Curriculum vitae
Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón.
PRESENT ADDRESS:
Colección Nacional de Insectos
Departamento de Zoología
Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Circuito exterior s/n, Copilco, Coyoacán, A. P. 70-233, C. P. 04510, México D. F., México
Phone: 00 52 (55) 56229133 Fax: 00 52 (55) 55501760.
e-mail: azaldivar@mncn.csic.es alejandro_zaldivar@hotmail.com
Nationality and date of birth: Mexican. 5th March, 1973.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
(1) Systematics, taxonomy, evolution and historical biogeography of parasitic hymenopterans
(Braconidae).
(2) Systematics and evolution of selected groups of organisms (reptiles and amphibians).
EDUCATION
 PhD. Entomological Systematics. Imperial College London, UK. 2001-2005.
 MSc. Animal Biology. Faculty of Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
1997-2000.
 BSc. Biology. Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENEP) Iztacala. National Autonomous
University of Mexico (UNAM). 1992-1996.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
 February 2007 January 2009. Postdoctoral fellow. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC),
Madrid, Spain.
 September 2005-January 2007. Postdoctoral fellow. Institute of Biology. Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México, D. F. México.
FUNDED PROJECTS
 Project title: Characterising species diversity using DNA Barcodes in a group of parasitic wasps: a
case of study in a Mexican protected area. Funded by the National Council for the Knowledge and
Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO, México). 2009-2010.
 Project title: "Revision of the "Norm of Officially Protected Species" (PROY-NOM-059-ECOL2000) for the lizards of the family Aguidae (Reptilia)". Funded by the National Council for the
Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO, México). 2001-2002.
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
 Grant given by the European Commission’s Research Infrastructure Action via the SYNTHESYS
project at the Museum of Natural History, London, UK. 14th-25th October 2008. Project title:
Taxonomic revision of Neotropical genera of the parasitic wasp subfamily Doryctinae
(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with elongated first metasomal tergite.
 “Juan de la Cierva” postdoctoral fellowship. Education and Science Ministry (MEC, Spain).
February 2007-January 2010.
 Postdoctoral fellowship. National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM, México). September
2005-January 2007.
 Central Research Fund Grant. Academic Trust Funds Committee, University of London, UK. 2003.
 PhD scholarship. National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, México). 2001-2005.
 Theodore Roosevelt Grant for postgraduate students. American Museum of Natural History, New
York, USA. 1999.
 MSc scholarship. National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, México). 1997-1999.
INTERNATIONALLY PEER REVIEWED PAPERS (LISTED IN THE SCI)
1. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Belokobylskij, S. A. 2009. The parasitic wasp genus Hecabolus
(Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae), with description of a new species from Mexico.
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad. In press.
2. Sáez, A. G., Lozano, E., Zaldívar-Riverón, A. 2009. Evolutionary genomics of Na,K-ATPases
and their role in osmoregulation. Genetica. 136:479–490.
3. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Shaw, M. R., Sáez, A. G., Mori, M., Belokobylskij, S. A., Shaw, S. R.,
Quicke, D. L. J. 2008. Evolution of the parasitic wasp subfamily Rogadinae (Braconidae):
phylogeny and evolution of lepidopteran host ranges and mummy characteristics. BMC
Evolutionary Biology 8: 329.
4. Martínez, J. J., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Sáez, A. G. 2008. Rediscovery of Bracon mendocinus
(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a gall-associated doryctine wasp, and description of a new species
of Allorhogas. Journal of Natural History 42: 2689-2701.
5. Belokobilskij, S. A., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Maeto, K., Sáez, A. G. 2008. Asian
Betylobraconinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with description of a new genus and
phylogenetic affinities of Facitorini. Insect Systematics and Evolution 39: 133-154.
6. Sáez, A. G., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Medlin, L. K. 2008. Molecular systematics of the family of
the coastal coccolitophores Pleurochrysidaceae. Journal of Plankton Research 30: 559-566.
7. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Belokobilskij, S. A., León-Regagnon, V., Briceño, R., Quicke, D. L. J.
