Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Phone: 202-633-1002
Fax: 301-314-9290
http://entomology.si.edu/SIAntLab.html
http://entomology.si.edu/StaffPages/Sosaj.html
Research Interests
My main interests are the systematics, behavior, and evolutionary biology of insects, especially ants (Formicidae) and parasitic wasps (Scoliidae). In particular, I am very interested (as part of my graduate studies) in conducting the systematic revision of the primitive non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ant genus Myrmicocrypta, and the construction of coevolutionary hypotheses including the ants and their symbionts (fungal cultivars, Escovopsis weed molds, and Pseudonocardia, antibiotic producing bacterial mutualism).
To do so, I am planning to use both morphological and molecular approaches as well as data obtained from behavior and natural history to conduct this revision. Taxon sampling will include representative species from the genera that currently comprises the Attini (Formicidae: Mymicinae), and representatives from other Myrmicinae tribes, especially the tribe Blepharidattini (genera Blepharidatta and Wasmannia) which have been proposed to be the sister group of the attines. To determine the relationships of the species within the genus, I will employ both morphological and molecular characters including, for the former, characters of all castes and life stages and, for the latter, the nuclear genes wingless, 28S, EF1-alpha F1 and F2 paralogs, and LwRH opsin, and the COI mitochondrial gene. Mitochondrial COI gene has proven to be at an appropriate rate of divergence for examination of species level relationships.
I am also currently conducting the world revision of the spider-egg predator ant genus Discothyrea (Proceratiinae) with Dr. John LaPolla (Towson University), using both morphological and molecular approaches. I am also conducting biodiversity studies in Central and South America in collaboration with Dr. Ted Schultz (NMNH-SI) and Dr. John LaPolla (Towson University), and comparing the ant fauna in the Guyana Shield vs. the Amazonian forest to extrapolate patterns of endemism and to identify areas of conservation concern.
Education
University of Maryland at College Park. U.S.A Ph. D. program, Department of Entomology (2007- present)
University of Maryland at College Park. U.S.A M. Sc. Entomology. Fall 2003-2007
Universidad del Quindio- Armenia- Colombia B.S. Biology and Environmental Education: April 2002
Representative Publications
Copyright Notice:This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Solomon, S.E., C.T. Lopes, U.G. Mueller, A. Rodrigues, J. Sosa-Calvo, T.R. Schultz, and H. Vasconcelos. 2011. Nesting biology and fungiculture of the fungus-growing ant Mycetagroicus cerradensis: New light on the origins of higher attine agriculture. Journal of Insect Science Vol. 11: 1–14.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and T.R. Schultz. 2010. Three remarkable new fungus-growing ant species of the genus Myrmicocrypta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a reassessment of the characters that define the genus and its position within the Attini. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 103(2): 181–195. (Front Cover)
Sosa-Calvo, J., T.R. Schultz, and J.S. LaPolla. 2010. A review of the dacetine ants of Guyana (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 19(1): 12–43.
Sosa-Calvo, J., S.G. Brady, and T.R. Schultz. 2009. The gyne of the enigmatic fungus-farming ant species Mycetosoritis explicata. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 18(1): 113–120.
Schultz, T.R. and Sosa-Calvo, J. 2008. Chapter Two. Ants of Southern Guyana- a preliminary report. 31-32. In: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area, Southern Guyana. Alonso, L.E. McCullough, J., Naskrecki, P., Alexander, E., and Wright, H.E. (Eds.) Rapid Assessment Program Bulletin of Biological Assessment 51. Conservation International.
Azorsa, F. and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2008. Description of a remarkable new species of ant in the genus Daceton Perty (Formicidae: Dacetini) from South America. Zootaxa, 1749: 27–38.
Bolton, B., J. Sosa-Calvo, F. Fernandez, and J.E. Lattke. 2008. New synonyms in neotropical Myrmicine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 1732: 61–64.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and J.T. Longino. 2008. Chapter Seven. Subfamily Proceratiinae. In: Systematics, Biogeography, and Conservation of the hunting ants of Colombia. Jimenez, E., Fernandez, F., Arias, T.M., and Lozano-Zambrano, F.H. (Eds.). 219–238 p. (In Spanish)
Sosa-Calvo, J. 2007. Chapter Five. Ants of the leaf-litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname. 92-98. In: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). Alonso, L.E. and Mol, J.H. (Eds.) Rapid Assessment Program Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International.
