Luiz A. Rocha

My research interests and experience are centered on the evolution, phylogeography (or the geographic distribution of genetic lineages), biogeography, systematics and community and behavioral ecology of coral reef fishes. I frequently try to combine these fields, invoking ecology to help explain evolutionary patterns and using molecular tools to test biogeographic and systematic hypotheses. The overall objective of this interdisciplinary research is to test existing hypotheses (and propose new ones) about what generates and maintains the extremely high biodiversity in tropical coral reefs.

 

Current projects include the investigation of processes of speciation in Indo-Pacific coral reef fishes. We are surveying 30 species across a wide geographical range (from East Africa to Hawaii), searching for geographic and ecological patterns of genetic variation that help explain speciation. This research is jointly funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Science Foundation.

 

Future research interests include speciation in tropical marine and neotropical freshwater fishes, evolutionary ecology of mimicry in fishes, molecular evolution of adaptive coloration in fishes and taxonomy and ecology of deep reef fishes.

 


The evolutionary ecology of the model angelfishes Centropyge flavissimus (A) and C. vrolikii (C), and their mimic, the surgeonfish Acanthurus pyroferus (B and D) are among my future research projects. Photos A and B by Jack Randall, C and D by Luiz Rocha.

CURRENT POSITION
Assistant Curator of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, 2011 – present.
         

EDUCATION
Ph.D. University of Florida, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 1999 – 2003.
M.Sc. Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil, Zoology, with distinction, 1997 – 1999.
B.Sc. Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil, Biological Sciences, 1991 – 1996.
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2008 – 2011 Assistant Professor, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin.
2006 – 2008 Assistant Researcher, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii.
2003 – 2006 Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama.
 

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Editorial Service
Associate Editor, Journal of Biogeography, 2010 – present.
Associate Editor, Zootaxa, 2006 – 2009.
Editorial Board, 17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, 2006 – 2007.
Manuscript reviews for:
Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Animal Behaviour, Animal Biology, Aquatic
Living Resources, Biological Conservation, Biota Neotropica, BMC Evolutionary Biology,
Brazilian Journal of Biology, Bulletin of Marine Science, Caribbean Journal of Science,
CheckList, Copeia, Conservation Genetics, Coral Reefs, Cybium, Environmental Biology of
Fishes, Evolution, Fisheries Research, Fishery Bulletin, Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations, Genetica, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Helgoland Marine Research,
Hydrobiologia, Ichthyological Research, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Journal
of Biogeography, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology, Journal of Fish Biology, Journal of
Heredity, Journal of Marine Biology, Journal of the Marine Biological Association, Genetics
and Molecular Biology, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Marine and
Freshwater Research, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Molecular Ecology, Molecular
Phylogenetics and Evolution, Neotropical Ichthyology, Oecologia, The Open Fish Science
Journal, Pacific Science, PLoS Biology, PLoS One, Proceedings of the Meeting of the
Association of Caribbean Marine Labs, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society,
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Zootaxa.
Grant reviews for:
National Science Foundation – Biological Oceanography
National Science Foundation – Evolutionary Processes
National Science Foundation – Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories
National Geographic Society
National Marine Fisheries Service
New Zealand Royal Society
 
Courses Taught
MNS s354c, Biology of Fishes, 3 credits course with 18 students, University of Texas, Summer 2011.
MNS 307, Introduction to Oceanography, 4 credits course with 210 students, University of Texas, Spring 2009, 2010, 2011.
MNS 398T, Teaching Methods for Graduate Students, 3 credits course with 9 students, University of Texas, Fall 2009.
MNS 152T, Estuarine and Tropical Marine Fish Ecology, 2 credits course with 17 students, University of Texas, Summer 2009.
Biogeography and Evolution, 10 hours graduate level course with 28 students, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil, August 2007.
Introduction to Fish Phylogeography, 9 hours undergraduate level course with 30 students, UNISINOS University, Itajaí, Brazil, January 2007.
 
Student Supervision
Current Students Degree Working Towards
Moises Bernal DeLeon Ph.D.
Eva Maria Salas de la Fuente Ph.D.
William Benton Ludt M.Sc.
 
