Hawkins, Melissa
Curator of Mammals
My research interest most frequently incorporates museum specimens to study of phylogeny, taxonomy, evolution and biogeography. I am most interested in diverse lineages of mammals, particularly adaptive radiations and have done biological surveys in Southeast Asia, Madagascar and the United States. I use cutting edge molecular techniques to generate large datasets from degraded DNA sources (over 100 year old museum specimens). I am also proficient in bioinformatics, and a novice with GIS.
Positions
- Research Zoologist, Department of Vertebrate Zoology 2020 -
- Assistant Professor and Curator, Humboldt State University 2017 - 2019
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium 2015 - 2017
Geographic Focus
- Africa Continent
- Madagascar Country
- Southeast Asia Geographic Region
Background And Education
Education And Training
- B.Sc., Western Illinois University
- M.S., Western Illinois University
- Ph.D., George Mason University
Professional Biography
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My research program spans a variety of fields, and integrates field work, museum specimens and genomics. I seek to explore answers related to biodiversity and biogeography, as well as population level questions. I am particularly focused on adaptive radiations of Old World mammals. I answer these questions from collaborative sampling among specimens residing in museums around the world and collecting new samples and materials to deposit in museum collections. During my dissertation I began working with high throughput sequencing, enrichment techniques, and ancient DNA methods. I have strong interests in phylogenomics, as well as applied population genomics. I also planned, obtained permits and led two field expeditions to Borneo to collect samples along an elevational gradient. From those samples I have tested isolation across sky islands in the mountain treeshrew with mitochondrial genomes and a panel of over 4,000 nuclear loci (Ultraconserved Elements). I am also using some of the tissues I collected for a large scale sciurid phylogeny. As a postdoc I worked on whole genome sequencing of Malagasy lemurs to evaluate demographic history of the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) through time, and also construct the most complete nuclear phylogenies of the sifakas (genus Propithecus), searching for genes responsible for the diverse phenotypes observed within and across species. All of the aforementioned projects have already resulted in some publications, with several more in various stages of completion. As a former faculty member at Humboldt State University I am starting to investigate the Townsend’s group of chipmunks for introgression and hybridization. This project combines museum collections, field work, microCT scanning and sexual selection to evaluate speciation dynamics in the Pacific Northwest.
Awards And Honors
- Emerging Scientist Award, conferred by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 2016
- Best Dissertation Award , conferred by Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University , 2016
Public Biography
- I use DNA sequencing to understand relationships between various groups of mammals. My research has taken me around the world, to exotic places like Borneo and Madagascar to trap, collect samples, and evaluate why tropical forests harbor so much diversity. I incorporate museum specimens (as sources for genetic and morphological samples), climate and paleontology to predict movement of species across islands through time, and predict future ranges of those species.
Research And Grants
Investigator On
Has Expertise In Technique
- Molecular systematics Technique
Publications
Selected Publications
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Article
- Kays, Roland, Snider, Matthew H., Hess, George, Cove, Michael V., Jensen, Alex, Shamon, Hila, McShea, William J., Rooney, Brigit, Allen, Maximilian L., Pekins, Charles E., Wilmers, Christopher C., Pendergast, Mary E., Green, Austin M., Suraci, Justin, Leslie, Matthew S., Nasrallah, Sophie, Farkas, Dan, Jordan, Mark, Grigione, Melissa, LaScaleia, Michael C., Davis, Miranda L., Hansen, Chris, Millspaugh, Josh, Lewis, Jesse S., Havrda, Michael et al. 2024. "Climate, food and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States." Diversity and Distributions, https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13900. 2024
- Castañeda-Rico, Susette, Edwards, Cody W., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2023. "An 1896 specimen helps clarify the phylogenetic placement of the Mexican endemic Hooper’s deer mouse." Therya, 14, (1) 181–195. https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-23-2243. 2023
- Hinckley, Arlo, Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Chua, Marcus A. H., Ruedi, Manuel, Lunde, Darrin, Maldonado, Jesús E., Omar, Hasmahzaiti, Leonard, Jennifer A., and Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2023. "An integrative taxonomic revision of lesser gymnures (Eulipotyphla: Hylomys) reveals five new species and emerging patterns of local endemism in Tropical East Asia." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad177. 2023
