Postdoc (UC Berkeley & University of Cape Town)

Email: jerome.fuchs [at] berkeley.edu

Jointly mentored with: Prof Tim Crowe (University of Cape Town)

Field of Interest

At present I am working in collaboration with Rauri Bowie and Tim Crowe on the comparative biogeography of several African species/genera using a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear sequences.

The project encompasses different taxonomic levels, from higher level phylogeny (e.g. Malaconotidae and allies) to phylogeography (e.g Dicrurus sp, Lanius collaris, Smithornis capensis). Our main objectives are to test the hypothesis of common speciation patterns in space and time for several clades of forest birds using a comprehensive sampling of both taxa/individuals and genes (mitochondrial, autosomal and Z-linked loci). As part of these projects, we are, for example, working on the species-level phylogenies for the woodpecker genera Campethera and Dendropicos.

We will also address the evolutionary history of 'finger-biting' birds (i.e. shrike-like passerines - e.g. Dicruridae, Laniidae, Malaconotidae - see below for unpublished field observations about diet) in order to understand when these lineages diversified in Africa.

My postdoc is jointly funded by the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute (University of Cape Town, South Africa) and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (University of California at Berkeley, USA).

Publications

• Fuchs, J., Pons, J-M., Goodman, S.M., Bretagnolle, V., Melo, M., Bowie, R.C.K., Currie, D., Safford, R., Virani, M.Z., Thomsett, S., Hija, A., Cruaud, C. and Pasquet, E. (2008). Tracing the colonisation history of the Indian Ocean Scops-owls (Strigiformes: Otus) with further insights into the spatio-temporal origin of the Malagasy avifauna. BMC Evolutionary Biology. In press.

• Irestedt, M., Fuchs J., Jønsson K. A., Ohlson J.I. Pasquet E. and Ericson, P.G.P. (2008). The systematic affinity of the enigmatic Lamprolia victoriae (Aves: Passeriformes) – An example of avian dispersal between New Guinea and Fiji over Miocene intermittent landbridges. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In press.

• Fuchs J., and Hassanin A. (2008) Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina elisae at Kampot. Cambodia Bird News. In press.

• Fuchs J., Pons J.-M., Ericson P.G.P., Bonillo, C., Couloux, A., Pasquet E. (2008) Molecular support for a rapid cladogenesis of the woodpecker clade Malarpicini, with further insights into the genus Picus (Piciformes: Picinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In press.

• Melo M., and Fuchs J. (2008) Phylogenetic relationships of the Alcedo Gulf of Guinea Kingfishers (Alcedinidae: Alcedininae). Ibis. In press.

• Fuchs J., Ericson P.G.P., and Pasquet E. (2008) Mitochondrial phylogeographic structure of the White-browed Piculet (Sasia ochracea): cryptic genetic differentiation and endemism in Indochina. Journal of Biogeography. 35: 565-575.

• Jønsson, K.A., Irestedt, M., Fuchs, J., Ericson, P.G.P., Christidis, L., Bowie, R.C.K., Norman, J.A., Pasquet, E. and Fjeldså, J. (2008) Explosive avian radiations and multi-directional dispersal across Wallacea: evidence from the Campephagidae and other Crown Corvida (Aves). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 47: 221-236.

• Fuchs J., Cibois A., Duckworth W.J., Eve R., Robichaud W.G., Tizard T., Van Gansberghe D. (2007) Bird of Phongsaly Province and the Nam Ou river (Laos). Forktail 23: 22-86.

• Pasquet E., Pons J.-M., Fuchs J., Cruaud C., Bretagnolle V. (2007) Evolutionary history and biogeography of the drongos (Dicruridae), a tropical Old World clade of corvoid passerines. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 45: 158-167.

• Moyle R.G. Fuchs J., Pasquet E., Marks B. (2007) Feeding behavior, toe count and the phylogenetic relationships among alcedinine kingfishers. Journal of Avian Biology 38:317-326.

• Fuchs J., Cruaud C., Couloux A., Pasquet E. (2007) Complex biogeographic history of the cuckoo-shrikes and allies (Passeriformes: Campephagidae) revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44:138-153.

• Fuchs J., Pons J.-M., Pasquet E., Raherilalao M.J., Goodman S.M. (2007) Geographical structure of genetic variation in the Malagasy Scops-Owl inferred from mitochondrial sequence data. Condor 109: 408-418.

• Fuchs J., Ohlson J.I., Ericson P.G.P, Pasquet E. (2007) Synchronous intercontinental splits between assemblages of woodpeckers suggested by molecular data. Zoologica Scripta 36: 11-25.

• Fuchs J., Fjeldså J., Bowie R.C.K., Voelker G., Pasquet E. (2006) The African warbler genus Hyliota as a lost lineage in the Oscine songbird tree: molecular support for an African origin of the Passerida. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39: 186-197.

• Fuchs J., Fjeldså J., Pasquet E. (2006) An ancient radiation of African corvoid birds detected by mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Zoologica Scripta 35: 375-385.

• Fuchs J., Ohlson J.I., Ericson P.G.P., Pasquet E. (2006) Molecular phylogeny and biogeographic history of the piculets (Piciformes: Picumninae). Journal of Avian Biology 37: 487-496.

• Fuchs J., Fjeldså J., Pasquet E. (2005) The use of mitochondrial and nuclear data in assessing the taxonomic status of the Endangered Uluguru Bush-Shrike (Malaconotus alius). Ibis 147: 717-724.

• Fuchs J., Bowie R.C.K, Fjeldså J., Pasquet E. (2004) Phylogenetic relationships of the African bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes (Passeriformes: Malaconotidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 33: 428-439.