[Seminar] "Phylogeny and evolution of social behavior in Blattodea (cockroaches and termites)" by Prof. Frederic Legendre

Speaker: Dr. Frederic Legendre

Institution: L’Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité

Title: "Phylogeny and evolution of social behavior in Blattodea (cockroaches and termites)"

Abstract:

In evolutionary biology, phylogenetic trees serve to study a multitude of evolutionary questions, a practice commonly referred to “phylogenetic tests of evolutionary scenarios”. These tests, to be as convincing as possible, must rely on clear hypotheses, robust phylogenetic trees and sound protocols (i.e. phylogenetic design). These conditions are, however, not always easily met, especially when diverse data are used, such as molecules, morphology, behavior or development. In this talk, I will show how those data can be integrated into phylogenetic approaches to investigate the evolution of cockroaches and termites (Blattodea). More specifically, I will address the evolution of social behaviors in these insects.

Biography:

A. Professional Experience and Services:

2015 – now. Co-responsible of the teaching major ‘Systematics and Evolution’ in Master Systematics, Evolution, Paleontology (SU-MNHN)

2014 – now. Head of the team Functional Evolution and Taxonomy (EvoFoncT), Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Paris.

2008 – now. Associate Professor, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, ISYEB, Departement Origins and Evolution, Paris.

2008 – now. Curator of the Dictyoptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera collections.

B. Education:

2018. HDR, Sorbonne Université, Phylogenetic tests of evolutionary scenarios in interdisciplinary studies: improving the protocol design.

2007. Ph.D. in Life Sciences, University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI, France), Philippe Grandcolas, advisor. Dissertation title: Phylogeny and Evolution of Social Behavior in Blattaria and Isoptera.

2004. Master’s Degree in Biodiversity and Evolution, Summa Cum Laude, University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI, France).

C. Publications and Meetings :

• 37 publications in indexed journals, 1 book co-edited, 5 book chapters, 1 book review, > 20 conferences in international meetings and 6 invited conferences
• h index = 16, >900 citations (profil Google : https://scholar.google.fr/citations?user=K6IqTW0AAAAJ&hl=fr)

Selection of 5 recent publications (underlined authors = mentored students)

1. Evangelista, D.A., Wipfler, B., Béthoux, O., Donath, O., Fujita, M., Kohli, M.K., Legendre, F. et al. 2019. An integrative phylogenomic approach illuminates the evolutionary history of cockroaches and termites (Blattodea). Proc. Roy. Soc. B 286: 20182076 (IF = 4,847).
2. Troudet, J., R. Vignes-Lebbe, P. Grandcolas, and F. Legendre. 2018. The increasing disconnection of primary biodiversity data from specimens: How does it happen and how to handle it. Syst. Biol. 67: 1110-1119 (IF = 8,523).
3. Evangelista, D. A., F. Thouzé, M. Kaur Kohli, P. Lopez, and F. Legendre. 2018. Topological support and data quality can only be assessed through multiple tests in reviewing Blattodea phylogeny. Mol. Phylo. Evol. 128:112–122 (IF = 4,412).
4. Legendre, F., and F. L. Condamine. 2018. When Darwin’s Special Difficulty Promotes Diversification in Insects. Syst. Biol. 67:873–887 (IF = 8,523).
5. Goutte S, Dubois A, Howard SD, Marquez R, Rowley JJL, Dehling JM, Grandcolas P, Xiong R, Legendre F. 2016. Environmental constraints and call evolution in torrent dwelling frogs. Evolution 70: 811–826 (IF = 3,818).

D. Teaching and Mentoring:

2015 – now. Member of the teaching team of the Master SEP (2015 – now).

2008 – now. Classes given to M1 and M2 SEP in phylogenetics.

Mentoring of >20 students including 1 post-doc fellow, 4 PhD and 8 Master students

E. Reviewing

Reviewer for “Mission Europe et International pour la Recherche, l’Innovation et l’Enseignement Supérieur” (MEIRIES, France) since 2016

Reviewer for > 15 journaux : https://publons.com/a/1248854/