Dr. Alex Veglia

Specialty: Bioinformatics, conservation genomics, microbial ecology. and virology

• Veglia, A. J., Rivera Vicéns, R. E., Grupstra, C., Howe-Kerr, L. I., & Correa, A. M. S. (2021). vAMPirus: A versatile amplicon processing and analysis program for studying viruses. Authorea. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.167592965.50010700/v1

• Howe-Kerr, L. I., Grupstra, C. G. B., Rabbitt, K. M., Conetta, D., Coy, S. R., Klinges, J. G., Maher, R. L., McConnell, K. M., Meiling, S. S., Messyasz, A., Schmeltzer, E. R., Seabrook, S., Sims, J. A., Veglia, A. J., Thurber, A. R., Vega Thurber, R. L., & Correa, A. M. S. (2022). Viruses of a key coral symbiont exhibit temperature-driven productivity across a reefscape. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1899377/v1

• Grupstra, C. G. B., Howe-Kerr, L. I., van der Meulen, J. A., Veglia, A. J., Coy, S. R., & Correa, A. M. S. (2022). Consumer feces impacts coral health in guild-specific ways. BioRxiv. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.31.514626

• Veglia, A. J., Bistolas, K. S. I., Voolstra, C. R., Hume, B. C. C., Planes, S., Allemand, D., Boissin, E., Wincker, P., Poulain, J., Moulin, C., Bourdin, G., Iwankow, G., Romac, S., Agostini, S., Banaigs, B., Boss, E., Bowler, C., de Vargas, C., Douville, E., Flores, M., Forcioli, D., Furla, P., Galand, P., Gilson, E., Lombard, F., Pesant, S., Reynaud, S., Sunagawa, S., Thomas, O., Troublé, R., Zoccola, D., Correa, A. M. S., & Vega Thurber, R. L. (2022). Endogenous viral elements reveal associations between a non-retroviral RNA virus and symbiotic dinoflagellate genomes. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.11.487905

• Veglia, A. J., Beavers, K., Van Buren, E. W., Meiling, S. S., Smith, T. B., Hostein, D. M., Apprill, A., Brandt, M. E., Mydlarz, L. D., & Correa, A. M. S. (2022). Alphaflexivirus genomes in stony coral tissue loss disease-affected, disease-exposed, and disease-unexposed coral colonies in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Microbiology Resource Announcements. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01199-21

• Meiling, S. S., Muller, E. M., Lasseigne, D., Rossin, A., Veglia, A. J., MacKnight, N., Dimos, B., Huntley, N., Correa, A. M. S., Smith, T. B., Holstein, D. M., Mydlarz, L. D., Apprill, A., & Brandt, M. E. (2021). Variable species responses to experimental stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) exposure. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.670829

• Hammerman, N. M., Williams, S., Veglia, A. J., García-Hernández, J. E., Lang, J. E., & Schizas, N. V. (2021). A new record of a cup coral (Cladopsammia manuelensis) in Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. Cahiers de Biologie Marine. https://doi.org/10.21411/CBM.A.6427875E

• Rivera-García, L., Rivera-Vicéns, R., Veglia, A. J., & Schizas, N. V. (2019). De novo transcriptome assembly of the soft octocoral Briareum asbestinum (digitate morphology) from southwest continental shelf of Puerto Rico. Marine Genomics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margen.2019.04.001

• Veglia, A. J., Hammerman, N. M., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., & Schizas, N. V. (2018). De novo transcriptome assembly of the coral Agaricia lamarcki (Lamarck’s sheet coral) from mesophotic depths in southwest Puerto Rico. Marine Genomics, 41, 6-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margen.2018.08.003

• Veglia, A. J., Hammerman, N. M., Rivera Rosaly, C. R., Lucas, M., Galindo Estronza, A., Corgosinho, P. H., & Schizas, N. V. (2018). Characterizing population structure of coral-associated fauna from mesophotic and shallow habitats in the Caribbean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315418000413

MSc. Jaaziel E. Garcia-Hernandez

Specialty: Coral Reef Ecologist, Sponge specialist, and Coral reef ecologist/biologist

• Gobatto, J., Magrini, A., García-Hernández, J. E., Virdis, F., Galli, P., Seveso, D., & Montano, S. (2022). Spatial ecology of the association between demosponges and Nemalecium lighti at Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. Diversity, 14, Article 607. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080607

• Reimer, J. D., Wee, H. B., García-Hernández, J. E., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2022). Same but different? Zoantharian assemblages (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) in Bonaire and Curaçao, southern Caribbean. Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-022-02226-x

