Munroe, Thomas
Systematic Zoologist
Systematics, evolution, taxonomy, biogeography, and biology of marine fishes, especially Pleuronectiformes.
Positions
- Senior Scientist and Systematic Zoologist, National Systematics Lab of NOAA's Fisheries 1987 -
Geographic Focus
- Global Transnational Region
Background And Education
Education And Training
Professional Biography
- For over 35 years, I have been interested in the taxonomy, systematics and ecology of flatfishes (Order Pleuronectiformes), with emphasis on species of the family Cynoglossidae, the tonguefishes or tongue soles. Published work comprises primarily morphological studies on the alpha-level taxonomy of cynoglossids and soleids, but also includes descriptions or redescriptions of other flatfish taxa. More recent work, in collaboration with researchers employing molecular approaches, has also included studies using these approaches to gain better understanding of the diversity of flatfishes. My research also includes global summaries and assessments of flatfish diversity, distribution, and identification of regions or taxa where taxonomic work is still needed to improve understanding of the diversity of these fishes. Research interests have included, and continues to include, collaborations with researchers from around the world. Through these efforts I have gained better working knowledge and understanding of the global flatfish fauna. These experiences, in turn, have resulted in production of book chapters summarizing information on global diversity and distribution of flatfishes, and has led to contributing my expertise on flatfish taxonomy in writing chapters for several books, to the preparation of flatfish sections for regional FAO fishery identification guides, and to participation as a flatfish expert in IUCN workshops evaluating conservation status of flatfishes and other marine fishes for several Red List projects from around the world. Current research projects include systematic studies on flatfishes of New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, China, and other Indo-West Pacific locations. In 2015, I completed three chapters for the second edition of Flatfishes: Biology and Exploitation, in 2016 I authored five chapters for the book The Fishes of New Zealand. In 2018, I collaborated with other scientists interested in the classification of fishes of the family Pleuronectidae using molecular data, and others studying the taxonomy and systematics of species of the Paralichthyid genus, Paralichthys using a morphological approach. I have completed several other book chapters dealing with flatfishes that are currently in press. I am also collaborating with on-going ecological assessments of the flatfish assemblage residing in Chesapeake Bay with colleagues from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
Awards And Honors
Publications
Selected Publications
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Article
- Luo, Hai-Rong, Kong, Xiao-Yu, and Munroe, Thomas A. 2023. "Re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of four nominal, western Pacific species of tongue soles (Pleuronectoidei: Cynoglossidae: Cynoglossus), with redescription of C. joyneri Günther, 1878." Zootaxa, 5360, (3) 385–408. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.3. 2023
- Birge, T. L., Ralph, G. M., Di Dario, F., Munroe, Thomas A., Bullock, R. W., Maxwell, S. M., Santos, M. D., Hata, H., and Carpenter, K. E. 2021. "Global conservation status of the world's most prominent forage fishes (Teleostei: Clupeiformes)." Biological Conservation, 253 108903–108903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108903. 2021
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2021. "Systematic revision of the flatfish genus Peltorhamphus Günther, 1862 (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes: Rhombosoleidae), including description of a new species from Southeastern New Zealand, with biological and ecological summaries for the species." Zootaxa, 4905, (1) 1–104. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4905.1.1. 2021
- Lee, Mao-Ying and Munroe, Thomas A. 2021. "Unraveling cryptic diversity among shallow-water tonguefishes (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) from the Indo-West Pacific region, with descriptions of five new species." Zootaxa, 5039, (1) 1–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5039.1.1. 2021