2008. Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of the parasitic wasp subfamily
Doryctinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Invertebrate Systematics 22: 345-363.
8. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A., Manriquez-Morán, N., Reeder, T. W. 2008.
The phylogenetic affinities of the rare and enigmatic limb-reduced Anelytropsis (Reptilia:
Squamata) as inferred with mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence data. Journal of Herpetology
42: 303-311.
9. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Belokobilskij, S. A., León-Regagnon, V., Martinez, J. J., Briceño, R.,
Quicke, D. L. J. 2007. A single origin of gall association in a group of parasitic wasps with
disparate morphologies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44: 981-992.
10. Belokobilskij, S. A., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., León-Regagnon, & Quicke, D. L. J. 2007. A new
genus of the tribe Lysitermini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Lysiterminae) from Madagascar and
its taxonomic placement based on 28S rDNA sequence data. Zootaxa 1461: 25-37.
11. Quicke, D. L. J., Mori, M., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Laurenne, M. N., Shaw, M. R. 2006.
Suspended mummies in Aleiodes species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) with
descriptions of six new species from western Uganda based largely on DNA sequence data.
Journal of Natural History 40: 2663-2680.
12. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Mori, M., Quicke, D. L. J. 2006. Systematics of the cyclostome
subfamilies of braconid parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea): a simultaneous
molecular and morphological Bayesian approach. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38:
130-145.
13. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A., Laclette, J. P. 2005. Phylogeography and
evolution of dorsal pattern in the Mexican endemic lizard genus Barisia (Anguidae:
Gerrhonotinae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 43: 243-257.
14. Areekul, B., Mori, M., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Quicke, D. L. J. 2005. Molecular and
morphological phylogeny of the parasitic wasp genus Yelicones Cameron (Braconidae:
Rogadinae). European Journal of Entomology 102: 617–624.
15. Belokobylskij, S. A., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Quicke, D. L. J. 2004. Phylogeny of the genera of
the parasitic wasps subfamily Doryctinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) based on morphology.
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 142: 369-404.
16. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Areekul, B., Shaw, M. R., Quicke, D. L. J. 2004. Comparative
morphology of the venom apparatus in the braconid wasp subfamily Rogadinae (Insecta,
Hymenoptera, Braconidae) and related taxa. Zoologica Scripta 33:223-237.
17. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., León-Regagnon, V., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A. 2004. Phylogeny of the
Mexican coastal leopard frogs of the Rana berlandieri group based on mtDNA sequences.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30: 38-49.
18. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A. 2002. Variation in the rare lizard Barisia
rudicollis (Anguidae) (Wiegmann) with the description of a new species from Central Mexico.
Herpetologica 58: 313-326.
19. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A. 2001. Natural history and distribution of the
lizard Barisia rudicollis (Anguidae). The Southwestern Naturalist 46: 391-396.
OTHER PER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1. Areekul, B., Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Quicke, D. L. J. 2004. Venom galnd and reservoir
morphology of the genus Pseudoyelicones van Achterberg, Penteado Dias, Quicke
(Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) and implications for relationships. Zoologische
Medelingen Leiden 78: 119-122.
2. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Quicke, D. L. J. 2002. First host record for the wasp parasitoid genus
Notiopambolus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 11: 370-371.
3. Zaldívar-Riverón, A. 2001. Variación morfológica y aloenzimática en la lagartija Barisia
rudicollis (Squamata: Anguidae) y contribución a su historia natural. Boletín de la Sociedad
Herpetológica Mexicana 9: 71-72.
4. Zaldívar-Riverón, A., Pérez-Ramos, E. 2001. Rhadinaea taeniata aemula. Geographic
distribution. Herpetological Review 32: 196.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
1. Zaldívar-Riverón, A. 2007. Alienígenas en mi jardín ¿Cómo ves? Revista de divulgación. No.
diciembre, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
2. Zaldívar-Riverón, A. 2008. ¡No somos venenosas! Barisia rudicollis y B. herrerae, dos
lagartijas endémicas de México. Herpetófilos: Revista mexicana especializada en anfibios,
reptiles y artrópodos 0 (4): 14-15.
