Univ: Cal Poly Humboldt

Advis: Joseph Szewczak

MS work title: Genetic evaluation of the historic and current distribution and possible hybridization between Lasiurus borealis and Lasiurus frantzii in western North America

Summary:

My name is Zeinab but I am best known as Rose. I study the biogeography and phylogenetics of red tree bats within the western United States. This study started when Dr. Patricia Brown found an eastern red bat about a 1000 miles from its supposed range at the channel islands of California. With this discovery our perception of the allopatry between the eastern and western red bats was shattered and now my project aims to understand the true range of both red bats in the southwest and northwest regions using mitochondrial DNA sequencing, their genetic interactions through genomics, and the best way to tell them apart in hand through morphometric analysis. I hope to give some much needed insight into the basic biology of these bats to aid in future survey efforts and conservation.