CURRICULUM VITAE
Regina Lopes da Cunha
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name: Regina L. Cunha
Date of birth: 26-10-1967
Nationality: Portuguese
Institutional Address: CCMAR, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Telephone: +351 91 6068211
E-mail: rcunha@ualg.pt
Main Scientific Areas of Research
Evolutionary Biology - Conservation - Phylogenomics - Phylogeography
Academic Degrees
2002 - 2008 – Ph.D. “Tempo and mode of evolution of the genus Conus (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda) in the Cape Verde Islands”, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain. Grant: Portuguese National Science Foundation /BD/9209/2002. Subject: Evolutionary Biology. Host institution: Museo Nacional Ciencias Naturales. Supervisor: Dr. Rafael Zardoya. Classification: Summa cum Laude.
1996 - 2001 – Graduation in Marine Biology, University of Algarve, Portugal, with the final classification of 16 (maximum=20) and final practice work in the area of Molecular Phylogeny of Pleuronectiformes with the classification of 20 (maximum=20).
1985 -1989 – Bachelor of Science (Engineer Agronomist - Zootechny), University of Coimbra, Portugal, with the final classification of 15/20 and final practice work in “The importance of the intermediate host Limnaea truncatula in the management of fasciolosis in sheep maintained under field conditions” with the classification of 18 (maximum=20).
Professional Experience
24/10/2018 to present. Researcher - Contract DL 57/2016/CP1361/CT0013 University of Algarve, Portugal.
01/02/2016 to 31/01/2019. Postdoctoral fellow - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (ref. SFRH/BPD/109685/2015), (CCMAR, University of Algarve, Portugal).
01/02/2010 to 31/01/2016. Postdoctoral fellow - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (ref. SFRH/BPD/65830/2009), (CCMAR, University of Algarve, Portugal).
01/02/2009 to 31/01/2010. Postdoctoral fellow (ref. CCMAR/BPD/0043/2008) in the European project ESF - EUROCORES 1390 -"DEECON - Unraveling population connectivity for sustainable fisheries in the Deep Sea", (CCMAR, University of Algarve, Portugal).
Participation in projects
2021-2024. Participation in the project ref: Ref. EXPL/BIA-BMA/0682/2021 funded by FCT (Portuguese National Science Foundation) “microCOOL: microbial endosymbiotic thermal buffer against heatwaves. Budget: 49.971,79€. Team: CCMAR; Rhodes University, South Africa.
2021-2024. Participation in the project GenClim, Biodiversity on the run: evolutionary and socioeconomic consequences of shifting distribution ranges in commercially exploited marine fishes. Consortium budget : 670000 EUR. Team: Technical University of Denmark; Stellenbosch University, South Africa; CCMAR, Portugal; University of Kiel, Germany; ISPA, Portugal.
2019-2022. Participation in the project “CoGeDiv - Comparative Genomics of species Divergence for linking speciation to species life-history traits. Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM) - Université de Montpellier. France.
2019-2021. Participation in the project as a consultant “Evolutionary history of Fissurella species (Mollusca, Vetigastropoda): an integrative approach to unravel their diversity, origin and diversification in South America”. Project ref. 1090670- FONDECYT (Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico), Initiation into Research 2018. Chile
2016-2018. Participation in the project “Comparative and adaptive genomics for the study of Macaronesian island radiations – MACAGEN”. MINECO, Spain.
2013-2015. Participation in the project “Understanding the molecular basis of island radiations of the Macaronesia through comparative transcriptomics – ChemoConRad”. CGL2013-45211-C2-2-P. MINECO (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad - Spain).
2009-2011. Participation in the project SHIFTING. Marine phylogeographic structuring during climate change: the signature of leading and rear edge of range shifting populations. MarinERA 189570: Facilitating the coordination of national and regional marine RTD programs in Europe.
2008-2010. Participation in the project HERCULES. Gene flow across the Pillars of Hercules: the role of North Africa in the postglacial recolonization of Europe. PTDC/BIA-BDE/74349/2006.
2003/2004. Participation in the project “Discerning ecological and historical influences on the diversity of dung beetle assemblages in two Palaearctic steppe regions” funded by Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain, CGL2007-60954.