Committee Member Degree Awarded Year Graduated
Megan Fencil Ph.D. Fall 2009
Colbi Brown M.Sc. Summer 2010
Wenxian Tan Ph.D. Candidate
Gabriella Ahmadia (TAMU-CC) Ph.D. Candidate
 
Undergraduate Research Supervision
Winston Anthony (University of Massachusetts), NSF-REU intern, Summer 2011
Melinda Martinez (UT Austin), undergraduate research for credit, Summer 2011
Andrew Thompson (Clarion University), NSF-REU intern, Summer 2009
Arely Silva (UT Austin), undergraduate research for credit, Summer 2009
 
Guest Lectures
2011 Marine speciation. Marine Botany Maymester course, University of Texas.
2010 Coral reef fish diversity. UTMSI Public Lecture Series.
  Coral reef fish evolution. UT SAGE, Seminars for Adult Growth and Enrichment.
2009 Marine fish phylogeography. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
2008 Marine speciation. Marine Science Seminar course, University of Texas.
2007 Marine conservation. Conservation Genetics course, University of Hawaii.
2006 Speciation in reef fishes. Speciation Seminar course, University of Hawaii.
2004 Coral reef fish ecology. Tropical Ecology field course, STRI/OTS.
2002 Reef fish diversity and evolution. Ichthyology, University of Florida.
 
Advisory Positions
IUCN Species Survival Commission, Reef Fish Specialist. 2001 – present.
17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, Scientific Advisor. 2006 – 2007.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Consultant. 2003 – 2006.
 
Symposium Organization
Organized a session on “Phylogenetics and phylogeography of coral reef fishes” during the 8th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference, Perth, Australia, May 2009.
Organized a mini-symposium on “Conservation Genetics and Phylogeography of Fishes” during the 17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, Itajaí, Brazil, January 2007.
Organized a mini-symposium on “Ecology, Biology and Biogeography of Brazilian Reef Fishes” during the 14th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, São Leopoldo, Brazil, January 2001.
 
Institutional Activities
Course and Curriculum Committee, UTMSI, 2008 – 2011.
Scuba Dive Control Board, UTMSI, 2009 – 2011.
Biogeochemistry Search Committee, UTMSI, 2009.
External examiner for three MSc students, Univ. Federal da Paraíba, Brazil, 2006 – 2009.
Organization Committee, DNA Barcoding Workshop, STRI, 2005.
Commission on Academic Affairs, STRI, 2004.
 
Field Experience
Led or participated in 45 scientific expeditions and three oceanographic cruises to locations in tropical seas, including Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Christmas Island, Cocos Keeling, Kiritimati, Fiji, Florida (Gulf and Atlantic), French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Johnston Atoll, Kauai, Marshall Islands, Marquesas Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Palau, Panama, Philippines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela.
 

RESEARCH GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2011 “Collaborative Research: Biogeography, evolution and conservation genetics of tropical eastern Pacific reef fishes” National Science Foundation; with Co-PI Giacomo Bernardi (US$ 707,164 for three years; pending)
2011 “Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge - South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem: Processes to Decision- Support Tools” National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration; with Lead PI Robert Cowen and 28 Co-PIs (US$ 5,000,000 for five years; US$ 162,000 subcontract)
2009 “Coral Reef fish mimicry” University of Texas Summer Research Assistantship (US$15,000 for one summer).
2007 “The Cocos-Keeling connection: Exploring connectivity among Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean reef fishes” National Geographic Society; with PI Matthew Craig (US$ 16,200 for one year)
2006 “Connectivity among reef fish populations at southeastern Brazilian islands: an ecological and population genetic approach” CNPq, Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology; with Co-PI Sergio Floeter (US$ 27,000 for one year)
2006 “Marine population connectivity at St. Paul’s Rocks, central Atlantic Ocean” CNPq, Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology; with Co-PI Carlos E. L. Ferreira (US$ 23,000 for one year)
2005 “Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific Reef Fishes” National Science Foundation - Biological Oceanography; with P.I. Brian Bowen and Co-PIs Stephen Karl, Richard Pyle, Jack Randall, Ross Robertson and Rob Toonen (US$ 510,000 for three years)
2005 “The evolution and ecology of fish assemblages in a poorly known eastern Atlantic biodiversity hotspot” National Geographic Society; with Co-PI Sergio Floeter (US$ 20,960 for one year)
2004 “Revisiting connectivity among coral reef fish populations: are abrupt discontinuities in ranges due to self-recruitment or ecological constraints?” National Geographic Society; sole P.I. (US$ 15,000 for one year)
2003 Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution Marine Science Network (US$ 80,000 for two years)
2003 Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Smithsonian Institution (US$ 35,000 for one year; awarded but declined in order to receive Marine Science Network fellowship)
2002 PADI Project Aware research grant (US$ 2,500)
2000 Academic Achievement Award, University of Florida
1999 Doctorate Scholarship, Brazilian Ministry of Education (US$ 100,000 for four years of stipend and tuition)
1999 M.Sc. with Distinction, UFPB, Brazil
1997 Graduate Student Scholarship, Brazilian Ministry of Education
 

SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (Out of 68)
Invited
2011 XIX Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Phylogeography of Brazilian reef fishes. Manaus, Brazil, February 2011.
2011 XIX Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Genic speciation and the accuracy of the molecular clock. Manaus, Brazil, February 2011.
2011 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Rocha, L. A. Nextgeneration sequencing and population genomics: an outlook for the future of speciation studies. Salt Lake City, UT, January 2011.
2009 XIII Brazilian Fish Genetics Conference. Rocha, L. A. Speciation in coral reef fishes. Ponta Grossa, Brazil. [Plenary Session]
2007 Smithsonian Marine Science Symposium. Rocha, L. A. Sympatric speciation by hybridization in a marine fish. Washington, DC.
2007 17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Speciation in marine fishes. Itajaí, Brazil. [Plenary Session]
2007 17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Phylogeography, connectivity and conservation genetics of marine fishes. Itajaí, Brazil.
2006 59th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Meeting. Rocha, L. A. The importance of sampling across ecological gradients in connectivity studies. Belize City, Belize.
2005 16th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Phylogeography of Atlantic reef fishes. João Pessoa, Brazil. [Plenary Session]
2004 American Society of Limnology and Oceanography DIALOG VI Workshop. Rocha, L. A. Ecological speciation in tropical reef fishes. Dauphin Island, AL.
2001 14th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting. Rocha, L. A. Biogeography and ecology of Brazilian reef fishes. São Leopoldo, Brazil.
 
