LAB MEMBERS
Hugo Benítez
Lab Director
In his role as Laboratory Director, Dr. Benítez has worked mainly on studying the morphological variation of organisms and how this integrated into diverse biological questions, using morphometric tools in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics.
Postdoctoral positions
Amado Villalobos
Biologists graduated from Universidad de Concepción. His main area of work is devoted to evolutionary biology. In his undergraduate thesis he performed an analysis integrating morphometric, ecologic and phylogenetic variables in the species sensulata of the native lizard Liolaemus pictus, in order to delimit species and propose conservation strategies. For his master degree, at Universidad de Chile, he researched the association between digging character and performance phenotypes in a population of the native rodent Octodon degus, within a context of evolutionary ecology of behaviour. Nowadays, in the Systematics and Biodiversity Doctorate Program, under the tutorship of Dr. Hugo Benítez, he intends to test phylogeographic and adaptive radiation hypotheses based on the wing variability of butterfly species from the genus Vanessa, using geometric morphometric tools.
Doctorate Students
Jordan Hernández
Biologist, MSc Science, currently doing his Doctoral Studies at the "Ecosystem Health" in Chile at EME LAB and granted with the Scholarship from the Cape Horn International Center, His focus on studying the ecological and adaptive patterns in the morphological, genetic, and physiological diversification of organisms, with a special emphasis on exotic species. Their research explores the variation that occurs during adaptation in biological invasions, integrating morphological, genetic, and physiological methods with an ecosystem health approach. This approach addresses these challenges holistically, considering the development of ecosystems and their socio-economic and human health dimensions, ultimately promoting global well-being​Environmental biologist and current Master's student in Biological Sciences at the University of Chile, as well as a scholarship holder at the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE). During his undergraduate studies, he addressed issues related to vertebrate conservation in terrestrial environments. He is currently affiliated with the Laboratory of Molecular Ecology (LEM) and the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Morphometrics (EME), where he studies morphology, ecology, and evolutionary aspects of Antarctic environments
Raquel Hernández-P
Biologist graduated from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Her interests are ecology, taxonomy, geometric morphometrics, and phylogeny of marine invertebrates. Nowadays, she is finishing her doctoral studies at the Biology Sciences Postgraduate, UNAM. Her research focuses on population genomics, phylogeography, and allometry in geometric morphometrics of chiton species and their relationship with oceanographic factors.
After a short visit to EMELAB, she has collaborated with them and Dr. Hugo Benítez.
Master Students
Fernando Moya
​Environmental biologist and current Master's student in Biological Sciences at the University of Chile, as well as a scholarship holder at the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE). During his undergraduate studies, he addressed issues related to vertebrate conservation in terrestrial environments. He is currently affiliated with the Laboratory of Molecular Ecology (LEM) and the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Morphometrics (EME), where he studies morphology, ecology, and evolutionary aspects of Antarctic environments.
Undergraduate Students
Macarena Gonzalez-Ricci
Student of Science Pedagogy with a specialization in Biology at Universidad Católica del Maule. Currently conducting her thesis on detecting alternative conceptions of biological evolution in undergraduates, she proposes the application of a teaching method focused on the adaptations of Vanessa carye and Itylos titicaca to extreme environments (Chilean Altiplano), under the co-supervision of Dr. Hugo Benítez and as part of the science education program Mentes Transformadoras. Additionally, Macarena is involved in complementary studies with the EME Lab team, researching wing variations in Yramea cytheris (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) across a latitudinal gradient in Chile (36°-54°S), using geometric morphometric tools
Juan Sebastian Garcia
Biologist from Universidad del Quindío, interested in studying the morphological variation of organisms with a focus on the influence of geographical and environmental factors. During their undergraduate studies, have been working on the use of geometric morphometrics for bees and altitude levels as part of EME Lab.
Thania Acuña
Undergraduate student in Applied Biology at Universidad Surcolombiana, she has worked on the taxonomic identification of anuran species from the genus Pristimantis. Currently, at EME LAB, she is focused on studying the wing morphometric variation of the butterfly Phulia nymphula in populations from the Chilean Altiplano.