2001/2002. Participation in the project funded by the FCT (Portuguese National Science Foundation) “Contribution to the knowledge of the phylogeny of flat fishes (Pleuronectiformes, Teleostei)” (POCTI / 1999 / BSE / 34891).
2000/2001. Participation in the project Fisheries & population structure of Scomber spp.in the Mediterranean and S. Iberian Atlantic waters” STUDIES 99/034 (FCMA, University of Algarve).
Awards
2008 - The Malacological Society of London's Annual Award.
Experience as scientific advisor
2023 | Anna Koivunen. MSc. University of Algarve. Subject: "Reef fish community structure and the refuge hypothesis in mesophotic ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean". Co-supervision with Dr Hudson Tercio Pinheiro.
2022 | Alexander Vanhaelen. MSc. Biomonitoring vertebrate communities in the northwest Atlantic using eDNA metabarcoding. Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2021 | Adam Galatoulas. MSc. University of Algarve. Subject “Origin of stranded loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) along the Portuguese coast”. Completed in 2021.
2019 | Jamie Maxwell. Master. University of Essex. Subject “Investigating the genetic and morphological variability of deep-sea Polynoidae found in association with Alyconacean corals across the Mid- Atlantic”. Co-supervision with Dr Michelle Taylor. Completed in 2019.
2017 | Teófilo Morim. Master. Universidade do Algarve. Subject “The invasive pathway of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) in Iberia.” Co-supervision with Rita Castilho. Completed in 2019.
2014 | Cláudia Patrão. PhD. Universidade do Algarve. Subject “Ecological niche modeling, cytogenetics and phylogeography of the genera Geomalacus and Letourneuxia (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) from the Iberian-Moroccan region. Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2014 | Gonçalo Silva. PhD. Universidade do Algarve. Subject “Study of genetic gradients among populations of Atlantic anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) located along marine ecotones”. Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2011 | Gregory Neils Puncher. Master. Universidade do Algarve. Subject “Assessment of seafood sustainability and traceability within the seafood industry: Developing a Sustainable Seafood Policy for the University of the Algarve”. Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2010 | Márcio Coelho. Master. Universidade do Algarve. Subject "Phylogeny of gorgonian species from the genus Eunicella and Leptogorgia of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea". Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2009 | Evandro Lopes. Master. Universidade do Algarve. Subject "Evolutionary patterns of Brachidontes puniceus (Bivalvia: Mollusca)". Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
2008 – Davide Reis. Master. Universidade do Algarve. Subject “Biogeography of the Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra, Linnaeus 1758) in Portugal”. Co-supervision with Rita Castilho.
Participation in academic juris
2022 | MSc. - as main examiner. University of Algarve. Aljosa Gracner. “Assessing fouling communities in the Northern Adriatic trough photo-analysis of ARMS plates”.
2020 | PhD. - as main examiner. ISPA, Instituto Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida. Ana Maria de Azambuja Farinha da Conceição Pereira Crespo. “Evolução dos cuidados parentais e da parentalidade em peixes ósseos da subclasse actinopterygil: Uma abordagem filogenética”.
2020 | MSc. - as main examiner. University of Algarve. Vítor Hugo Ferreira Dias.
Another brick in the restoration of gorgonians: Assessment of coral bycatch in artisanal Fisheries and its potential for restoration actions”.
2019 | MSc. - as main supervisor. University of Algarve. Jamie Maxwell. “Investigating the genetic and morphological variability of deep-sea Polynoidae found in association with Alyconacean corals across the Mid- Atlantic”.
2019 | MSc. - as main examiner. University of Algarve. Sara Maria da Costa Pereira. “Thermotolerance experiments and transplantation procedures of four gorgonian species from the South of Portugal, Algarve”.
Publications
30. Cunha RL, Faleh AB, Francisco S, Corona LS, Dia M, Šanda R, Vukic J, Castilho R, Robalo JI (2022) Three mitochondrial lineages and no Atlantic-Mediterranean barrier for the bogue Boops boops across its widespread distribution. Scientific Reports 12(1):22124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26651-8 (IF - 4.996)
29. Cunha RL, Nicastro KR, Zardi GI, Madeira C, McQuaid CD, Cox CJ and Castilho R (2022) Comparative mitogenomic analyses and gene rearrangements reject the alleged polyphyly of a bivalve genus. PeerJ 10:e13953 10.7717/peerj.13953 (IF - 3.06).