Contributed
2011 91st Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Ludt, W., M. Bernal, B. W. Bowen and L. A. Rocha. Sea level fluctuations and genetic diversity in two habitats: Comparisons of two lagoon and two seaward reef wrasses (Genus: Halichoeres). Minneapolis, MN, July 2011.
2011 91st Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. DiBattista, J., M. Craig, L. A. Rocha, K. Feldheim and B. W. Bowen. Phylogeographic patterns in two related Indo- Pacific Butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyeri and Chaetodon ornatissimus, reveal insights into evolutionary history. Minneapolis, MN, July 2011.
2011 91st Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Bernal, M., W. Ludt, M. Craig, B. W. Bowen and L. A. Rocha. Phylogeography of Halichoeres claudia and Halichoeres ornatissimus: New insights on patterns of population connectivity across the Central- West Pacific. Minneapolis, MN, July 2011.
2010 90th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Rocha, L. A., M. Bernal and W. Ludt. Molecules and Morphology Indicate Speciation by Hybridization in a Marine Fish. Providence, RI, July 2010.
2010 90th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Bowen, B., J. Eble, Z. Svabo, L. A. Rocha, and M. Craig. Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific Reef Fishes: Coloration, Speciation, and the Indo-Pacific Barrier. Providence, RI, July 2010.
2010 90th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Thompson, A. and L. A. Rocha. The systematics and biogeography of the Atlantic labrid species Bodianus insularis. Providence, RI, July 2010.
2010 Evolution Conference. Bowen, B. W., L. A. Rocha, J. A. Eble, and R. J. Toonen. The origins of tropical marine biodiversity: a phylogeographic perspective. Portland, OR, June 2010.
2010 Evolution Conference. DiBattista, J. D., C. Wilcox, M. T. Craig, L. A. Rocha, and B. W. Bowen. Cryptic surgeonfish species: A phylogeographic survey of Acanthurus nigroris reveals hidden biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean. Portland, OR, June 2010.
2010 90th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Rocha, L. A. Genic speciation and the accuracy of the molecular clock. Providence, RI, July 2010.
2009 8th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference. Drew, J., Rocha, L. A., Barber, P. and M. Erdmann. Asymmetrical gene flow among populations of checkerboard wrasse from the Indian and Pacific oceans. Perth, Australia, May 2009.
2009 8th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference. Bowen, B., Rocha, L. A., Eble, J., Craig, M. T. Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific reef fishes: coloration, speciation, and the Sunda shelf barrier. Perth, Australia, May 2009.
2008 88th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Sanciangco, M., Rocha, L. A. and K. E. Carpenter. A phylogeny of the grunts (Perciformes: Haemulidae) inferred from the nuclear RAG1 gene. Montreal, Canada.
2008 11th International Coral Reef Symposium. Ferreira, C. E., Floeter, S. R., Sampaio, C. L. and L. A. Rocha. Fish community structure, habitat diversity and fishing pressure in Gulf of Guinea reefs (tropical Eastern Atlantic). Fort Lauderdale, FL.
2008 11th International Coral Reef Symposium. Floeter, S. R., Rocha, L. A. and D. R. Robertson. Atlantic reef fish biogeography and evolution. Fort Lauderdale, FL.
2006 86th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Rocha, L. A., Rocha, C. R. and K. C. Lindeman. Speciation and biogeography of Haemulon (Teleostei: Haemulidae) inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial genes. New Orleans, LA.
2005 7th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference. Rocha, L. A., D. R. Robertson, C. R. Rocha, J. L. Van Tassell, M. Craig and B. W. Bowen. Recent invasion of the tropical Atlantic by an Indo-Pacific coral reef fish. Taipei, Taiwan.
2005 85th Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Smith-Vaniz, W. F., H. Jelks and L. A. Rocha. Relevance of cryptic fishes in biodiversity assessments: a case study at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Tampa, FL.
2004 Evolution Conference. Rocha, L. A., D. R. Robertson, C. R. Rocha, J. L. Van Tassell and B. W. Bowen. Episodic global warming drives interoceanic invasion and transoceanic range expansion by a coral-reef fish. Fort Collins, CO.
 

INVITED SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
2011 NSF/Fapesp Partnership in Biodiversity Research, University of São Paulo, Brazil
  IUCN Snappers and Grunts Workshop, Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas
  California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
  Symposium on Marine Speciation, Society of Integrative Biology Meeting, Salt Lake City
2010 Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz
  IUCN Damselfish Workshop, Suva, Fiji
  IUCN Surgeonfish Workshop, Cebu, Philippines
2009 Department of Genetics and Evolution, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
  IUCN Butterflyfish and Angelfish Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia
  IUCN Parrotfish Workshop, Bali, Indonesia
  Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
  IUCN Wrasses Workshop II, Dumaguete, Philippines
2008 IUCN Wrasses Workshop I, Recife, Brazil
  Department of Oceanography, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
  Dept. of Systematics and Ecology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
2007 Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin
  Smithsonian Marine Science Symposium, Washington DC
  Dept. of Systematics and Ecology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
  IUCN Grouper Specialist Workshop, Hong Kong, China
  17th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, Itajaí, Brazil
  Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee
2006 Connectivity Symposium, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Meeting, Belize
  Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii
2005 Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  16th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, João Pessoa, Brazil
  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
2004 Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
  Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California – Santa Barbara
  ASLO DIALOG VI workshop (Initiative for the Advancement of Limnology and Oceanography)
  Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Bermuda
  Eastern Atlantic fish systematics workshop, FAO-UN, Tenerife, Canary Islands
  Rosenstiel School of Marine Science, University of Miami
2003 Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico
  Department of Systematics and Ecology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil
2002 Florida Museum of Natural History
2001 14th Brazilian Ichthyology Meeting, São Leopoldo, Brazil
 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Brazilian Ichthyology Society
International Biogeography Society (Founding member)
Society for the Study of Evolution

