Prosanta's Research Travels

January 4-14, Dominican Republic. I collected freshwater and marine species from 10 localities for morphological and molecular analyses.  The purpose of this trip was to collect individuals of the two endemic nominal species of cichlids and discover if they are valid taxa.  One of these, Nandopsis vombergi, has not been collected in over 60 years.  Sites visited include the respective type localities of these two cichlids.  Specimens collected were used in molecular and morphological analyses testing the validity of these species and in tests of biogeographic hypotheses.

November 4-14, Yucatan Peninsula. I collected freshwater and brackish water fish from Mexico and Belize with Ronald Oldfield (UMMZ) and colleagues based in those two countries (Dr. Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto and Peter Esselman).  The purpose of this trip was to collect cichlids for my thesis research on the phylogeny of Middle American Cichlidae and to help with the survey work of our colleagues.  Cichlid species collected include Thorichthys meeki, T. pasionis, ‘Cichlasoma’ octofasciatus, ‘C.’ robertsoni and Petenia splendida.  We also collected Belonesox belizanus, Astyanax aeneus, Gobiomorus dormitor, Hyphessobrycon compressus and Awaous banana. 

March 16-26, 2006 Taiwan.  Dr. John Sparks and I collected from 20 sites including on a trawler, from bycatch stands, and at markets.  Organized by Dr. Hin-Kiu Mok and through the American Museum of Natural History.  We collected nearly 1000 specimens and over a hundred species.  Some of these include leiognathids, lantern-belly sharks Etmopterus, Polymixia japonicus, Harpadon and many other species.  

January 9-22, Malay Peninsula.  Dr. John Sparks and I collected from more than a dozen localities including Phuket Island on the Andaman Sea, Chonburi, and Bangkok, (Thailand); Melaka, and Muar (Malaysia), as well as various parts of Singapore.  We collected over 1000 specimens including several new species of Leiognathids.  Non-ponyfish collected include nursery fish (Kurtus), wolf herring (Chirocentrus), and kissing gourami (Helostoma) among many others.  We collected with Dr. Somsak Panha, Dr. Thosaporn Wongratana and Dr. Heok Hee Ng and others during this trip.  

March 21-March 29, Taiwan.  Collected from several deep sea ports and markets with Hsuan-ching Hans Ho and the students of Dr. Hin-Kiu Mok. Also set up imaging base for recording live ponyfish.

March 30- April 9, Sri Lanka.  Collected from over 20 sites on the western and southern Coasts of Sri Lanka, with lots of support from Thasun Amarasinghe and Rohan Pethiyagoda. The northern-most point visited was Puttalam (08°01’49.5”N, 079°49’42.0”E), the southern-most point Matara (05°56’50.2”N, 080°32’55.3”E) and the eastern-most was Habantota (06°07’27.2”N, 081°07’31.1”E). More than a dozen rare ponyfish species were collected as were many other marine and brackish water fishes.

September 20- October 10, Indonesia.  Collected from 28 sites on the island archipelago, including  Java, Papua, Sulawesi, and Bali.  Traveling with Daniel Lumbantobing (George Washington University/Smithsonian) and Renny Hadiaty (LIPI-Indonesian Institute of Science).  Notable collections included Psettodes erumei and several rare collections of ponyfishes including the first record of Photoplagios laterofenesta in nearly 30 years.  

May 31 - June 26, Madagascar.  Targeted the blind cave fishes in Ankarana and the Mahafaly Pleateu and collected several species of Typhleotris and Glossogobius including some that are new to science and others that have not been collected in decades. Visited over ten caves and sinkholes with Phil Willink (Field Museum), John Sparks (AMNH) and Scott Holtz (AMNH). 

November 11 - November 19, Taiwan.  Made market collections of 260 marine species (including specimens from coral reefs and the deep sea) totaling over 1000 specimens. Traveled to markets in Taipei, Wuchi, Chiayi, Dongshih, Heng-chun, Tongkang and Tashi. Sampling included molecular and morphological specimens (360 lots) to be deposited at the Ichthyology Collection at LSU.   

January 26 - January 29, Gulf of Mexico.  Trawled with SEAMAP (Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program) on the R/V Pelican organized by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Collected 55 species for the LSU collection including, searobins, marine catfish, frogfish, batfish, puffers and flatfish. We also collected CTD-DO data, water samples, and sediment samples at 12 trawl stations.

