My research investigates the evolutionary relationships within the ant species, Cephalotes maculatus, a widespread, morphologically-uniform species nested within the Neotropical, species-rich, and morphologically diverse adaptive radiation of the turtle ants (genus: Cephalotes). I use a combination of phylogenomics, population genomics, biogeography, and morphology to understand the mechanisms of species diversification in this cryptic species group. My work aims to identify the ecological and geographic factors that drive species differentiation on an intercontinental scale and across diverse biogeographic regions.
