Anthony Cognato

TITLE: Assistant Professor

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science (1992) and Master of Science (1995), Environmental and Forest Biology. State University of New York- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Doctor of Philosophy (1998), Entomology. University of California, Berkeley.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Integration of phylogenetic and ecological research to provide insight into general questions of the patterns and processes of biodiversity.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: My research incorporates molecular, morphological and methodological sub-fields of systematics. Taxonomically, my focus is bark beetles (Scolytids) and water striders (Gerridae). Revision of higher level classifications, determination of species boundries and ecological hypothesis testing are directed by phylogenetic analyses. For example, revisions of Ipini genera, phylogenetic analysis of gerrid sub-families, revision and molecular identification of the cone beetle, Conophthorus ponderosae, and analysis of Ips host and pheromone evolution are a few current studies. The character basis for these studies will be mainly molecular but morphology will also be included. New characters such as, single copy nuclear genes and microsatellites, are being developed for these endeavors.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES
I teach an undergraduate course in Ecology and Bioassessment of Freshwater Environments (Ento 489). This course provides the basic ecological knowledge and theories concerning the structure and functional integrity of freshwater environments, and the practical skills and experience with methods used to assess biological components relevant to water quality and ecosystem health.

Also, I teach the graduate course Principles of Systematic Entomology (ENTO 601). This course provides the philosophical and methodological background for the study of biodiversity and phylogenetic analysis.

PUBLICATIONS:
Galacatos, K., A.I. Cognato, and F.A.H. Sperling. 2002. Genetic population structure of two Amazonian water striders (Heteroptera: Gerridae). Freshwater Biology 47: 391-399.

Cognato, A.I. and A.P. Vogler. 2001. Exploring data interaction and nucleotide alignment in a multiple gene analysis of Ips (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Systematic Biology 50: 758-781.

Cognato, A.I. 2000. Phylogenetic analysis reveals new genus of Ipini bark beetle (Scolytidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 93: 362-366.

Cognato, A.I. and F.A.H. Sperling. 2000. Phylogeny of Ips DeGeer (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 14: 445-460.

Cognato, A.I., S.J. Seybold and F.A.H. Sperling. 1999. Incomplete barriers to mitochondrial gene flow between pheromone races of the North American pine engraver, Ips pini (Say). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 266:1843-1850.

Cognato, A.I. 1998. A new Potamobates Champion species (Heteroptera: Gerridae) from Ecuador with new distribution records for P. williamsi Hungerford. Insecta Mundi 12:17-22.

Cognato, A.I., S.J. Seybold, D.L. Wood, and S.A. Teale. 1997. A cladistic analysis pheromone evolution in Ips bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Evolution 51: 313-318.

Cognato, A.I. and D. Bright. 1996. New records of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) from Dominica, West Indies. The Coleopterists Bulletin 50: 72.

Cognato, A.I., S.O. Rogers, and S.A. Teale. 1995. Species diagnosis and phylogeny of the Ips grandicollis group (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) using random amplified polymorphic DNA. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 88: 397-405.