Evan Twomey - PiratePanel

EVAN TWOMEY

Department of Biology
Howell Science Complex
East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 27858
Phone: 207-838-1415
Email: [email protected]

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Herpetology, with an emphasis on:
ƒ Amphibian ecology, behavior, and natural history
ƒ Systematics, classification, and taxonomy of poison frogs

AREAS OF COMPETENCE

ƒ Tropical ecology and patterns of biodiversity
ƒ Animal evolution
ƒ Conservation biology

EDUCATION

MSc., Biology East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. Graduated May, 2008. GPA 4.0/4.0
Advisor: Dr. Kyle Summers
Thesis title: “Investigating larval competition and its correlates to species distributions, habitat
selection, and inclusive fitness in Peruvian poison frogs”

BA, Zoology University of Maine, Orono, ME. Graduated in 2004, magna cum laude
Undergraduate thesis: “Spindly-leg syndrome: an anuran developmental abnormality”

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Twomey, E., and J.L. Brown. 2008. Spotted poison frogs: rediscovery of a lost species and a new genus. Herpetologica
64: 121-137.

Twomey, E., V. Morales, and K. Summers. Evaluating condition-specific and asymmetric competition in a species
distribution context. Oikos, in press.

Twomey, E., and J.L. Brown. A partial revision of the Ameerega hahneli complex (Anura: Dendrobatidae) and a new
cryptic species from the east-Andean versant of central Peru. Zootaxa 1757: 49-65.

Brown, J.L., E. Twomey, M. Pepper, and M. Sanchez Rodriguez. A revision of the Ranitomeya fantastica species
complex and two new species of poison frogs (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Rio Huallaga drainage in central
Peru. (Zootaxa, in press).

Brown, J.L., E. Twomey, V. Morales, and K. Summers. Phytotelm size in relation to parental care and mating strategies
in two species of Peruvian poison frogs. Behaviour, in press.

Twomey, E. V. Morales, and K. Summers. Amazonian poison frogs depositing tadpoles with Andean competitors: a
natural ecological trap? (in review, Journal of Animal Ecology).

Twomey, E., V. Morales, and K. Summers. Effects of kinship on intraspecific competition in larvae of the poison frog
Ameerega bassleri (Anura: Dendrobatidae). (in review, Phyllomedusa).

EVAN TWOMEY – CV PAGE | 2

Twomey, E. and J.L. Brown. Two new, sympatric species of poison frogs of the genus Ameerega (Anura:  
Dendrobatidae) from the Serrania de Contamana, Peru. (in prep. for submission to Zootaxa).

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2004-2006 Teaching assistant, East Carolina University. Human Anatomy and Physiology I. Taught nursing and
pre-med students anatomy of the bones, muscles, and nervous system.

2004-2008 Teaching assistant, East Carolina University. Human Anatomy and Physiology II. Taught anatomy of
major organ systems. Made extensive use of human cadavers.

FIELD EXPERIENCE

2007 Peru, 4 months. Planned and executed amphibian collecting expeditions in numerous localities

throughout the Andean foothills and upper Amazon. Three months spent doing thesis-related field

work near Tarapoto, Peru.

2005-2006 Peru, 15 months (6 months of thesis-related field work and collecting trips, 9 months of field work for

the World Bank). Planned several expeditions to survey amphibians in remote areas of Peru, one of

which was the subject of a short article in National Geographic magazine.

2004 Peru, 3 months (Tarapoto region).

2003 Peru, 3 weeks. Performed nightly surveys to obtain occurrence records for amphibians near Iquitos,

Peru.

2003 Costa Rica, 1 month (tropical ecology course through Duke University).

2003 Maine, 3 months. Monitored amphibian diseases in Acadia National Park.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

National Geographic Magazine, April 2007. “Peru’s Tiny Gems”, contributor.
Leaf Litter (magazine of Tree Walkers International and Amphibian Conservation), vol. 1, Spring 2007. “The Smuggling

Crisis”, Pepper, M., E. Twomey, and J.L. Brown.

PRESENTATIONS

2007 Twomey, E. “Spotted poison frogs: rediscovery of a lost species and a new genus”. East Carolina

University Research Week, Greenville, NC.

2007 Twomey, E., and K. Summers. “Competition and its role in shaping distributions of Peruvian poison

frogs” [Poster]. North Carolina Academy of Sciences, Greenville, NC.

2006 Twomey, E. “Investigaciones básicos de las ranas arlequines (género Atelopus)” [Basic investigations of

the harlequin frogs (genus Atelopus)]. CIMA-Cordillera Azul, Tarapoto, Peru. Invited speaker for a one-

day workshop on monitoring amphibian populations in the Cordillera Azul National Park. Presentation

given in Spanish.

2003 Twomey, E. “Amphibians of Maine”. Invited speaker, Audubon Society, Orono, Maine.

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

2005-2006 Monitoring and evaluation of World Bank project “Poison dart frog ranching to protect rainforest and
alleviate poverty” in Tarapoto, Peru. Monitored wild populations of poison frogs to evaluate
sustainable harvest regimes; monitored the activities of local farmers to ensure proper husbandry of
poison frogs and sustainable land use; coordinated the economical, logistical, and social aspects of the
project to formulate an effective long-term conservation plan, and submitted an evaluation of the
social and biological impacts of the project to the World Bank.

EVAN TWOMEY – CV PAGE | 3

 

2004 Field assistant for a PhD student working on poison frog behavioral ecology, Tarapoto, Peru. Daily
2003, 2004 duties included conducting transects, marking and recapturing amphibians in the field, and mapping
field sites.
Field assistant for a project examining amphibian diseases and declines in Acadia National Park, Maine.
Daily duties included traveling to wetland habitats throughout the park and performing disease
screening surveys of frogs and salamanders. This work provided the first record of chytrid fungus in
Maine and led to the identification of novel amphibian pathogens.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

ƒ Historian for Biology Graduate Student Association, 2006-2007, and active member since 2004.
ƒ Herpetologists’ league member
ƒ Biological consultant for ADRA, a Peruvian NGO interested in the management of non-timber forest products.
ƒ Biological consultant for CEDISA, a Peruvian NGO that manages a regional park near Tarapoto, Peru. Helped

conduct a rapid biological survey of Cordillera Escalera mountain range.
ƒ Consultant for “CITES Identification Guide – Amphibians”

LANGUAGES

ƒ English (first language)
ƒ Spanish (fluent with high proficiency in reading and writing)

OTHER SKILLS

ƒ Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Microsoft Excel
ƒ Basic knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS and species niche-modeling software (i.e. Maxent)
ƒ Proficient in analysis of amphibian vocalizations using Raven software
ƒ Web design (creator of www.dendrobates.org, a website focusing on poison frog natural history and evolution)