28. Cunha RL, Costa A, Godinho F, Santos C, Castilho R Hidden diversity of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) from Angola, West Africa (2021) Conservation Genetics 23:429-433. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-021-01422-6 (IF- 3.092).
27. Cunha RL, Sala J, Machado M, Boix D, Madeira C, Madeira P, Cristo M, Cancela da Fonseca L and Castilho R Distinctive genetic signatures of two fairy shrimp species with overlapping ranges in Iberian temporary ponds (2021) Freshwater Biology 66 (9):1680-1697 doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13782 (IF - 3.809).
26. Egger C, Neusser TP, Norenburg J, Leasi F, Buge B, Vannozzi A, Cunha RL, Cox CJ Jöger KM Uncovering the shell game with barcodes: diversity of meiofaunal Caecidae snails (Truncatelloidea, Caenogastropoda) from Central America (2020) ZooKeys 968:1-42 https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.968.52986 (IF - 1.143).
25. Cunha RL, Forsman ZH, Belderok R, Knapp ISS, Castilho R, Toonen RJ (2019) Rare coral under the genomic microscope: timing and relationships among Hawaiian Montipora BMC Evolutionary Biology, 19,153 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-019-1476-2 (IF – 3.252).
24. Morim T, Bigg GR, Madeira PM, Palma J, Duvernell DD, Gisbert E, Cunha RL, Castilho R (2018) Invasive genetics of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus): recent anthropogenic introduction in Iberia. PeerJ 7:e6155 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6155 (IF - 2.380)
23. Coscia I, Castilho R, Massa-Gallucci A, Sacchi C, Cunha RL, Stefanni S, Helyar SJ, Knutsen H, and Mariani S (2018) Genetic homogeneity in the deep-sea grenadier Macrourus berglax across the North Atlantic Ocean. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 132: 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2017.12.001(IF - 2.848).
22. Cunha RL, Patrão C and Castilho R. (2017) Different diversity-dependent declines in speciation rate unbalances species richness in terrestrial slugs. Scientific Reports 7, 16198. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16417-y. (IF – 4.259). http://rdcu.be/A80t
21. Silva G, Cunha RL, Ramos AA and Castilho R (2017) Wandering behaviour prevents inter and intra oceanic speciation in a coastal pelagic fish. Scientific Reports, 7: 2893 doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02945-0. IF – 4.259.
20. Castilho R, Cunha RL, Faria C, Velasco E, Robalo JI. (2017) Asymmetrical dispersal and putative isolation-by-distance of an intertidal blenniid across the Atlantic-Mediterranean divide. PeerJ 5:e3195 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3195. IF – 2.2.
19. Madeira PM, Chefaoui RM, Cunha RL, Moreira F, Dias S, Calado G and Castilho R. (2017) High-unexpected genetic diversity of a narrow endemic terrestrial mollusc. PeerJ 5: e3069. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3069. IF – 2.18.
18. Cunha RL, Assis JM, Madeira C, Seabra, R, Lima FP, Lopes EP, Williams ST and Castilho R (2017). Drivers of Cape Verde archipelagic endemism in keyhole limpets. Scientific Reports, 7: 41817. doi:10.1038/srep41817. IF - 5.228.
17. Ranjbar MS, Zolgharnien H, Yavari V, Archangi B, Salari MA, Arnaud-Haond S, Cunha RL (2016). Rising the Persian Gulf black-lip pearl oyster to the species level: fragmented habitat and chaotic genetic patchiness in Pinctada persica. Evolutionary Biology, 43(1):131-143. doi: 10.1007/s11692-015-9356-1. IF - 2.606.
16. Tenorio MJ, Afonso CML, Cunha RL, Rolán E (2014) New species of Africonus (Gastropoda, Conidae) from boa vista in the Cape Verde archipelago: molecular and morphological characterization, Xenophora Taxonomy 2: 5-21
15. Cunha RL, Lima FP, Tenorio MJ, Ramos AA, Castilho R, Williams ST (2014) Evolution at a different pace: distinctive phylogenetic patterns of cone snails from two ancient oceanic archipelagos. Systematic Biology, 63 (6): 971-987 doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syu059. IF=14.387.