- Buchanan, Jack R., Ralph, Gina M., Krupp, Friedhelm, Harwell, Heather, Abdallah, Mohamed, Abdulqader, Ebrahim, Al-Husaini, Mohsen, Bishop, James M., Burt, John A., Choat, John H., Collette, Bruce B., Feary, David A., Hartmann, Stanley A., Iwatsuki, Yukio, Kaymaram, Farhad, Larson, Helen K., Matsuura, Keiichi, Motomura, Hiroyuki, Munroe, Thomas, Russell, Barry, Smith-Vaniz, William, Williams, Jeffrey T., and Carpenter, Kent E. 2019. "Regional extinction risks for marine bony fishes occurring in the Persian/Arabian Gulf." Biological Conservation, 230 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.11.027. 2019
- Luo, Hairong, Munroe, Thomas A., and Kong, Xiaoyu. 2018. "Color pattern variation, nomenclatural appraisal, and re-description of Paraplagusia japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae)." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 132, (1) 15–34. https://doi.org/10.2988/18-00002. 2018
- Diaz de Astarloa, Juan M., Munroe, Thomas A., Bearez, Philippe, Gonzalez-Castro, Mariano, and Castellini, Damian L. 2018. "External morphology, postcranial and appendicular osteology of three southwestern Atlantic flatfishes (Paralichthys, Paralichthyidae), and comparisons with other congeneric species." Neotropical Ichthyology, 16, (2). https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-20170164. 2018
- Vinnikov, Kirill A., Thomson, Robert C., and Munroe, Thomas A. 2018. "Revised Classification of the Righteye Flounders (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae) Based on Multilocus Phylogeny with Complete Taxon Sampling." Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 125 147–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.03.014. 2018
- Lee, Mao-Ying, Munroe, Thomas A., and Kai, Yoshiaki. 2017. "Description of a new cryptic species of tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus." Ichthyological Research, 64, (1) 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-016-0541-8. 2017
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2017. "Rediscovery of the holotype of the Tongue Sole, Cynoglossus dollfusi (Chabanaud, 1931): Its impact on Red Sea records for C. sealarki Regan, 1908, C. lingua Hamilton, 1822, and C. zanzibarensis Norman, 1939, and on the taxonomic status of C. cleopatridis Chabanaud, 1949 (Pisces: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae)." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 130, (1) 5–33. https://doi.org/10.2988/0006-324X-130.1.5. 2017
- Polidoro, Beth A., Ralph, Gina M., Strongin, Kyle, Harvey, Michael, Carpenter, Kent E., Arnold, Rachel, Buchanan, Jack R., Camara, Khairdine Mohamed Abdallahi, Collette, Bruce B., Comeros-Raynal, Mia, De Bruyne, Godefroy, Gon, Ofer, Harold, Antony S., Harwell, Heather, Hulley, Percival A., Iwamoto, Tomio, Knudsen, Steen W., Lewembe, Jean de Dieu, Linardich, Christi, Lindeman, Kenyon C., Monteiro, Vanda, Munroe, Thomas, Nunoo, Francis K. E., Pollock, Caroline M., Poss, Stuart et al. 2017. "The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa): Marine Species Extinction Risk in West Africa." Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 27, (5) 1021–1034. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2744. 2017
- Wang, Zhong-ming, Munroe, Thomas A., and Kong, Xiao-Yu. 2016. "A new species of tongue sole (Pisces: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Cynoglossus) from coastal waters of the South China Sea." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 129 129–143. https://doi.org/10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.129. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. and Kong, Xiao-Yu. 2016. "Resolving uncertainties regarding the nomenclature and status of the Tongue Soles, Paraplagusia dollfusi Chabanaud, 1931 and "Cynoglossus (Trulla) dollfusi (Chabanaud, 1937)" (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae)." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 129, (1) 10–23. https://doi.org/10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q1.10. 2016
- Li, Dong-He, Shi, Wei, Munroe, Thomas A., Gong, Li, and Kong, Xiao-Yu. 2015. "Concerted Evolution of Duplicate Control Regions in the Mitochondria of Species of the Flatfish Family Bothidae (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes)." PloS One, 10, (8) 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134580. 2015
