Name: Dr. Harilaos Lessios

Position: Professor

Research Description:

I am interested in the evolution and the ecology of marine organisms, particularly sea urchins, but also fishes, crustaceans, and corals. I focus on the processes that give rise to new species, and I use molecular tools to reconstruct the history of populations and of genes. Typically, this involves reconstructing the trajectories of population genetic and phylogenetic processes in relation to geographic distributions of populations, followed by the assessment of barriers (ecological or molecular) that maintain the genetic integrity of sympatric species. In this effort, I have been greatly aided by the history of the Isthmus of Panama, which separated inhabitants of two oceans at a known time.

Contact Information

Email: lessiosh@si.edu
Web Page: https://stri.si.edu/scientist/harilaos-lessios
Phone:  507 212.8708