14. Cunha RL, Nicastro KN, Costa J, McQuaid, CD, Serrão EA, Zardi GI (2014) Wider sampling reveals a non-sister relationship for geographically contiguous lineages of a marine mussel. Ecology and Evolution, 4 (11): 2070-2081 doi: 10.1002/ece3.1033. IF=2.320.
13. Teixeira S, Olu K, Decker C, Cunha RL, Hourdez S, Serrão EA and Arnaud-Haond S (2013) High connectivity across fragmented chemosynthetic ecosystems of the deep Atlantic Equatorial Belt: efficient dispersal mechanisms or questionable endemism? Molecular Ecology, 22(18): 4663-4680. doi: 10.1111/mec.12419. IF=6.494.
12. Cunha RL, Coscia I, Madeira C, Mariani S, Stefanni S, Castilho R (2012) Ancient divergence in the trans-oceanic deep-sea shark Centroscymnus crepidater. PLoS ONE, 7:e49196. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049196.t003. IF2011=4.092.
11. Correia, AT, Ramos AA, Barros F, Silva G, Hamer P, Morais P, Cunha RL, Castilho R (2012) Population structure and connectivity of the European conger eel (Conger conger) across the Northeastern-Atlantic and Western-Mediterranean: integrating molecular and otolith elemental approaches. Marine Biology, 159: 1509–1525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1936-3 IF=2.393
10. Decker, C., Olu, K. Cunha, RL, Arnaud-Haond, S. (2012) Phylogeny and diversification patterns among vesicomyid bivalves. PLoS ONE, 7(4): e33359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033359. IF2011=4.411
9. González EG, Cunha RL, Sevilla RG, Ghanavi HR, Krey G, and Bautista JM (2011) Evolutionary history of the genus Trisopterus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62:1013-1018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.11.032 IF=3.889
8. Reis D, Cunha RL, JR, Patrão C, Rebelo R, Castilho R. (2011) Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia: Caudata) in Portugal: not all black and yellow. Genetica 139:1095-1105. DOI: 10.1007/s10709-011-9609-6. IF=2.358
7. Cunha RL, Verdú JR, Lobo J, Zardoya, R. (2011) Ancient origin of endemic earth-boring dung beetles (Geotrupidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 59: 578-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.03.028 IF=3.889
6. Cunha RL, Lopes EP, Reis DM, Castilho R (2011) Genetic structure of Brachidontes puniceus populations in Cape Verde archipelago shows signature of expansion during the last glacial maximum. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 77: 175-181. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyr001 IF=1.253
5. Aires T, Marbà N, Cunha RL, Kendrick GA, Walker DI, Serrão EA, Duarte CM, Arnaud-Haond S (2011) Evolutionary history of the seagrass genus Posidonia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 421: 117-130. IF=2.48
4. Cunha RL, Blanc F, Bonhomme F, Arnaud-Haond S (2011) Evolutionary patterns in pearl oysters of the genus Pinctada (Bivalvia: Pteriidae). Marine Biotechnology, 13: 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-010-9278-y IF=2.962
3. Cunha RL, Grande C, Zardoya R (2009) Neogastropod phylogenetic relationships based on entire mitochondrial genomes. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 9, 210. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-9-210 IF: 2.823.
2. Cunha RL, Tenório MJ, Afonso C, Castilho R, Zardoya R (2008). Replaying the tape: recurring biogeographical patterns in Cape Verde Conus after 12 million years. Molecular Ecology, 17 (3): 885-901. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03618.x IF: 4.825
1. Cunha RL, Castilho, R Rüber, R and Zardoya, R (2005). Patterns of cladogenesis in the venomous marine gastropod Genus Conus from the Cape Verde islands. Systematic Biology, 54(4):634–650. DOI: 10.1080/106351591007471 IF – 10.523.
Conferences
Corona L, Cunha RL, Abrunhosa FE, Monteiro P, Andrade JP, Francisco SM, Robalo JI, Castilho R. Temporal stability of genetic composition of marine fish species. FBI Annual Symposium, Leuven, Belgium. July 5-8th, 2021 (online).
Cunha RL. As Ilhas de Cabo Verde: um hotspot de especiação marinha. Invited keynote speaker in the First Congress of Marine Biology of the Portuguese-speaking African countries and Brazil, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal, January 2018.
Cunha RL, Castilho, R. A hotspot for marine speciation: The Cape Verde Islands. Evolution meeting 2017, Portland, Oregon, USA, 23-27 June 2017.