- Hinckley, Arlo, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Maldonado, Jesús E., and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2023. "Evolutionary history and patterns of divergence in three tropical east Asian squirrels across the Isthmus of Kra." Journal of Biogeography, 50, (6) 1090–1102. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14598. 2023
- Castañeda-Rico, Susette, Parker, Lillian D., Sánchez, Evelyn, Rivas-Trasvina, Sheccid, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Edwards, Cody W., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2023. "Novel genomic resources contribute to the systematics of threatened arboreal deer mice of the genus Habromys Hooper & Musser, 1964 (Cricetidae, Neotominae) within a neotomine–peromyscine phylogeny." ZooKeys, 1179, (1) 157–168. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1179.108759. 2023
- Lin, Audrey T., Hammond-Kaarremaa, Liz, Liu, Hsiao-Lei, Stantis, Chris, McKechnie, Iain, Pavel, Michael, Pavel, Susan sa'hLa mitSa, Wyss, Senaqwila Sen̓áḵw, Sparrow, Debra qwasen, Carr, Karen, Aninta, Sabhrina Gita, Perri, Angela, Hartt, Jonathan, Bergström, Anders, Carmagnini, Alberto, Charlton, Sophy, Dalén, Love, Feuerborn, Tatiana R., France, Christine A. M., Gopalakrishnan, Shyam, Grimes, Vaughan, Harris, Alex, Kavich, Gwénaëlle M., Sacks, Benjamin N., Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S. et al. 2023. "The history of Coast Salish “woolly dogs” revealed by ancient genomics and Indigenous Knowledge." Science, 382, (6676) 1303–1308. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi6549. 2023
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Flores, Mary Faith C., McGowen, Michael, and Hinckley, Arlo. 2022. "A comparative analysis of extraction protocol performance on degraded mammalian museum specimens." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.984056. 2022
- Speer, Kelly A., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Flores, Mary Faith C., McGowen, Michael R., Fleischer, Robert C., Maldonado, Jesús E., Campana, Michael G., and Muletz-Wolz, Carly. 2022. "A comparative study of RNA yields from museum specimens, including an optimized protocol for extracting RNA from formalin-fixed specimens." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.953131. 2022
- Hinckley, Arlo, Sanchez-Donoso, Ines, Comas, Mar, Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Hasan, Noor Haliza, and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2022. "Challenging ecogeographical rules: Phenotypic variation in the Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana) along tropical elevational gradients." PLOS ONE, 17, (6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268213. 2022
- Marsh, Charles J., Sica, Yanina V., Burgin, Connor J., Dorman, Wendy A., Anderson, Robert C., del Toro Mijares, Isabel, Vigneron, Jessica G., Barve, Vijay, Dombrowik, Victoria L., Duong, Michelle, Guralnick, Robert, Hart, Julie A., Maypole, J. Krish, McCall, Kira, Ranipeta, Ajay, Schuerkmann, Anna, Torselli, Michael A., Lacher, Thomas, Jr., Mittermeier, Russell A., Rylands, Anthony B., Sechrest, Wes, Wilson, Don E., Abba, Agustin M., Aguirre, Luis F., Arroyo-Cabrales, Joaquin et al. 2022. "Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities." Journal of Biogeography, 49, (5) 979–992. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14330. 2022
- Castañeda-Rico, Susette, Edwards, Cody W., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2022. "Museomics and the holotype of a critically endangered cricetid rodent provide key evidence of an undescribed genus." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.930356. 2022
- Castañeda-Rico, Susette, Edwards, Cody W., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2022. "Museomics and the holotype of a critically endangered cricetid rodent provide key evidence of an undescribed genus." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.930356. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Bailey, Carolyn A., Brown, Allyshia M., Tinsman, Jen, Hagenson, Ryan A., Culligan, Ryan R., Barela, Adena G., Randriamanana, Jean C., Ranaivoarisoa, Jean F., Zaonarivelo, John R., and Louis, Edward E. 2022. "Nuclear and Mitochondrial Phylogenomics of the Sifakas Reveal Cryptic Variation in the Diademed Sifaka." Genes, 13, (6) 1026. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13061026. 2022
- Yuan, Stella C., Malekos, Eric, Cuellar-Gempeler, Catalina, and Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. "Population genetic analysis of the Humboldt's flying squirrel using high-throughput sequencing." Journal of mammalogy, 103, (2) 287–302. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac002. 2022
- Kays, Roland, Lasky, Monica, Allen, Maximilian L., Dowler, Robert C., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Hope, Andrew G., Kohli, Brooks A., Mathis, Verity L., McLean, Bryan, Olson, Link E., Thompson, Cody W., Thornton, Daniel, Widness, Jane, and Cove, Michael, V. 2022. "Which mammals can be identified from camera traps and crowdsourced photographs?" Journal of mammalogy, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac021. 2022