- Lee, M. Y., Munroe, Thomas A., and Shao, K. T. 2014. "Description of a new cryptic, shallow-water tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) from the western North Pacific Ocean." Journal of fish biology, 85, (3) 563–585. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12440. 2014
- Betancur-R., Ricardo, Li, Chenhong, Munroe, Thomas A., Ballesteros, Jesus A., and Orti, Guillermo. 2013. "Addressing Gene Tree Discordance and Non-Stationarity to resolve a Multi-Locus Phylogeny of the Flatfishes (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes)." Systematic Biology, 62, (5) 763–785. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syt039. 2013
- Duplain, René R., Chapleau, François, and Munroe, Thomas A. 2012. "A new species of Trinectes (Pleuronectiformes: achiridae) from the Upper Río San Juan and Río Condoto, Colombia." Copeia, 2012, (3) 541–546. https://doi.org/10.1643/CI-11-155. 2012
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2012. "The spotted flounder, ^Azygopus flemingi^ Nielsen 1961 (Pisces: Pleuronectiformes: Rhombosoleidae), from deep waters off New Zealand: a second valid species in the genus ^Azygopus^ Norman 1926, with notes on distribution, size, maturity, and ecology." Zootaxa, 1. 2012
- Munroe, Thomas A., Tyler, Jennifer, and Tunnicliffe, Verena. 2011. "Description and biological observations on a new species of deepwater symphurine tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) collected at Volcano-19, Tonga Arc, West Pacific Ocean." Zootaxa, (3061) 53–66. 2011
- Courtenay, Walter R., Jr., Munroe, Thomas A., Winterbottom, Richard, Ruiz-Carus, Ricardo, and Smith-Vaniz, William. 2011. "Obituary: Dannie Alan Hensley (1944-2008)." Copeia, (2) 327. 2011
- Munroe, Thomas A. and Ross, Steve W. 2010. "Distribution and life history of two diminutive flatfishes, Citharichthys gymnorhinus and C. cornutus (Pleuronectiformes: Paralichthyidae), in the western North Atlantic." Fishery Bulletin, 108, (3) 323–345. 2010
- Munroe, Thomas A. and Krabbenhoft, Trevor J. 2010. "Two Unusually Large Pre-Transitional Tonguefish Larvae (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) from Oceanic Waters Near the Galapagos Islands." Bulletin of Marine Science, 86, (1) 15–33. 2010
- Lee, Mao-Ying, Munroe, Thomas A., and Chen, Hong-Ming. 2009. "A new species of tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae) from Taiwanese waters." Zootaxa, (2203) 49–58. 2009
- Munroe, Thomas A. and Hashimoto, J. 2008. "A new western Pacific tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes : Cynoglossidae): The first pleuronectiform discovered at active hydrothermal vents." Zootaxa, (1839) 43–59. 2008
- Randall, John E. and Munroe, Thomas A. 2008. "^Soleichthys dori^, a new sole (Pleuronectiformes: Soleidae) from the Red Sea." Electronic Journal of Ichthyology, 76. 2008
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Book
- Pippard, H., Ralph, G. M., Harvey, M. S., Carpenter, K. E., Buchanan, J. R., Greenfield, D. W., Harwell, H. D., Larson, H. K., Lawrence, A., Linardich, C., Matsuura, K., Motomura, H., Munroe, T. A., Myers, R. F., Russell, B. C., Smith-Vaniz, W. F., Vié, J. -C, Thaman, R. R., and Williams, J. T. 2017. The conservation status of marine biodiversity in the Pacific Islands of Oceania. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 2017
- Polidoro, Beth, Ralph, Gina M., Strongin, Kyle, Harvey, Michael, Carpenter, Kent E., Ayo, Titus Adeofe, Arnold, Rachel, Bannerman, Paul, Nguema, Bibang Bi, Buchanan, Jack R., Mohamed, Khairdine, Camara, Abdallahi, Hawa, Youssouf Camara, Cissoko, Kadiatou, Collette, Bruce B., Comeros-Raynal, Mia, De Bruyne, Godefroy, Diouf, Madeleine, Djiman, Roger, Ducrocq, Mathieu, Gon, Ofer, Harold, Antony S., Harwell, Heather, Hilton-Taylor, Craig, Hines, Andrew et al. 2016. Red List of Marine Bony Fishes of the Eastern Central Atlantic. International Union for the Conservation of Nature. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2016.04.en. 2016
- Nieto, Ana, Ralph, Gina M., Comeros-Raynal, Mia, Kemp, James, García Criado, Mariana, Allen, David J., Dulvy, Nicholas K., Walls, Rachel H. L., Russell, Barry, Pollard, David, García, Silvia, Craig, Matthew, Collette, Bruce B., Pollom, Riley, Biscoito, Manuel, Chao, Ning Labbish, Abella, Alvaro, Afonso, Pedro, Álvarez, Helena, Carpenter, Kent E., Clò, Simona, Cook, Robin, Costa, Maria José, Delgado, João, Dureuil, Manuel et al. 2015. European Red List of Marine Fishes. European Union. https://doi.org/10.2779/082723. 2015
