David James Alexander Edward Harris

My main research interests concern phylogenetic analysis, mostly involving African and European amphibians and reptiles. Primarily, I have been studying the relationships of Lacertid lizard groups, especially Podarcis. This has grown into a comparative analysis of various taxa found on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. As well as phylogenetic analysis of herpetofauna I have also worked with a wider range of organisms, particularly scorpions but also crayfish, barnacles, limpets and hares. In recent years, I have also started to assess parasite groups, particularly blood parasites (Apicomplexa), and again with an emphasis on those found in herpetofauna.

My other main line of research is in island biogeography, using reptiles as model organisms. The primary island groups I have studied are the Madeira archipelago, Cape Verde islands, the islands of the Gulf of Guinea, the Comoros islands, and the Seychelles. I use phylogenies to determine patterns of colonization, to identify introduced taxa, and to reassess taxonomy of species from these diverse island groups.