- Campana, Michael G., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., and Caballero, Susana. 2021. "Assessing Biodiversity in the Phylogenomic Era." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.803188. 2021
- Yuan, Stella C., Malekos, Eric, and Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2021. "Assessing genotyping errors in mammalian museum study skins using high throughput genotyping by sequencing." Conservation Genetics Resources, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-021-01213-8. 2021
- Hinckley, Arlo, Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Ruedi, Manuel, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Mullon, Madeleine, Cornellas, Anna, Tuh Yit Yuh, Fred, and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2021. "Evolutionary history of Sundaland shrews (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae: Crocidura ) with a focus on Borneo." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab045. 2021
- Jara-Espejo, Manuel, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Fogalli, Giovani Bressan, and Line, Sergio Roberto Peres. 2021. "Folding Stability of Pax9 Intronic G-quadruplex Correlates with Relative Molar Size in Eutherians." Molecular biology and evolution, 38, (5) 1860–1873. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa331. 2021
- Cove, Michael V., Kays, Roland, Bontrager, Helen, Bresnan, Claire, Lasky, Monica, Frerichs, Taylor, Klann, Renee, Lee, Thomas E., Crockett, Seth C., Crupi, Anthony P., Weiss, Katherine C. B., Rowe, Helen, Sprague, Tiffany, Schipper, Jan, Tellez, Chelsey, Lepczyk, Christopher A., Fantle‐Lepczyk, Jean E., LaPoint, Scott, Williamson, Jacque, Fisher‐Reid, M. Caitlin, King, Sean M., Bebko, Alexandra J., Chrysafis, Petros, Jensen, Alex J., Jachowski, David S. et al. 2021. "SNAPSHOT USA 2019: a coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States." Ecology, 102, (6). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3353. 2021
- Hinckley, Arlo, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Achmadi, Anang S., Maldonado, Jesús E., and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2020. "Ancient Divergence Driven by Geographic Isolation and Ecological Adaptation in Forest Dependent Sundaland Tree Squirrels." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8 208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00208. 2020
- Parker, Lillian D., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Campana, Michael G., West-Roberts, Jacob, Wilbert, Tammy R., Lim, Haw Chuan, Rockwood, Larry L., Leonard, Jennifer A., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2020. "Little genetic structure in a Bornean endemic small mammal across a steep ecological gradient." Molecular ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15626. 2020
- Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Tuh, Yit Yu, Maldonado, Jesús E., and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2019. "Endemism and diversity of small mammals along two neighboring Bornean mountains." PeerJ, 7 31608182. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7858. 2019
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Culligan, Ryan R., Frasier, Cynthia L., Dikow, Rebecca B., Hagenson, Ryan, Lei, Runhua, and Louis, Edward E., Jr. 2018. "Genome sequence and population declines in the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) and implications for conservation." Bmc Genomics, 19 445–445. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-018-4841-4. 2018
- Camacho-Sanchez, Miguel, Quintanilla, Irene, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Tuh, Fred Y. Y., Wells, Konstans, Maldonado, Jesús E., and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2018. "Interglacial refugia on tropical mountains: Novel insights from the summit rat (Rattus baluensis), a Borneo mountain endemic." Diversity and Distributions, 24, (9) 1252–1266. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12761. 2018
- Gutierrez, Eliecer E., Helgen, Kristofer M., McDonough, Molly M., Bauer, Franziska, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Escobedo-Morales, Luis A., Patterson, Bruce D., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2017. "A gene-tree test of the traditional taxonomy of American deer: the importance of voucher specimens, geographic data, and dense sampling." Zookeys, (697) 87–131. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.697.15124. 2017
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Leonard, Jennifer A., Helgen, Kristofer M., McDonough, Molly M., Rockwood, Larry L., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2016. "Evolutionary history of endemic Sulawesi squirrels constructed from UCEs and mitogenomes sequenced from museum specimens." BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16, (1) 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-016-0650-z. 2016
- Campana, Michael G., Parker, Lillian D., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Young, Hillary S., Helgen, Kristofer M., Szykman Gunther, Micaela, Woodroffe, Rosie, Maldonado, Jesús E., and Fleischer, Robert C. 2016. "Genome sequence, population history, and pelage genetics of the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)." BMC Genomics, 17, (1) 1013. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-3368-9. 2016