Research Associate
Franco Cruz-Jofré
Veterinary, Doctor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Universidad de Chile, currently hired at the Universidad Santo Tomas (Viña del Mar).
Dr. Cruz-Jofré has been working with the EME LAB as a research associate since the origin of the lab, currently with the Dr. Benítez they are working together in topics related to vertebrate morphometrics and ecology and evolutionary biology of Altiplano's Fauna.
Dr. Cruz-Jofré have knowledge in vetebrate morphology, and has been working also in Altplano's fishes from the genus Orestias principally to understand the origin and pattern of adaptation to these extreme environment.
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Margarita Correa
Currently she is an Assistant Professor at Universidad Católica del Maule, based in Curico and EME LAB.
Agronomist from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, MSc in Plant Protection and Doctor in Agricultural sciences (P. Universidad Católica de Chile). European Projects Engineer from the Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France.
She specialized in molecular ecology and population genetics to study the diversity and invasion routes of pest species. She had a post-doc at INRAE on the biological control of an insect pest in the insular context of Corsica, France. Finally, in 2019 she had a position at the ASTREDHOR institute, Paris, France, where she studied the biological control of insect pests on ornamental plants.
In 2017 she started collaborating with the Molecular Ecology laboratory of Universidad de Talca to study the impact of endosymbionts carried by aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on their invasiveness and in 2021to study the impact of climate change on the bottom-up and top-down relationships on the plant-aphid-endosymbiont system.
Laboratory Technician
Rodrigo Órdenes-Claveria
Agronomic Engineer graduated from Universidad de Tarapacá. During his undergraduate program, he studied the morphological adaptation of the non-indigenous species Bagrada hilaris in its invasive process over Chilean land. Currently, he works in the laboratory of Dr. Benítez studying the morphometric variation processes in insects and currently is located in the city of Cochabamba in Bolivia doing studies in Graphic Design
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​​​​​​​Isabel Lobos Canales
Biotechnology engineer graduated from Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile. She is currently employed by the Instituto Milenio de Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Antárticos y Subantárticos (BASE) as a technical assistant at the Laboratorio de Ecología y Morfometría Evolutiva, Talca. During her undergraduate thesis, she worked on the development of molecular markers to assess the diversity and genetic structure of an endangered species (Sternula lorata). After graduation, in collaboration with Dr. Benítez, as well as researchers, students, and technicians from the lab, she has been involved as a technical assistant, working with various organisms in the areas of molecular biology, genetics, and providing morphometric support for research projects associated with EME-Lab.
​​​​​​​Alejandro Piñeiro González
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Biotechnology Engineer from Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile. During his undergraduate studies, he worked in the fields of Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Natural History. He is currently working alongside Isabel Lobos as a molecular technician at the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Morphometrics, also collaborating on morphometrics in all the projects and theses within the same laboratory.
​​​​​​​Rocio Orostica-Pinochet
Veterinary Medicine graduate from the Universidad de Chile. Currently a technician in the "Research Ring in Pest Insects and Climate Change (PIC2)" project, working primarily on the morphometric study of Haematobia irritans and other species under study in the project. She also provides technical support for morphometric analyses in the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Morphometrics.
Past doctoral students
Rocío Álvarez-Varas
Veterinary, MSc Natural Resources and Dr. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Universidad de Chile). During his Master Degree, Rocío studied the morphological variation and phylogeographic patterns of six bird species from the genus Phrygilus. Her doctorate thesis was devoted to studying the morphological and genomic differentiation of Chelonia mydas (green turtle) in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, using geometric morphometric techniques and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).
Currently, Rocío is performing a posdoctoral position at the Universidad Catolica del Norte, still working in collaboration in most of the project with the EME LAB and the Dr. Hugo Benítez.
