 2019. Phylogenomic analysis and revised classification of atypoid mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Mygalomorphae), with notes on arachnid ultraconserved element loci. PeerJ 7: e6864.
  • Derkarabetian, S., J. Starrett, N. Tsurusaki, D. Ubick, **S. Castillo, M. Hedin. 2018. A stable phylogenomic classification of Travunioidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores) based on sequence capture of ultraconserved elements. Zookeys 760, 1-36.
  • Mabry, M. E., R. A. Dowdy**, L. M. Simpson, J. P. Rebman, and M. G. Simpson. 2016. Taxonomy of the winged popcorn flower: Cryptantha pterocarya (Boraginaceae). Phytotaxa 253:97-130.
  • Simpson, M. G., R. A. Dowdy**, J. P. Rebman, R. B. Kelley, and L. M. Simpson. 2014. The recognition of two species in Eremocarya (Boraginaceae): Evidence from fornix bodies, nutlets, corolla size, and biogeography. Madroño 61: 259–275.
  • Hedin, M., **D. Carlson. 2011. A new trapdoor spider species from the southern Coast Ranges of California (Mygalomorphae, Antrodiaetidae, Aliatypus coylei, nov sp), including consideration of mitochondrial phylogeographic structuring. Zootaxa 2963, 55-68.
  • **Thomas, S.M., M. Hedin.2008.Multigenic phylogeographic divergence in the paleoendemic southern Appalachian opilionid Fumontana deprehendor Shear (Opiliones, Laniatores, Triaenonychidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 46, 645-658.
  • **Starrett J., M. Hedin. 2007. Multilocus genealogies reveal multiple cryptic species and biogeographic complexity in the California turret spider Antrodiaetus riversi (Mygalomorphae, Antrodieatidae). Molecular Ecology 16, 583-604.
  • **Thomas S.M., M. Hedin. 2006. Natural history and distribution of the enigmatic southern Appalachian opilionid, Fumontana deprehendor Shear(Laniatores: Triaenonychidae), with an assessment of morphological variation. Zootaxa 1242, 21-36.