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Hofman, Courtney A., Callicrate, Taylor, McDonough, Molly M., Tsuchiya, Mirian T. N., Gutiérrez, Eliécer E., Helgen, Kristofer M., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2016. "In-Solution Hybridization for Mammalian Mitogenome enrichment: Pros, Cons, and Challenges Associated with Multiplexing Degraded DNA." Molecular Ecology Resources, 16, (5) 1173–1188. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12448. 2016
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Helgen, Kristofer M., Maldonado, Jesús E., Rockwood, Larry L., Tsuchiya, Mirian T. N., and Leonard, Jennifer A. 2016. "Phylogeny, biogeography and systematic revision of plain long-nosed squirrels (genus Dremomys, Nannosciurinae)." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 94, (Part B) 752–764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.10.023. 2016
- Campana, Michael G., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Henson, Lauren H., Stewardson, Kristin, Young, Hillary S., Card, Leah R., Lock, Justin, Agwanda, Bernard, Brinkerhoff, Jory, Gaff, Holly D., Helgen, Kristofer M., Maldonado, Jesús E., McShea, William J., and Fleischer, Robert C. 2016. "Simultaneous identification of host, ectoparasite and pathogen DNA via in-solution capture." Molecular Ecology Resources, 16, (5) 1224–1239. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12524. 2016
- Kimura, Yuri, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., McDonough, Molly M., Jacobs, Louis L., and Flynn, Lawrence J. 2015. "Corrected placement of Mus-Rattus fossil calibration forces precision in the molecular tree of rodents." Scientific Reports, 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14444. 2015
- Hofman, Courtney A., Rick, Torben C., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Funk, W. C., Ralls, Katherine, Boser, Christina L., Collins, Paul W., Coonan, Tim, King, Julie L., Morrison, Scott A., Newsome, Seth D., Sillett, T. Scott, Fleischer, Robert C., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2015. "Mitochondrial Genomes Suggest Rapid Evolution of Dwarf California Channel Islands Foxes (Urocyon littoralis)." PloS One, 10, (2) 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0118240. 2015
- Leonard, Jennifer A., den Tex, Robert-Jan, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Muñoz-Fuentes, Violeta, Thorington, Richard W., Jr., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2015. "Phylogeography of vertebrates on the Sunda Shelf: a multi-species comparison." Journal of Biogeography, 42, (5) 871–879. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12465. 2015
- Gutiérrez, Eliécer E., Maldonado, Jesús E., Radosavljevic, Aleksandar, Molinari, Jesús, Patterson, Bruce D., Martínez-C, Juan M., Rutter, Amy R., Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Garcia, Franger J., and Helgen, Kristofer M. 2015. "The Taxonomic Status of Mazama bricenii and the Significance of the Táchira Depression for Mammalian Endemism in the Cordillera de Mérida, Venezuela." PloS One, 10, (6) 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129113. 2015
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Dataset
- Castañeda-Rico, Susette, Parker, Lillian D., Sánchez, Evelyn, Rivas-Trasvina, Sheccid, Hawkins, Melissa T. R., Edwards, Cody W., and Maldonado, Jesús E. 2023. [Dataset] Dataset: Novel genomic resources contribute to the systematics of threatened arboreal deer mice of the genus Habromys Hooper & Musser, 1964 (Cricetidae, Neotominae) within a neotomine–peromyscine phylogeny. Distributed by Washington, DC: Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.23563929.V1. 2023
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] 10KTrees- Primates. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19089989.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] Bayesian Skyline Plot. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19329308.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] DIAMOND Blast Data. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.20161505.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] IQ-TREE. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19073930.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] Mitogenomes. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19369334.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] UCE Concatenated Alignments. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19089845.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] UCE loci. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19089860.V1. 2022
- Hawkins, Melissa T. R. 2022. [Dataset] UPGMA 95% Individuals Tree. Distributed by National Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.19369310.V1. 2022
Activities
Responsible Collections Areas
- Marsupials, monotremes, rodents, bats, treeshrews, shrews, primates.
Affiliation
Member Of
Contact
Location
- National Museum of Natural History Academic Department