Bronwyn W. Williams

Research Curator, Non-molluscan Invertebrates
bronwyn.williams@naturalsciences.org

11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
919-707-8862

Education

  • Ph.D. in Systematics and Evolution, University of Alberta, 2012
  • M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 2006
  • B.A. in Biology, Smith College, 1999

Appointments

  • Postdoc, Zoology, Southern Illinois University, 2012-2015

Research Interests

Bronwyn’s research focuses on the taxonomy, systematics, and phylogeny of crayfishes and two groups of crayfish symbionts, branchiobdellidans (crayfish worms), and entocytherid ostracods. She is particularly interested in understanding the evolutionary patterns and processes that have shaped the diversity of each of these groups of organisms independently as well as in a community context, e.g., the evolution of the symbiosis. Bronwyn takes an integrative research approach, using a variety of data types and merging tools from several disciplines including taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, genomics, phylogenetics, phylogeography, population genetics, and community ecology.

To learn more about Bronwyn's research, please visit http://b-w-williams-invert.weebly.com.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Williams, B.W. and P.G. Weaver. In press. A historical review of the taxonomy and classification of Entocytheridae (Ostracoda: Podocopida). Zootaxa.
  • Weaver, P.G., B.W. Williams, E.M. Sadorf. In press. A New record of the sea urchin Rhynobrissus cuneus (Spatangoida: Brissidae) from Buxton Beach, Dare County, North Carolina, U.S.A. Southeastern Naturalist.
  • Loughman, Z.J., B.W. Williams. 2018. Cambarus polypilosus, a new species of stream-dwelling crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the Western Highland Rim of Tennessee, USA. Zootaxa 4403(1):171-185.
  • Anderson F.E., Williams B.W., Horn K.M., Erséus C., Halanych K.M., Santos S.R., James S.W. Phylogenomic analyses of Crassiclitellata support major northern and southern hemisphere clades and a Pangaean origin for earthworms. BMC Evol Biol. 2017;17:123.
  • Weaver, P.G., B.W. Williams. 2017. A new genus and species of entocytherid ostracod (Ostracoda: Entocytheridae) from the John Day River Basin of Oregon, U.S.A., with a key to genera of the subfamily Entocytherinae. Zootaxa. 4273(4):576-586.
  • Shelton, K., P.G. Weaver, B.W. Williams. 2016. New records of entocytherid ostracods from New York and New Jersey. Northeastern Naturalist 23: 525-531. Cover article.
  • Weaver, P.G., B.W. Williams. 2016. Observations of false mating behavior in entocytherid ostracods from the northwestern United States. Invertebrate Biology 135:252-258.
  • Larson, E.R., M. Castellin, B.W. Williams, J.D. Olden, C.L. Abbott. 2016. Phylogenetic species delimitation for crayfishes of the genus Pacifastacus. PeerJ 4:e1915
  • Larson, E.R., B.W. Williams. 2015. Historical biogeography of Pacifastacus crayfishes and their branchiobdellidan and entocytherid ectosymbionts in western North America. Pp. In Kawai, T., Faulkes, Z., Scholtz, G. (eds), Freshwater Crayfish: Global Overview.
  • Gelder, S.R., B.W. Williams. 2015. Clitellata: Branchiobdellida – Chapter 22. Pp. 551-563 In Thorp, J.H., Rogers, D.C. (eds), Thorp and Covich’s Freshwater Invertebrates, 4th ed., Vol. I: Ecology and General Biology.
  • Williams, B.W., S.R. Gelder, H.C. Proctor, D.W. Coltman. 2013. Molecular phylogeny of North American Branchiobdellida (Annelida: Clitellata). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66:30-42.
  • Williams, B.W., H.C. Proctor, T. Clayton. 2011. Range extension of the northern crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Decapoda, Cambaridae), in the western Prairie Provinces of Canada. Crustaceana 84:451-460.
  • Williams, B.W., C.S. Davis, D.W. Coltman. 2010. Isolation and characterization of nine polymorphic microsatellite loci in the northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis). Conservation Genetics Resources 2:235-237.

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