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Links to open-access articles provided. Other PDFs available via e-mail.
Invited Reviews
60. Rocha, L. A., Bernal, M. A., Gaither, M. R. and M. E. Alfaro (2013) Massively parallel DNA sequencing: the new frontier in biogeography. Frontiers in Biogeography 5(1): 67-77.
59. Bowen, B. W., L. A. Rocha, R. J. Toonen, S. A. Karl, M. T. Craig, J. D. DiBattista, J. A. Eble, M. R. Gaither, D. Skillings, C. J. Bird (2013) The origins of tropical marine biodiversity. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. Online Early.
58. Rocha, L. A. and B. W. Bowen (2008) Speciation in coral reef fishes. Journal of Fish Biology 72(5): 1101-1121.
57. Rocha, L. A., M. T. Craig and B. W. Bowen (2007) Phylogeography and the conservation of coral reef fishes. Coral Reefs 26(3): 501-512.
Contributed Articles
56. DiBattista, J. D., M. Berumen, M. Gaither, L. A. Rocha, J. H. Choat, D. J. Skillings, B. W. Bowen (2013) After continents divide: Comparative phylogeography of reef fishes from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Journal of Biogeography. Early View.
55. Quimbayo, J. P., S. R. Floeter, R. Noguchi, C. A. Rangel, J. L. Gasparini, C. L. S. Sampaio, C. E. Ferreira, L. A. Rocha (2012) Cleaning mutualism in Santa Luzia (Cape Verde Archipelago) and São Tomé Islands, Tropical Eastern Atlantic. Marine Biodiversity Records 5: e118.
54. Harborne, H., H. Jelks, W. F. Smith-Vaniz and L. A. Rocha (2012) Abiotic and biotic controls of cryptobenthic fish assemblages across a Caribbean seascape. Coral Reefs 31: 977-990.
53. DiBattista, J. D., L. A. Rocha, M. T. Craig, K. A. Feldheim and B. W. Bowen (2012) Phylogeography of two closely related Indo-Pacific butterflyfish reveal divergent evolutionary histories and discordant results from mtDNA and microsatellites. Journal of Heredity 103(5): 617-629.
52. Comeros-Raynal, M.T., J. H. Choat, B. E. Polidoro, K. D. Clements, R. Abesamis, A. Candido, E. Capuli, S. Conales Jr., M. T. Craig, M. E. Lazuardi, J. McIlwain, A. Muljadi, R. F. Myers, C. Nañola Jr, S. Pardede, P. Rahardjo, L. A. Rocha, B. Russell, J. C. Sanciangco, B. Stockwell, H. Harwell and K. E. Carpenter (2012) The likelihood of extinction of iconic and dominant components of coral reefs: the parrotfishes and surgeonfishes. PLoS ONE 7(6): e39825.
51. Ludt, W. B., M. Bernal, B. W. Bowen and L. A. Rocha (2012) Living in the past: Phylogeography and population histories of Indo-Pacific Wrasses (Genus Halichoeres) in shallow lagoons versus outer reef slopes. PLoS ONE 7(6):e38042.
50. DiBattista, J. D., E. Waldrop, B. W. Bowen, J. K. Schultz, M. Gaither and L. A. Rocha (2012) Twisted sister species of Pygmy Angelfishes: Discordance between taxonomy, coloration, and phylogenetics. Coral Reefs. 31: 839-851.
49. de Mitcheson, Y. S., M. T. Craig, A. A. Bertoncini, A. Cabanban, K. E. Carpenter, W. Cheung, J. H. Choat, A. S. Cornish, S. T. Fenessy, B. P. Ferreira, P. C. Heemstra, M. Liu, R. F. Myers, D. A. Pollard, K. L. Rhodes, L. A. Rocha, B. Russel, M. A. Samoilys and J. Sanciangco (2012) Fishing groupers towards extinction: A global assessment of threats and extinction risks in a billion dollar fishery. Fish and Fisheries. Online First.
48. Rocha, L. A., Ross, R. and G. Korp (2012) Opportunistic mimicry by a Jawfish. Coral Reefs 31: 285.
47. Rocha, L. A., Brito, A. and D. R. Robertson (2012) Sparisoma choati, a new species of Parrotfish (Labridae: Scarinae) from the tropical eastern Atlantic. Zootaxa 3152: 61-67.