LaPolla, J.S., T. Suman, J. Sosa-Calvo, and T.R. Schultz. 2007. Leaf litter ant diversity in Guyana. Biodiversity and Conservation, 16: 491–510.
LaPolla, J.S., and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2006. Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana. Zootaxa, 1330: 59–68.
Sosa-Calvo, J., S.O. Shattuck, and T.R. Schultz. 2006. Dacetine ants of Panama: New records and description of a new species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Dacetini). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 108(4): 814–821.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and D.F. Campos. 2005. First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) for Colombia. Revista de la Sociedad Colombiana de Entomologia(SOCOLEN) 31: 233– 234 (In Spanish)
Awards and Recognition
Peter Buck Pre-doctoral Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, 2011 (2 years)
International Union for the Study of Social Insects- North American Section Travel Grant, 2010.
Max and Vera Britton Environmental Science Award, Cosmos Club Foundation, 2010.
Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Small Grants Program. Co-PI. 2010.
Ernst Mayr Travel Award in Animal Systematics- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. 2007.
Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Award, University of Maryland. 2007.
Smithsonian Institution- National Museum of Natural History, Collection Care Grant. Co-PI. 2006.
Amazon Conservation Association, Graduate Research Grant. Los Amigos Research Center and Conservation, Madre de Dios, Peru. 2005.
Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) Fieldwork Fellowship 2005.
Smithsonian Institution- Trust Endowment Award (Wolcott Fund). Co- PI. 2004
Andrew W. Mellon Research Exploration Awards in Tropical Biology. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute-Organization for Tropical Studies. August 2003
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Award. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama. Jul- Aug 2002.
Barro Colorado Island (BCI) Latino Scholarship. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama. Oct 2001- Jan 2002.
Teaching
Spring 2011. BSCI120: Insects
Phone: 202-633-1002
Fax: 301-314-9290
http://entomology.si.edu/SIAntLab.html
http://entomology.si.edu/StaffPages/Sosaj.html
Research Interests
My main interests are the systematics, behavior, and evolutionary biology of insects, especially ants (Formicidae) and parasitic wasps (Scoliidae). In particular, I am very interested (as part of my graduate studies) in conducting the systematic revision of the primitive non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ant genus Myrmicocrypta, and the construction of coevolutionary hypotheses including the ants and their symbionts (fungal cultivars, Escovopsis weed molds, and Pseudonocardia, antibiotic producing bacterial mutualism).
To do so, I am planning to use both morphological and molecular approaches as well as data obtained from behavior and natural history to conduct this revision. Taxon sampling will include representative species from the genera that currently comprises the Attini (Formicidae: Mymicinae), and representatives from other Myrmicinae tribes, especially the tribe Blepharidattini (genera Blepharidatta and Wasmannia) which have been proposed to be the sister group of the attines. To determine the relationships of the species within the genus, I will employ both morphological and molecular characters including, for the former, characters of all castes and life stages and, for the latter, the nuclear genes wingless, 28S, EF1-alpha F1 and F2 paralogs, and LwRH opsin, and the COI mitochondrial gene. Mitochondrial COI gene has proven to be at an appropriate rate of divergence for examination of species level relationships.
I am also currently conducting the world revision of the spider-egg predator ant genus Discothyrea (Proceratiinae) with Dr. John LaPolla (Towson University), using both morphological and molecular approaches. I am also conducting biodiversity studies in Central and South America in collaboration with Dr. Ted Schultz (NMNH-SI) and Dr. John LaPolla (Towson University), and comparing the ant fauna in the Guyana Shield vs. the Amazonian forest to extrapolate patterns of endemism and to identify areas of conservation concern.
