Dr. Laura Vásquez-Vélez

B.S., Biology - Universidad del Valle, Colombia, 2008

M.S., Biology - University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, 2013

Ph.D., Entomology - Clemson University, 2020

Research interests

I am interested in the evolution, biology, ecology, and systematics of Pselaphine beetles (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). I am currently working on the evolution, behavior, and morphology related to secondary sexual characters in the genus Batrisodes (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) in North America, North of Mexico. I this genus, males of different species present modifications on their rostrum, antennae, and legs. I want to address how these characters are distributed throughout Batrisodes phylogeny in North America, and if some of these characters are related to geographical distribution and ecology of the different species in the genus.