46. Luiz, O. J., J. S. Madin, D. R. Robertson, L. A. Rocha, P. Wirtz and S. R. Floeter (2012) Ecological traits influencing range expansion across large oceanic dispersal barriers: insights from tropical Atlantic reef fishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B. 279: 1033-1040.
45. Gaither, M. R., B. W. Bowen, T. R. Bordenave, L. A. Rocha, S. J. Newman, J. A. Gomez, L. van Herwerden, L. and M. T. Craig (2011) Phylogeography of the reef fish Cephalopholis argus (Epinephelidae) indicates Pleistocene isolation across the Indo-Pacific Barrier with contemporary overlap in the Coral Triangle. BMC Evolutionary Biology 2011, 11: 189.
44. Sanciango, M. D., L. A. Rocha and K. E. Carpenter (2011) A molecular phylogeny of the Grunts (Perciformes: Haemulidae) inferred using mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Zootaxa 2966: 37-50.
43. Bernal, M. and L. A. Rocha (2011) Acanthurus tractus Poey, 1860, a valid western Atlantic species of surgeonfish (Teleostei, Acanthuridae), distinct from Acanthurus bahianus Castelnau, 1855. Zootaxa 2905: 63-68.
42. DiBattista, J.D., C. Wilcox, M.T. Craig, L.A. Rocha, and B.W. Bowen (2011) Phylogeography of the Pacific blueline surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigroris, reveals high genetic connectivity and a cryptic endemic species in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Journal of Marine Biology 2011: 1-17; Article ID 839134.
41. Eble, J.A., L.A. Rocha, M.T. Craig, and B.W. Bowen (2010) Not all larvae stay close to home: Insights into marine population connectivity with a focus on the Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus). Journal of Marine Biology 2010: 1-12; Article ID 518516.
40. Rocha, L.A., H.T. Pinheiro and J.L. Gasparini (2010) Description of Halichoeres rubrovirens, a new species of wrasse (Labridae: Perciformes) from the Trindade and Martin Vaz Island group, southeastern Brazil, with a preliminary mtDNA molecular phylogeny of New World Halichoeres. Zootaxa 2422: 22-30.
39. Randall, J. E. and L. A. Rocha (2009) Halichoeres claudia sp. nov., a new Indo-Pacific wrasse (Perciformes: Labridae), the fourth species of the H. ornatissimus complex. Zoological Studies 48(5): 709-718.
38. Randall, J. E. and L. A. Rocha (2009) Chaetodontoplus poliourus, a new angelfish (Perciformes:Pomacanthidae) from the tropical western Pacific. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57(2): 511-520.
37. Luiz Jr., O. J., C. E. L. Ferreira and L. A. Rocha (2009) Halichoeres sazimai, a new species ofwrasse (Perciformes: Labridae) from the Western South Atlantic. Zootaxa 2092: 37-46.
36. Lobel, P. L., L. A. Rocha and J. E. Randall (2009) The color phases and distribution of the western Atlantic labrid fish, Halichoeres socialis. Copeia 2009(1): 171-174.
35. Rocha, L. A., K. C. Lindeman, C. R. Rocha and H. A. Lessios (2008) Historical biogeography and speciation in the reef fish genus Haemulon (Teleostei: Haemulidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48: 918-928.
34. Randall, J. E., J. T. Williams and L. A. Rocha (2008) The Indo-Pacific tetraodontid fish Canthigaster coronata, a complex of three species. Smithiana 9: 3-13.
33. Rocha, L. A., C. R. Rocha, D. R. Robertson and B. W. Bowen (2008) Comparative phylogeography of Atlantic reef fishes indicates both origin and accumulation of diversity in the Caribbean. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8: 157.