Carolina Vilaseca
Pharmaceutical Biochemistry graduated from the San Francisco Xavier University of Chuquisaca. In their master's thesis in Parasitology Carolina has investigated the sensitivity-resistance of the Anopheles pseudopunctipennis fly to pyrethroid insecticides in Bolivia. Among their research interests are the study of triatomines insects vectors of Chagas’s disease. I am currently studying the Doctorate Program in Biomedical Sciences at the Universidad San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca under the guidance of Dr. Hugo Benítez, investigating the morphological variability of populations of Triatoma infestans present in inter-Andean valleys and the Chaco of Chuquisaca, applying geometric morphometrics tools. During her PhD thesis currently three articles are published studying the morphological plasticity of T. infestans as mechanisms of biological adaptation, sexual dimorphism and Fluctuating Asymmetry.
Past technicians
​​​​​​​Alejandra Fabres Contreras
Biologist specialized in Natural Resources and Environment. Their main interests of research are taxonomy and systematics, especially of invertebrates also with special interestest in evolutionary biology to understand the evolutionary history of the studied taxa, and their effectiveness as a bioindicators.
​Alejandra was the molecular technician of EME LAB and nowadays doing their PhD at Auburn University
Past Master Student
Scott Escobar Suárez
Agronomic Engineer from Universidad de Tarapacá. He has worked mostly with insects. In his undergraduate thesis he performed molecular and phylogenetic analysis on Eugnosta azapaensis (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae). Currently is studying the MSc in Zoology at the Universidad de Concepción under the tutorship of Dr. Hugo Benítez and Co-tutorship of Dr. Mauricio Urbina. Their thesis species is part of the Dr. Benitez Fondecyt Grant: ¿Una mariposa sin mal de altura?: Estudio de la varianza metabólica y morfología alar de Vanessa carye (Hüber 1812) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) a distintos gradientes altitudinales en el altiplano chileno (0-5200 msnm).
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His Thesis used geometric morphometric of wing in Vanessa carye at Northen Altiplano.
Pablo Lamilla
Environmental Biologist with a Master’s in Biological Sciences, and currently enrolled in
the doctoral program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the Universidad de Chile,
working at the Laboratory of Ecology and Genetics (LEG), led by Dr. David Véliz. His
primary research interest focuses on animal natural history, exploring ecological and
evolutionary aspects related to adaptive patterns in morphological and genetic variation,
and organism diversification, with particular emphasis on cryptic and endangered species
in anthropized or extreme environments. To achieve this, Pablo has integrated geometric
morphometrics, molecular techniques and ecological variables, currently using native
freshwater ichthyofauna from Chile. During his undergraduate studies, he focused on
asymmetry patterns in the context of sexual selection in the thorn-tailed rayadito
(Aphrastura spinicauda), an endemic bird of Chile and Argentina. Subsequently, in his
Master, he investigated the effects of pollutants in river systems on the asymmetry of
genetic populations of Trichomycterus in the central zone of Chile. So far, throughout his
undergraduate and graduate studies, Pablo has been primarily linked with academics
David Véliz, Hugo A. Benítez, Claudio Quezada-Romegialli, Rodrigo A. Vásquez, and
Esteban Botero-Delgadillo.
Past Postdoc
Ingrid Alvial
Biologist graduated from Universidad de Concepción, MSc and Dr in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Universidad de Chile). During his master’s degree, Ingrid studied the top-down and bottom-up controls on the community structure of phytoplankton in the Chungará lake. In her doctorate thesis she studied the genetic and population structure in the cosmopolitan dragonfly, Pantala flavescens through mitochondrial and nuclear markers in continental and insular localities, in order to determine if a genetic differentiation patterns is reflected according increase in geographic distances, and specially in remote Pacific islands.
Currently, Ingrid is a postdoctoral research associate at the EME LAB, Universidad Católica del Maule headed by Dr. Hugo Benítez (supervise) in collaboration with the Ecology and Genetics Laboratory of Universidad de Chile, lead by Dr. David Véliz and the Entomology Institute of the UMCE, lead by Christian González.
Her research is focused on the morphological differentiation, genetic structure and presence of hybridization in the two biotypes of Culex pipiens (Cx pipiens pipiens and Cx pipiens molestus), along continental and insular localities in the national territory.
