Research interests: The research in my laboratory focuses on reconstructing phylogenetic/evolutionary relationships among North American freshwater fishes. I employ primarily molecular character sets (i.e. DNA sequence data sets) in phylogenetic reconstruction, although I also use both morphological and allozyme data sets for this purpose. I am primarily focused on two groups of stream dwelling fishes, darters and minnows.

Research opportunities: There are a variety of research opportunities for undergraduates in my laboratory. These include topics as diverse as population genetic analysis of rare and endangered fishes to understanding morphological variation within and between species. Students interested in careers in academic biology, particularly those are interested in evolution should feel free to stop by my office and talk to me (or my graduate students) about some of the research projects we are engaged in.

Selected publications:

Wood, R.M., R.L. Mayden, R.H. Matson, B.R. Kuhajda, and S.R. Layman. In press. Systematics and biogeography of the Notropis rubellus species complex (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Bull. Alabama Mus. Nat. Hist. 2002 (vol. XX).

Switzer, J. F. and R. M. Wood. In press. Molecular systematics and historical biogeography of the Missouri Saddled Darter Etheostoma tetrazonum (Actinopterygii: Percidae). Copeia 2002(3): xx-xx.

Raley, M.E. and R.M. Wood. 2001. Molecular systematics of the Notropis dorsalis species group (Actinopterygei: Cyprinidae). Copeia 2001(3): 638-645.

Simons, A.M., R.M. Wood, L. Heath, and R.L. Mayden. 2001. Conservation Genetics of Scaphirhynchus Species based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequences. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:359-366.

Kinziger, A.P., R.M. Wood, and S.A. Welsh. 2001. Molecular systematics of the Etheostoma tippecanoe species group. Copeia. 2001(1):235-239.

Wood, R. M. and M. E. Raley. 2000. Cytochrome b sequence variation in the crystal darter Crystallaria asprella (Actinopterygii: Percidae). Copeia. 2000(1): 20-26.