32. Randall, J. E., J. L. Earle and L. A. Rocha. (2008) Xyrichtys pastellus, a new razorfish from the southwest Pacific, with discussion of the related X. sciistius and X. woodi. aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 14(3): 149-158.
31. Floeter, S. R., L. A. Rocha, D. R. Robertson, J. C. Joyeux, W. S. Smith-Vaniz, P. Wirtz, A. J. Edwards, J. P. Barreiros, C. E. L. Ferreira, J. L. Gasparini, A. Brito, J. M. Falcon, B. W. Bowen and G. Bernardi (2008) Atlantic reef fish biogeography and evolution. Journal of Biogeography. 35: 22-47.
30. Weaver, D. and L. A. Rocha* (2007) A new Halichoeres (Labridae) from the Western Gulf of Mexico. Copeia 2007(4): 798-897.
29. Wirtz, P., C. E. L. Ferreira, S. R. Floeter, R. Fricke, J. L. Gasparini, T. Iwamoto, L. A. Rocha, C. L. Sampaio and U. Schliewen (2007) Coastal Fishes of São Tomé and Príncipe – an update. Zootaxa 1523: 1-48.
28. Bowen, B. W., A. Muss, L. A. Rocha and W. S. Grant (2006) Shallow mtDNA coalescence in Atlantic pygmy angelfish (genus Centropyge) indicates a recent invasion from the Indian Ocean. Journal of Heredity 97(1): 1-12. [Featured on journal cover]
27. Smith-Vaniz, W. F., H. L. Jelks and L. A. Rocha (2006) Relevance of cryptic fishes in biodiversity assessments: a case study at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Bulletin of Marine Science 79(1): 17-48.
26. Rocha, L. A., D. R. Robertson, J. Roman and B. W. Bowen (2005) Ecological speciation intropical reef fishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 272: 573-579. [Featured on journal cover]
25. Rocha, L. A., D. R. Robertson, C. R. Rocha, J. L. Van Tassell, M. Craig and B. W. Bowen (2005) Recent invasion of the tropical Atlantic by an Indo-Pacific coral reef fish. Molecular Ecology 14: 3921-3928. [Fast-Track]
24. Feitoza, B. M., R. S. Rosa and L. A. Rocha* (2005) Ecology and zoogeography of deep reef fishes in northeastern Brazil. Bulletin of Marine Science 76: 725-742.
23. Rocha, L. A. (2004) Mitochondrial DNA and color pattern variation in three western AtlanticHalichoeres (Labridae), with the revalidation of two species. Copeia 2004(4): 770-782.
22. Guimarães, R. Z. P., J. L. Gasparini and L. A. Rocha (2004) A new cleaner goby of the genus Elacatinus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Trindade Island, off Brazil. Zootaxa 770: 1-8.
21. Rocha, L. A (2003) Patterns of distribution and processes of speciation in Brazilian reef fishes. Journal of Biogeography 30(8): 1161-1171.
20. Feitoza, B. M., L. A. Rocha*, O. J. Luiz-Junior, S. R. Floeter and J. L. Gasparini (2003) Reef fishes of St. Paul’s Rocks: new records and notes on biology and zoogeography. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 7(2): 61-82.
19. Ramos, R. T. C., C. Rocha and L. A. Rocha* (2003) New species of Emblemaria (Teleostei: Chaenopsidae) from Northern Brazil. Copeia 2003(1): 95-98.
18. Rocha, L. A., A. L. Bass, D. R. Robertson and B. W. Bowen (2002) Adult habitat preferences, larval dispersal and the comparative phylogeography of three Atlantic Acanthurus (Teleostei: Acanthuridae). Molecular Ecology 11(2): 243-252.
17. Feitoza, B. M., L. A. Rocha, J. L. Gasparini and T. L. Dias (2002) First record of cleaning activity in the slippery dick, Halichoeres bivittatus (Perciformes: Labridae) off northeastern Brazil. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 5(2): 73-76.
16. Bowen, B. W., A. L. Bass, L. A. Rocha, W. S. Grant and D. R. Robertson (2001) Phylogeography of the trumpetfish (Aulostomus): Ring species complex on a global scale? Evolution 55(5): 1029- 1039.