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Chapter
- Nizinski, Martha S. and Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Engraulidae, anchovies." In The living marine resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 1 (Elopiformes to Scorpaeniformes). Carpenter, Kent E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 1715–1718. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, (FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes). 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Bothidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2973–2993. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Citharidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2952–2955. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Clupeidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 1722–1739. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Cynoglossidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 3030–3047. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Paralichthyidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2994–3000. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Pleuronectidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2956–2959. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Pristigasteridae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 1719–1721. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Psettodidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2946–2951. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. and Chanet, B. 2016. "Family Scophthalmidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 2960–2972. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Desoutter-Meninger, M. and Munroe, Thomas A. 2016. "Family Soleidae." In The Living Marine Resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic. Carpenter, K. E. and De Angelis, N., editors. 3001–3029. Rome: FAO. 2016
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Chapter 13. Tropical flatfish fisheries." In Flatfishes: Biology and Exploitation 2nd Edition. Gibson, R. N., Nash, R. M., Geffen, A. J., and Van der Veer, H. W., editors. 419–460. Chichester, UK ER: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118501153.ch15. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Chapter 2. Systematic diversity of the Pleuronectiformes." In Flatfishes: Biology and Exploitation 2nd Edition. Gibson, R. N., Nash, R. M., Geffen, A. J., and Van der Veer, H. W., editors. 13–51. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118501153.ch2. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Chapter 3. Distributions and biogeography." In Flatfishes: Biology and Exploitation 2nd Edition. Gibson, R. N., Nash, R. M., Geffen, A. J., and Van der Veer, H. W., editors. 52–82. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118501153.ch3. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Family Achiropsettidae." In The Fishes of New Zealand. Roberts, Clive D., Stewart, A. L., and Struthers, C. D., editors. 1682–1686. Wellington, NZ: Te Papa Press. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Family Bothidae." In The Fishes of New Zealand. Roberts, Clive D., Stewart, A. L., and Struthers, C. D., editors. 1673–1681. Wellington, NZ: Te Papa Press. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Family Cynoglossidae." In The Fishes of New Zealand. Roberts, Clive D., Stewart, A. L., and Struthers, C. D., editors. 1705–1709. Wellington, NZ: Te Papa Press. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Family Rhombosoleidae." In The Fishes of New Zealand. Roberts, Clive D., Stewart, A. L., and Struthers, C. D., editors. 1687–1702. Wellington, NZ: Te Papa Press. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2015. "Family Soleidae." In The Fishes of New Zealand. Roberts, Clive D., Stewart, A. L., and Struthers, C. D., editors. 1703–1704. Wellington, NZ: Te Papa Press. 2015
- Munroe, Thomas A. 2009. "Family Cynoglossidae." In Deep-Sea Fishes of Peru (Libro de Peces de Aguas Profundas del Perú). Nakaya, K., Yabe, M., Imamura, H., Yoshida, M., and Romero Caarena, M., editors. 317–319. Japan Deep-Sea Trawlers Association. 2009
Affiliation
Contact
Location
- National Museum of Natural History Academic Department
