Angelica Crottini

I’m an evolutionary biologist with a strong interest in herpetology. During my career I gained a solid background on Madagascar biodiversity and since 2002 I work in numerous projects on biogeography, taxonomy, phylogeny and phylogeography. I mostly use molecular tools, and my current research activity focus on the integration of new cutting-edge methodologies to study the evolutionary radiations of Madagascar in order to investigate the patterns and processes of species formation and diversification. I'm involved in numerous conservation activities in Madagascar, and I'm one of the leading researchers responsible of the National Monitoring Plan for chytrid detection in Madagascar, aiming at preventing the spread of the lethal chytridiomicosis in case it should arrive to the island. I'm interested in basic research activities, as biodiversity assessments and species descriptions and to date I have described three new species of frogs, two geckos and one chameleon of Madagascar, and identified many more new taxa (still waiting for a formal description). I have a solid network of international collaborators and since 2013 I'm member of the Amphibian Specialist Group - Madagascar of the IUCN.