Sharon Jansa

My research is primarily concerned with the systematics and biogeography of localized mammalian radiations. I am currently focusing on three isolated groups of mammals: the native rodents of Madagascar, the indigenous rodents of the Philippines, and South American didelphid marsupials. Each of these groups contains species that have evolved to take advantage of a wide range of ecological conditions and exhibit a broad array of morphological adaptations. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of these groups is the first step towards understanding which forces -- biological and geological -- have prompted their diversification. I employ DNA sequence data to infer phylogenetic history, and I work with traditional systematists to combine morphological and molecular data to provide a better understanding of mammalian evolutionary history.

Education
Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1998 

Additional Links
Bell Museum of Natural History

Animal Diversity Web