Cunha RL, Margarida Machado, Pedro M. Madeira, Luís Cancela da Fonseca, Rita Castilho, Margarida Cristo. Genetic cleavage in the fairy shrimp Tanymaxtix stagnalis from southwestern Portuguese temporary ponds. 7th European Pond Conservation Network Workshop & LIFE Charcos Seminar + 12th Annual Society of Wetland Scientists Chapter Meeting. Faro, Portugal, 1-6 June 2017.
Cunha RL, Nicastro KR, Costa JF, McQuaid CD, Serrão EA, Zardi GI. Wider sampling reveals a non-sister relationship for geographically contiguous lineages of a marine mussel. 7th Congress of the European Malacological Societies, St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, UK, 7-11 September 2014.
Teixeira S., Olu K., Decker C., Cunha RL, Fuchs S., Hourdez S., Serrão. E.A., Arnaud-Haond S. High connectivity of shrimp across large spatial scales and distinct chemosynthetic habitats. Deep-Sea biology Symposium. Wellington, New Zealand, 3-7 December, 2012.
Helyar, S., Castilho, R., Cunha, RL, Massa-Gallucci, A., Sacchi, C., Mariani, S. Unraveling the population structure of the onion-eye grenadier (Macrourus berglax) between the Azores and northwest Norway. 6th World Fisheries Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 7th - 11th May.
Mariani S., Coscia I., Cunha RL, Stefanni S., & Castilho R. Population genetic structure of the long-nosed velvet dogfish, Centroselachus crepidater, in the north Atlantic. European Elasmobranch Association, Galway - Ireland, 10-12/ November 2010.
Cunha, RL "Tempo and mode of evolution of the genus Conus in the Cape Verde Islands", Molluscan Forum 2009, Natural History Museum, London, UK. 12th November 2009.
Cunha, RL, Tenorio, M.J., Rüber, L., Afonso, C., Castilho, R., and Zardoya, R. (2007). Replaying the tape: replicated biogeographic patterns in Cape Verde Conus. World Congress of Malacology. Antwerp, 15-20 July 2007.
Conference Scientific Committee
2019 | 15th European Ecological Federation Congress, simultaneously 18th Portuguese Ecological Society Meeting of the European Ecological Federation (EEF) - “Ecology across borders: Embedding Ecology in Sustainable Developmental Goals”. Lisbon, Portugal (Scientific Committee).
2018 | First Congress of Marine Biology of the Portuguese-speaking countries. University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal (Scientific Committee).
2018 | Meeting of the Portuguese Evolutionary Biology Association. Faro, Portugal (Scientific Committee).
Courses
2015. Population structure inference in R, Kevin Keenan (Post-doctoral Research Assistant, University College, Cork, UK). Faro, Portugal.
2014. Workshop on RADseq analysis using STACKS, Nayara Rodríguez-Ezpeleta. AZTI tecnalia (Marine Research Division). Sukarrieta, Bizkaia, Spain.
2012. Introduction to Geographic information systems and its use in ecology, Maria Ana Dias (ISPA, Portugal). Faro, Portugal.
2010. Statistics using R, Filipe Alberto and Fernando Canovas (CCMAR, Algarve). Faro, Portugal.
2010. Approximate Bayesian computation, ABC, João Sollari Lopes (CCMAR, Algarve). Faro. Portugal.
2008. Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis Sampling Trees, Beast, Patrick Lemey (University of Leuven, Bélgica) and Beth Shapiro (Penn State University). Faro, Portugal.
2005. Molecular Evolution II, David Swofford, Gavin Naylor and Mark Holder, Florida State University, EUA. Quarteira, Portugal.
2004. Workshop on scientific writing, Professor Elisabeth Heseltine, European Association of Science Editors Training. Faro, Portugal.
2002. Molecular Evolution I, G. Naylor, University of Iowa, EUA. Faro, Portugal.
SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
- Refereeing for the following journals: Journal of Biogeography; Molecular Ecology; Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution; PloS ONE; Journal of Molluscan Studies; BMC Genomics; African Journal of Marine Science; Biological Conservation; Gene; Coral Reefs; Contributions to Zoology.
- Member of the Editorial Board of Mitochondrial DNA, part B during 2020.
- Member of the Editorial Board of Peerj since September, 2022
