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Bill's Research Group
Jan Strugnell  

Dr Jan Strugnell

Postdoctoral Research Associate

 

Contact details

Department of Zoology
University of Cambridge
Downing Street
Cambridge CB2 3EJ

Tel. +44 (0) 1223 762934
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 336676

E-mail Jan

Qualifications

D.Phil, Oxford University (Rhodes Scholarship)
BSc Honours (First Class), James Cook University
BSc, James Cook University

 

Research

Evolution in Antarctica

My research investigates the molecular evolution of Antarctic, Southern Ocean and deep-sea taxa in the context of past climate and geological change (eg continental break up, glacial maxima). I am investigating both species level and population level molecular evolution and in particular are interested in determining and understanding patterns of divergence, diversification and dispersal.

Cephalopod molluscs

My research also encompasses the molecular evolution of cephalopod molluscs (octopus, squids and cuttlefishes) wordwide. I have developed a range of primers to amplify genes in cephalopod molluscs. My research uses biogeographical and fossil information to estimate divergence times in cephalopod molluscs to help elucidate their evolutionary history.

Publications

Strugnell, J. & Allcock, A.L. Co-estimation of phylogeny and divergence times of Argonautoidea using relaxed phylogenetics.  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.  In press.

Collins, M.A., Laptikhovsky, V. & Strugnell, J. (2009) Expanded description of Opisthoteuthis hardyi based on new specimens from the Patagonian slope.  Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.  doi:10.1017/S0025315409000988.

Strugnell, J., Watts, P.C. & Allcock, A.L. (2009) Microsatellite loci from the endemic Southern Ocean octopus Adelieledone polymorpha (Robson, 1930) Molecular Ecology Resources.  9(3): 1068-1070.

Strugnell, J., Watts, P.C. & Allcock, A.L. (2009) A panel of microsatellite loci from two species of octopus, Pareledone turqueti (Joubin, 1905) and Pareledone charcoti (Joubin, 1905).  Molecular Ecology Resources. 9(4): 1239-1242. (cover).

Strugnell, J.,  Voight, J.R., Collins, P.C. & Allcock, A.L. (2009) Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a known and a new hydrothermal vent octopod: their relationships with the genus Benthoctopus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae).  Zootaxa.   2096: 442-459.

Strugnell, J., Rogers, A.D., Prodöhl, P.A., Collins, M.A. & Allcock, A.L. (2008) The thermohaline expressway: the Southern Ocean as a centre of origin for deep-sea octopuses. Cladistics. 24:853-860. (cover)

Strugnell, J. & Allcock, A.L. (2008) Scaphopoda. In: The timetree of life. Eds. S.B. Hedges, S. Kumar. Oxford University Press. pp 239-241. 

Strugnell, J., Allcock, A.L. & Lindgren, A. (2008) Cephalopoda. In: The timetree of life. Eds. S.B. Hedges, S. Kumar. Oxford University Press. pp. 242-246

Allcock, A.L., Strugnell J., & Johnson, M (2008) How useful are the recommended counts and indices in the systematics of the Octopodidae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 95: 205-218.

Strugnell, J., Allcock, A., & Collins, M.A. (2008) Molecular evolutionary relationships of the octopodid genus Thaumeledone (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Southern Ocean. Antarctic Science. 20(3) 245-251.

Strugnell, J., Nishiguchi, M. (2007) Molecular phylogeny of coleoid cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) inferred from three mitochondrial and six nuclear loci: a comparison of alignment and analysis methods. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 73:399-410.

Strugnell, J., & Lindgren, A. (2007) A barcode of life database for the Cephalopoda? Considerations and concerns. Reviews in fish biology and fisheries. 17:337-344.

Allcock, A., Strugnell, J., Prodöhl, P., Piatkowski, U. & Vecchione, M. (2007) A new species of Pareledone (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology. DOI 10.1007/s00300-006-0248-9.

Allcock, A.L., Strugnell, J., Ruggiero, H., Collins, M. (2006) Redescription of the deep-sea octopod Benthoctopus normani (Massy 1907) and description of a new species from the North East Atlantic. Marine Biology Research. 2(6):372-387.

Strugnell J., Norman M. (2006) DNA from beach-washed shells of the Ram's Horn squid (Spirula spirula) (Linnaeus 1758) Bulletin of Marine Science. 78(2):389-391.

Strugnell J., Jackson, J., Drummond A.J. & Cooper, A. (2006) Divergence time estimates for major cephalopod groups: evidence from multiple genes. Cladistics. 22:89-96.

Strugnell J., Norman M., Jackson J., Drummond A.J. & Cooper A. (2005) Molecular phylogeny of coleoid cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) using a multigene approach; the effect of data partitioning on resolving phylogenies in a Bayesian framework. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 37(2) 426-441.

Strugnell, J., Norman, M., Drummond, A. & Cooper, A. (2004) The octopuses that never came back to earth: neoteny and pelagic octopuses. Current Biology 14:R300-R301.

Fortey, R., Jackson, J. & Strugnell, J. (2003) Phylogenetic fuses and evolutionary 'explosions': conflicting evidence and critical tests. In. Telling the Evolutionary Time: Molecular clocks and the fossil record, eds. P. Donoghue and P. Smith., Taylor and Francis. pp 41-65.

Strugnell, J. & Southgate, P. (2003) Changes in tissue composition during larval development of the blacklip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (L.). Molluscan Research. 23:2, 179-183.

Hall, M.R., Mastro, R., Young, N., Fraser, C.A., Strugnell, J. & Kenway, M.J. (2003) High quality eggs and nauplii for the Australian prawn industry. FRDC 1995/166. Fisheries research and development corporation. 142 p.

Funding Bodies

Here are links to funding bodies which have supported and/or currently support my research:-

Lloyd’s Tercentenary Foundation
http://www.lloyds.com/About_Us/Corporate_responsibility/Charity/Investing_in_intellectual_capital.htm

The Collaborative Scheme for Systematics Research (CoSyst)
http://www.systass.org/awards/cosyst.shtml

The Systematics Research Fund
http://www.systass.org/awards/

The Edith Mary Pratt Mugrave Fund
http://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/zooone/department/funds/musgrave.html

The Census of Antarctic Marine Life
http://www.caml.aq/

The Antarctic Funding Initiative
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/afi/

Media coverage

Here are links to some media coverage of my research
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7715741.stm

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=236

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/11/081110-cute-octopus-ancestor-photo.html

http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/diaries/rrs_james_clark_ross/antarctic2007_2008/11/index.php

http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/diaries/rrs_james_clark_ross/antarctic2005_2006/25/index.php

Collaborators

Dr Louise Allcock, Queen's University, Belfast

Dr Mark Norman, Museum Victoria

Dr Martin Collins, British Antartic Survey

Dr Michele Nishiguchi, New Mexico State University

Dr Phill Watts, University of Liverpool

 

Links

Octopus maorum

Me with Octopus maorum, Beachport, South Australia.

Megaleledonesetebos captured in the Southern Ocean

Me with Megaleledone setebos individual captured from the Southern Ocean on board the James Clark Ross (the British Antarctic research vessel)

octopus captured from Elephant Island

A range of octopus captured from Elephant Island, (Southern Ocean)

King Penguins on South Georgia
Me with King Penguins at South Georgia
Benthoctopus sp.
Benthoctopus sp. captured from the Amundsen Sea, aboard the James Clark Ross (photo credit David Barnes).