Dr. Darren Pollock

Education

Ph.D. University of Alberta 1994
M.Sc. University of Manitoba 1988
B.S.A. University of Manitoba 1985

Research Field

My research deals with the taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of insects, specifically beetles of the large superfamily Tenebrionoidea. I use a combination of larval and adult morphological characters to elucidate phylogenies and classifications of beetle taxa of interest. I would not, however, restrict graduate students to work on these particular beetles; students are encouraged to work on a taxon of their own interest.

At present, my research is collection-based, and involves use of external characters of larvae, pupae and adults, but I have plans to incorporate molecular data into my studies in the future. Because the families I work on are fairly small, I can work at the world level, and include all known taxa; this gives a very complete evolutionary picture of these beetle families. I am also interested in general biodiversity, specifically the role that systematists play in documenting the world’s invertebrate fauna.

I am the invertebrate zoologist in the Department of Biology, and I teach the following courses: General Biology I (BIOL 151), General Biology II (BIOL 152), Invertebrate Zoology (BIOL 300), General Entomology (BIOL 301), Parasitology (BIOL 341), Evolution and Systematics (BIOL 3xx), Medical Entomology (BIOL 418/518), Biogeography (BIOL 517), and Evolution (BIOL 562). I am also the head curator of collections, and curator of invertebrates, of the ENMU Natural History Museum.

Contact Information

Department of Biology
ENMU Station 33
1500 S Ave K
Portales, NM 88130

Phone: 575.562.2862
Fax: 575.562.2192
E-mail: darren.pollock@enmu.edu