BOOK CHAPTERS
1. Castañeda-Sortibrán, A. N., Zaldívar-Riverón, A. Clase Insecta. In: Segundo estudio de país,
sección I: Las fuentes de conocimiento de la biodiversidad en México (Soberón, J., Halffter,
G., Llorente, J., eds.). Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad y
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. In press.
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS
 Taxonomy and biology of parasitic Hymenoptera. Natural History Museum, London, and Imperial
College London. 17-25 April 2002.
 Workshop in applied phylogenetics. Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory, University California Davis.
2-11 May 2004.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
 2008. Evolutionary genetics of adaptation to hypersalinity in the brine shrimp Artemia (Crustacea).
Annual Meeting of the Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution. Barcelona, Spain. 5th-8th June.
 2008. Evolution of the parasitic wasp subfamily Rogadinae (Braconidae): phylogeny and evolution
of lepidopteran host ranges and mummification. Annual Meeting of the Society of Molecular
Biology and Evolution. Barcelona, Spain. 5th-8th June.
 2003. Phylogeny of the cyclostome subfamilies of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).
Fourth Biennial Conference of the Systematic Association, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
 2000. Phylogeny of the lizard genus Barisia based on morphological and mtDNA sequence data.
Joint Meeting of the Ichtiologists and Herpetologists, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
 1998. Natural history data in the rare lizard Barisia rudicollis (Squamata: Anguidae). IV Congreso
Nacional de Herpetología, Jalapa, Veracruz, México.
 1997. “Morphological variation in Barisia rudicollis (Sauria: Anguidae)". XV Congreso Nacional
de Zoología, Guanajuato, México.
 1997. Reproductive aspects of two lizard species of the genus Barisia (Sauira: Anguidae). XV
Congreso Nacional de Zoología, Gto. Guanajuato, México.
 1996. “Herpetofauna of Querétaro, México: a multimedia version”. III Congreso Nacional de
Herpetología, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
 1995. “Use of the iguanids Iguana iguana and Ctenosaura sp. (Reptilia: Sauria: Iguanidae) in
different localities of Veracruz and Oaxaca, México”. XV Coloquio de Investigación Científica y
Tecnológica, ENEP-Iztacala, UNAM, México.
 1998. Reproductive biology of the gerrhonotine genera Abronia, Mesaspis and Barisia (Squamata:
Anguidae). IV Congreso Nacional de Herpetología, Jalapa, Veracruz, México.
REFEREED JOURNALS
 Acta Entomologica Serbica.
 Annals of the Entomological Society of America
 Annales de la Société entomologique de France.
 Annales Zoologici.
 Journal of Hymenoptera Research.
 Journal of Taxonomy and Biodiversity Research.
 Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
 Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad.
 Zoosystematica Rossica.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
 Lecture course. Systematics I. Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. 1999-2000, 2009.
 Lecture course. Biogeography. MSc in Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. 2001.
 Lecture course. History and Philosophy of Biology. Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. 1999.
 Teacher assistant. History and Philosophy of Biology. Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. 1997-1998,
2001.
COLLABORATIONS
 Donald L. J. Quicke. Imperial College London and Natural History Museum, UK. Molecular
systematics of the subfamily Rogadinae (Braconidae).
 Sergey A. Belokobylskij. Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia. Phylogeny and
macroevolution of doryctine wasps and related subfamilies (Braconidae).
 Rosa Briceño. Universidad Centroccidental “Lissandro Alvarado”, Cabudare, Lara, Venezuela.
Taxonomy of cyclostome braconids.
 Juan José Martínez. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos
Aires, Argentina. Taxonomy of doryctine wasps.


Adrián Nieto-Montes de Oca. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico
(UNAM). Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the anguid lizard genus Abronia based on
mitochondrial DNA sequence data.
Dr. Alberto García Sáez. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain. Evolutionary
Genetics of Artemia.