15. Rocha, L. A. and I. L. Rosa (2001) Baseline assessment of reef fish assemblages of Parcel Manuel Luiz Marine State Park, Maranhão, north-east Brazil. Journal of Fish Biology 58: 985-998.
14. Rocha, L. A. and R. S. Rosa (2001) Halichoeres brasiliensis (Bloch, 1791), a valid wrasse species (Teleostei: Labridae) from Brazil, with notes on the Caribbean species Halichoeres radiatus (Linnaeus, 1758). Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 4(4): 161-166.
13. Rocha, L. A., Guimaraes, R. Z. and J. L. Gasparini (2001) Redescription of the Brazilian wrasse Thalassoma noronhanum (Boulenger, 1890) (Teleostei: Labridae). Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 4(3): 105-108.
12. Floeter, S. R., R. Z. P. Guimarães, L. A. Rocha, C. E. L. Ferreira, C. A. Rangel and J. L. Gasparini (2001) Geographic variation in reef-fish assemblages along the Brazilian coast. Global Ecology and Biogeography 10(4): 423-432.
11. Gasparini, J. L., L. A. Rocha* and S. R. Floeter (2001) A new Ptereleotris (TELEOSTEI: MICRODESMIDAE) from the Brazilian coast. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology 4(3): 109-114.
10. Guimarães, R. Z., J. L. Gasparini, C. E. Ferreira, L. A. Rocha, S. R. Floeter, C. A. Rangel and G. W. Nunan (2001) Brazilian reef fishes: threatened and unknown richness. Ciencia Hoje 28(168): 16-23. [Featured on journal cover] [In Portuguese]
 9. Rocha, L. A., I. L. Rosa and B. M. Feitoza (2000) Sponge dwelling fishes of northeastern Brazil.Environmental Biology of Fishes 59(4): 453-458.
 8. Rocha, L. A. (2000) Aggressive behavior of male Spanish hogfish (Bodianus rufus), in northeastern Brazil. Coral Reefs 19: 184.
 7. Rocha, L. A. and I. L. Rosa (1999) New Species of Haemulon (TELEOSTEI: HAEMULIDAE) from the Northeastern Brazilian Coast. Copeia 1999: 447-452.
 6. Rocha, L. A., I. L. Rosa and R. S. Rosa (1998) Reef fishes from the coast of Paraíba, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 15: 553-566. [In Portuguese, with abstract in English]
 5. Rosa, R. S., I. L. Rosa and L. A. Rocha (1997) Diversity of the tide pool ichthyofauna from Cabo Branco Beach, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 14: 201-212. [In Portuguese, with abstract in English]
Invited Book Chapters
 4. Sampaio, C. L. S., Carvalho-Filho, A., Feitoza, B. M., Ferreira, C. E. L., Floeter, S. R., Gasparini, J. L., Rocha, L. A. and Sazima, I. (2006) Threatened and endemic reef fishes from the Brazilian oceanic islands and the Abrolhos reef complex. In: R. J. V. Alves and J. W. A. Castro eds. Ilhas Oceânicas Brasileiras – Da Pesquisa ao Manejo. Brasília, MMA, SBF, pp. 217-234. [in Portuguese]
 3. Rocha, L. A. (2006) Family Acanthuridae. In: Carpenter, K.E. ed. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. In press.
 2. Rocha, L. A. (2006) Family Cirrhitidae. In: Carpenter, K.E. ed. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. In press.
 1. Rocha, L. A. (2002) Brazilian Reef Fishes. In: Humann, P and N. Deloach eds. Reef FishIdentification, 3rd edn. New World Publications, Jacksonville, pp. 462-479.
 

MANUSCRIPTS SUBMITTED AND IN PREPARATION
Drew, J., Rocha, L. A., Barber, P. and M. Erdmann. Asymmetrical gene flow among populations of checkerboard wrasse from the Indian and Pacific oceans. Molecular Ecology.

Contact

  • Luiz A. Rocha
  • Assistant Curator and Follett Chair
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • 55 Music Concourse Drive
  • San Francisco, CA 94118
  • 415-379-5370