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Research Group on Biodiversity and Evolution of Cnidarians - BEC

Description

The researcher is focused on studies of biodiversity, ecology and evolution of hidroids (Hydrozoa Class, Phylum Cnidaria). The main focus is on Antarctic benthic hydroids fauna. It is one of the most diversified and characteristic zoological groups of the Antarctic ecosystem and has a number of important peculiarities crucial to understanding its origin and evolution, such as relatively low diversity at the generic level, a high degree of endemism at the specific level (almost 80%), centred on a few genera, and a specific diversity also concentrated in a few groups.

The work carried out so far has significantly increased the knowledge about the biodiversity of the Antarctic group, also providing important information on the biology, ecology and biogeography of the discovered species species. As a result of these studies, and only considering the biodiversity of the group, the description of more than 50 species new to science has contributed to increase the inventory of known species by almost 37%. The results obtained are used in phylogenetic studies to increase knowledge about the origin and evolution of this interesting zoological group.

Besides research on Antarctic hydroids, studies on this group are also carried out in other geographical areas, such as the Mediterranean or the Pacific. In addition, species revisions of several genera are carried out with the aim of increasing scientific knowledge of this class of cnidarians.

Goals CT

Increase scientific knowledge on the biodiversity, ecology and evolution of benthic hydroids.

Research lines

Biodiversity, ecology and evolution of benthic hydroids

A research focused on the studies of biodiversity, ecology and evolution of hydroids (Hydrozoa Class, Phylum Cnidaria), mainly with the fauna of Antarctic benthic hydroids, but also from other regions such as the Mediterranean or the Pacific.

Management
  • PEÑA CANTERO, ALVARO LUIS
  • PDI-Titular d'Universitat
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Scientific production by UV researcher
  • PEÑA CANTERO, ALVARO LUIS
    PDI-Titular d'Universitat
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Associated structure
Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Contact group details
Research Group on Cnidarian Biodiversity and Evolution (BEC)

Burjassot/Paterna Campus

C/ Doctor Moliner, 50

46100 Burjassot (Valencia)

+34 963 543 770

Geolocation

alvaro.l.pena@uv.es

Contact people
  • PEÑA CANTERO, ALVARO LUIS
  • PDI-Titular d'Universitat
View details