Education
University of Maryland at College Park. U.S.A Ph. D. program, Department of Entomology (2007- present)
University of Maryland at College Park. U.S.A M. Sc. Entomology. Fall 2003-2007
Universidad del Quindio- Armenia- Colombia B.S. Biology and Environmental Education: April 2002
Representative Publications
Copyright Notice:This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Solomon, S.E., C.T. Lopes, U.G. Mueller, A. Rodrigues, J. Sosa-Calvo, T.R. Schultz, and H. Vasconcelos. 2011. Nesting biology and fungiculture of the fungus-growing ant Mycetagroicus cerradensis: New light on the origins of higher attine agriculture. Journal of Insect Science Vol. 11: 1–14.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and T.R. Schultz. 2010. Three remarkable new fungus-growing ant species of the genus Myrmicocrypta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a reassessment of the characters that define the genus and its position within the Attini. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 103(2): 181–195. (Front Cover)
Sosa-Calvo, J., T.R. Schultz, and J.S. LaPolla. 2010. A review of the dacetine ants of Guyana (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 19(1): 12–43.
Sosa-Calvo, J., S.G. Brady, and T.R. Schultz. 2009. The gyne of the enigmatic fungus-farming ant species Mycetosoritis explicata. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 18(1): 113–120.
Schultz, T.R. and Sosa-Calvo, J. 2008. Chapter Two. Ants of Southern Guyana- a preliminary report. 31-32. In: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area, Southern Guyana. Alonso, L.E. McCullough, J., Naskrecki, P., Alexander, E., and Wright, H.E. (Eds.) Rapid Assessment Program Bulletin of Biological Assessment 51. Conservation International.
Azorsa, F. and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2008. Description of a remarkable new species of ant in the genus Daceton Perty (Formicidae: Dacetini) from South America. Zootaxa, 1749: 27–38.
Bolton, B., J. Sosa-Calvo, F. Fernandez, and J.E. Lattke. 2008. New synonyms in neotropical Myrmicine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 1732: 61–64.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and J.T. Longino. 2008. Chapter Seven. Subfamily Proceratiinae. In: Systematics, Biogeography, and Conservation of the hunting ants of Colombia. Jimenez, E., Fernandez, F., Arias, T.M., and Lozano-Zambrano, F.H. (Eds.). 219–238 p. (In Spanish)
Sosa-Calvo, J. 2007. Chapter Five. Ants of the leaf-litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname. 92-98. In: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). Alonso, L.E. and Mol, J.H. (Eds.) Rapid Assessment Program Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International.
LaPolla, J.S., T. Suman, J. Sosa-Calvo, and T.R. Schultz. 2007. Leaf litter ant diversity in Guyana. Biodiversity and Conservation, 16: 491–510.
LaPolla, J.S., and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2006. Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana. Zootaxa, 1330: 59–68.
Sosa-Calvo, J., S.O. Shattuck, and T.R. Schultz. 2006. Dacetine ants of Panama: New records and description of a new species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Dacetini). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 108(4): 814–821.
Sosa-Calvo, J. and D.F. Campos. 2005. First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) for Colombia. Revista de la Sociedad Colombiana de Entomologia(SOCOLEN) 31: 233– 234 (In Spanish)
Awards and Recognition
Peter Buck Pre-doctoral Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, 2011 (2 years)
International Union for the Study of Social Insects- North American Section Travel Grant, 2010.
Max and Vera Britton Environmental Science Award, Cosmos Club Foundation, 2010.
Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Small Grants Program. Co-PI. 2010.
Ernst Mayr Travel Award in Animal Systematics- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. 2007.
Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Award, University of Maryland. 2007.
Smithsonian Institution- National Museum of Natural History, Collection Care Grant. Co-PI. 2006.
Amazon Conservation Association, Graduate Research Grant. Los Amigos Research Center and Conservation, Madre de Dios, Peru. 2005.
Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) Fieldwork Fellowship 2005.
Smithsonian Institution- Trust Endowment Award (Wolcott Fund). Co- PI. 2004
Andrew W. Mellon Research Exploration Awards in Tropical Biology. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute-Organization for Tropical Studies. August 2003
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Award. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama. Jul- Aug 2002.
Barro Colorado Island (BCI) Latino Scholarship. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama. Oct 2001- Jan 2002.
Teaching
Spring 2011. BSCI120: Insects
