Research

My research interests include evolutionary biology, population genetics, animal behavioral ecology, and conservation biology. Most of my work focuses on primates, although I have recently begun working on side projects using genetic data from chameleon species found in Madagascar and giant geckos from New Caledonia.

Current Projects
Phylogeny and species status in the genus Cheirogaleus: identification of four new primate species in Madagascar

I am working to study the phylogenetic relationships and status of species in the genus Cheirogaleus, the dwarf lemurs. There has been a great deal of confusion historically about relationships between species as well as the status of named species in this genus. Madagascar's unique geography is ideal for speciation events, with river and mountain barriers creating corridors and boundaries along which animals can move or be isolated. Our genetic and morphological research, based on field work across Madagascar, has led to the description of four new species of primate, and the resurrection of one previously synonimized species. Overall, our results indicate that a great deal of still-cryptic species diversity exists in this genus, and additional field and laboratory work is likely to reveal even more unknown species. 

This publication is in print at the journal Primate Conservation: 

Lei, R, CL Fraiser, AT McLain, JM Taylor, CA Bailey, SE Engberg, AL Ginter, CP Groves, RA Mittermeier and EE Louis, Jr. 2014. Revision of Madagascar's dwarf lemurs (genus Cheirogaleus): designation of species, candidate species status and geographic boundaries based on molecular and morphological data. (click here to view the article)

Additional monographs assigning taxonomic names to the four newly described species will be issued in Primate Conservation in the coming year (2015).

The first monograph:

Lei, R, CL Fraiser, AT McLain, JM Taylor, CA Bailey, SE Engberg, AL Ginter, CP Groves, RA Mittermeier, and EE Louis, Jr. 2015. A New Species in the Genus Cheirogaleus (Cheirogaleidae). 

                                  

Population genetics of endangered sifaka species from northern Madagascar: implications for critically endangered primate populations

  

We examined the population genetics of three species of endangered sifaka (Propithecus coquereli, P. tattersalli, and P. perrieri) endemic to northern Madagascar to ascertain what impact population decline and historical bottlenecks have had on genetic diversity. Habitat fragmentation due to slash-and-burn agriculture (tavy in the Malagasy language) has resulted in the genetic isolation of breeding populations in many lemur species. Poaching and habitat loss has impacted population size. P. perrieri is one of the most endangered primates on Earth, with a population of less than 3oo individuals remaining and scattered across a handful sites in the far north of the island. Our work indicates the presence of only a single haplotype across all P. perrieri populations surveyed. P. coquereli and P. tattersalli, while maintaining larger population sizes at the moment, have been similarly impacted and display low levels of genetic diversity.

Bailey, CA, AT McLain, G Rakotoarisoa, A Razafindrakoto, SM McGuire, GD Shore, R Lei, SR Paquette, JC Randriamanana, JD Rabekianja, RA Brenneman, and EE Louis, Jr. Evaluating the genetic diversity of three endangered lemur species (genus Propithecus) from northern Madagascar. Journal of Primatology. 2016.    

Evaluating species relationships and evolutionary history of the sportive lemurs (genus Lepilemur) of Madagascar

The genus Lepilemur has long been enigmatic, and an expansion of recognized species in the last decade has led to questions about taxonomic relationships and evolutionary history. 

Lei, R, SE Engberg, ML Woods, CA Bailey, AT McLain, CP Groves, SE Johnson, GH Perry, and EE Louis, Jr. 2015. Mitogenomic relationships of the sportive lemurs (genus Lepilemur) of Madagascar. In review at the Journal of Heredity.




Subspecies status in the Indri

The indri (Indri indri) is the largest extant lemur. Previous studies have indicated possible subspecies. Our research indicates such descriptions were premature, and affirms the existence of a single species.

Brenneman, RA, AT McLain, JM Taylor, JR Zaonarivelo, R Lei, SM McGuire, R Andriantompohavana, AB Rylands, and EE Louis, Jr. Genetic analysis of the genus Indri reveals no evidence of distinct subspecies. International Journal of Primatology. 2016.

Examining the home range and seasonal movement behavior of the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) using GPS tracking technology

Using data collected in an ongoing research project between 2008-present we are evaluating the home range size and seasonal movement behavior of the wonderfully weird aye-aye, a nocturnal and largely arboreal lemur known for its evolutionarily unique rotating finger and strange (or adorable) appearance. We are using ArcGIS to estimate home range size based on years of observation and GPS tracking of multiple wild male and female aye-ayes from two sites on the eastern coast of Madagascar. This work is in preparation for submission as a publication by the fall of 2014, and a companion paper on aye-aye behavior is being prepared by a Malagasy graduate student. 

Population genetics of O'Shaughnessy's chameleon (Calumma oshaughnessyi)

Using data collected from multiple sites in Madagascar we are examining the population genetics of the endangered O'Shaughnessy's chameleon to determine what impact riverine barriers have on speciation events in this endemic Malagasy lineage. This work is ongoing. 

Taxonomy of New Caledonian giant gecko species (genus Rhacodactylus)

I am reviewing the taxonomic status of this genus in anticipation of publishing a revision of the currently proposed status of species. This project is just beginning, but I am excited about the possibility of refining knowledge of these charismatic lizards.  

 

 
Previous Projects

The mobile genetic element Alu as a phylogenetic and population genetic marker

My doctoral research focused on the primate-specific mobile genetic element Alu in a phylogenetic and population genetic context. Working with Dr. Mark A. Batzer I used lineage-specific Alu elements to build robust phylogenies of two very different primate radiations. The gibbons (family: Hylobatidae) are arboreal small apes indigenous to South East Asia. The lemurs (Infraorder: Lemuriformes) are an amazingly diverse radiation of strepsirrhine primates found only on the island of Madagascar. Using a combination of computational and wet-bench laboratory work I built phylogenetic tress elucidating evolutionary relationships between these species. In addition, I examined species-specific Alu subfamilies in the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) genome. My dissertation, "Alu Elements and Primate Genomics", was accepted by the Graduate School at Louisiana State University in December of 2013. 

McLain, AT,GW Carman, ML Fullerton, TO Beckstrom, W Gensler, TJ Meyer, C Faulk, and MA Batzer. 2013. Analysis of western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) specific Alu repeats. Mobile DNA4:26. (Highly Accessed).

McLain, AT,TJ Meyer, C Faulk, S Herke, JM Oldenburg, MG Bourgeois, C Abshire, C Roos and MA Batzer. 2012. An Alu-based phylogeny of lemurs (Infraorder: Lemuriformes). PLoS ONE7(8): e44035. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044035.

Meyer, TJ, AT McLain, JM Oldenburg, C Faulk, MG Bourgeois, EM Conlin, AR Mootnick, PJ de Jong, C Roos, L Carbone and MA Batzer.2012. An Alu-based phylogeny of gibbons (Hylobatidae). Molecular Biologyand Evolution. 29 (11): 3441-3450.

Functionality of the vomeronasal gene V1R in the rhesus macaque

While pursuing my M.A. I worked with Dr. Michael Steiper to research the status of the olfactory gene family V1R in the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). I found these genes to be inactive, lending credit to the idea that olfactory communication has been largely supplanted by other senses (such as vision) in the Old World primate lineage. This research comprised the content of my M.A. thesis,
“Evaluating Gene Function in the Vomeronasal-1 Receptor Gene Family in Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)”, accepted by the Graduate School at Hunter College/City University of New York in May, 2009.