May 17 – June 6, Australia.  Sampled from several caves, sinkholes, and wells in the Northwest Cape of Australia to collected endemic blind gobies.  Also sampled fisheries trawling materials of leiognathids and other bioluminescent taxa at the Western Australia Museum.  

January 19 – February 3, Vietnam.  Sampling fish markets from Nha Trang, Mui Ne, and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as well as brackish collections made on the Mekong river.  Collections made with Taiwanese colleagues include over 450 tissue samples representing nearly 350 different marine and brackish water species. 

February 15 – February 24, Costa Rica.  Sampling freshwater and brackish water fishes throughout the country (26 sites) with my lab, Caleb McMahan and Wilfredo Matamoros, along with two local UCR students Arturo Anguilo Sibaja and Carlos Garita Alvarado. Collections include over 500 tissue samples representing nearly 120 different species and about 4000 specimens. 

May 20 – May 30, Honduras.  Sampling freshwater fishes throughout the country (12 sites including Choluteca, caves in Olancho, and in Francisco Morazan) with my postdoctoral fellow, Wilfredo Matamoros along with several local students. Collections include over 150 tissue samples representing nearly 30 different species and about 1000 specimens.

Oct 15 – Nov 2, Singapore.  Sampling marine fishes throughout the country but mainly on Pulau Ubin as part of the Singapore Biodiversity Workshop hosted by the Raffles Museum. In the field with PhD student William Ludt, Heok Hee Ng and others. Collected over 250 different species and over 1500 specimens. 

Feb 28 – March 12, Guatemala.  Sampling freshwater fishes throughout Peten (including Lago de Peten) and other provinces with PhD student Caleb McMahan, Christian Barrientos, Diego Diaz and Yasmin Quintana (last 3 were the local hosts). In total sampled 59 species, 590 tissue samples and roughly 2000 specimens. 

July 1 – July 4,  Japan.  Fish market survey and sampling mostly from Tsukiji, the world’s largest fish market, with PhD student Bill Ludt. Samples from about 30 different species.

June 14 – June 22,  Kuwait. Sampling with Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research colleagues (Dr. Jim Bishop) marine and brackish fishes from the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf) with PhD student Bill Ludt. Sampled from about 80 different species, 300 tissue samples, 500+ specimens. 

April 15 – May 2,  Middle East. Sampling in Kuwait and UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai) from Persian (Arabian) Gulf samples collected as part of a short course for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research with Dr. Jim Bishop) and PhD student Bill Ludt. Sampled from 120 different species, 250 tissue samples, 500+ specimens. 

Summer 2015 June 18-25, Brazilian Amazon. Sampling on the Tapajós and Amazon near Santarem Brazil with the lab of Dr. James Albert         (ULL). Trawling from a boat, cast netting, hook and line and gill netting. Returned with specimens and tissues from about 65 different species including many electric knifefishes, catfishes and characins.

Spring 2016  May 12-24, Darién Gap, Panama. Sampling in the Darién National Park in the Darién Gap to collect freshwater fishes. With Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Fernando Alda and graduate student A.J.    Turner. Collected nearly 50 species of cichlids, catfishes, characins and knifefishes.  

Summer 2017 August 9-20, Tanzania. Sampling mangrove and marine species from the coast of Tanzania in Kijongo Bay, Pangani and in Dar es         Salaam. Collected over 400 samples with LSU Faculty from the LSU School of the Coast & Environment and local NGO SeaSense.

September 27-October 9, Tahiti. Sampled marine and invasive species in French Polynesia, including snapper, surgeonfish, parrotfishes and others most from markets. 

Summer 2018 August 7-August 13, Peru. Collecting fishes in the Mayantuyacu ‘Boiling River,’ Shanay Timpishka – and surrounding regions including Salt and Pachitea rivers.

Summer 2019       

August 1-August 10, Haiti. Collecting freshwater fishes in the South Paleo Island including Lake Miragoane, first natural history collections in the region for fishes in more than 50 years.

Winter 2020            January 21-31, Thailand. Collected in caves and freshwater streams targeting “walking fishes” including Balitorid loaches. Working with colleagues from the University of Florida and New Jersey Institute of Technology as part of our Understanding the Rules of Life Grant. Sampled about 50 species.