• García-Hernández, J. E., Tuohy, E., Toledo-Rodriguez, D. A., Sherman, C., Schizas, N. V., & Weil, E. (2021). Detrimental conditions affecting Xestospongia muta across shallow and upper-mesophotic coral reefs off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 147, 47-61. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03633

• García-Hernández, J. E., & Schizas, N. V. (2021). Who are you? The "anemone shrimp" Periclimenes rathbunae perched on the stony coral Mussa angulosa. Marine Biodiversity, 51, Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-021-01171-2

• Hammerman, N. M., Williams, S. M., Veglia, A. J., García-Hernández, J. E., Schizas, N. V., & Lang, J. C. (2021). Cladopsammia manuelensis sensu Cairns, 2000 (Order: Scleractinia): A new distribution record for Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 62, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.21411/CBM.A.6427875E

• García-Hernández, J. E., de Gier, W., van Moorsel, G. W. N. M., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2020). The scleractinian Agaricia undata as a new host for the coral-gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus at Bonaire, southern Caribbean. Symbiosis, 81, 303-308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-020-00706-8

• Montano, S., Reimer, J., Ivanenko, V., García-Hernández, J. E., van Moorsel, G., Galli, P., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2020). Widespread occurrence of a rarely known association between the hydrocorals Stylaster roseus and Millepora alcicornis at Bonaire, southern Caribbean. Diversity, 12, Article 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12060218

• Hoeksema, B. W., & García-Hernández, J. E. (2020). Host-related morphological variation of dwellings inhabited by the crab Domecia acanthophora in the corals Acropora palmata and Millepora complanata (Southern Caribbean). Diversity, 12, Article 143. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040143

• Hoeksema, B. W., García-Hernández, J. E., van Moorsel, G. W. N. M., Olthof, G., & ten Hove, H. A. (2020). Extension of the recorded host range of Caribbean Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus spp.) with two scleractinians, a zoantharian, and an ascidian. Diversity, 12, Article 115. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030115

• Nieves-Rivera, A. M., Zegarra-Vila, J. P., Figuerola-Hernandez, C. E., García-Hernández, J. E., & Schizas, N. V. (2020). Recent and historical explorations of the underwater section of Cueva del Agua, Punta Los Ingleses, Mona Island (Puerto Rico), with a new faunal record. Life: The Excitement of Biology, 8, 4-21. https://doi.org/10.9784/LEB8(1)NievesRivera.01

• García-Hernández, J. E., Hammerman, N. M., & Schizas, N. V. (2019). Associated organisms inhabiting the calcareous sponge Clathrina lutea in La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal of Science, 49, 239-254. https://doi.org/10.18475/cjos.v49i2.a12

• Rodriguez-Ferrer, G., Reyes, R., Hammerman, N. M., García-Hernández, J. E. (2019). Cetacean sightings in Puerto Rican waters: Including the first underwater photographic documentation of a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals. https://doi.org/10.5597/00246

• Reimer, J. D., Wee, H. B., García-Hernández, J. E., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2018). Zoantharia (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) abundance and associations with Porifera and Hydrozoa across a depth gradient on the leeward coast of Curaçao. Systematics and Biodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2018.1518936

• García-Hernández, J. E., Sanchez, P. J., Hammerman, N. M., & Schizas, N. V. (2018). Fish, coral, and sponge assemblages inhabiting altiphotic and mesophotic reefs along the Guánica Biosphere Reserve continental shelf edge, southwest Puerto Rico. Frontiers in Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00303

• García-Hernández, J. E. (2018). Antagonistic behavior between two honeycomb cowfish, Acanthostracion polygonius Poey, 1876, at Curaçao. Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-018-1705-y

• Hoeksema, B. W., Butôt, R., & García-Hernández, J. E. (2018). A new host range record for the gall crab Fungicola fagei as a symbiont of the mushroom coral Lobactis scutaria in Hawaii. Pacific Science, 72, 251-261. https://doi.org/10.2984/72.2.7

• García-Hernández, J. E., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2017). Sponges as secondary hosts for Christmas tree worms at Curaçao. Coral Reefs, 36, 1243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-017-1617-2

• Hammerman, N. M., & García-Hernández, J. E. (2017). The sponge Xestospongia muta offers shelter to the stony coral Madracis auretenra (Northwest Puerto Rico). Marine Biodiversity, 47, 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0574-2

• García-Hernández, J. E., van Moorsel, G. W. N. M., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2017). Lettuce corals overgrowing tube sponges at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean. Marine Biodiversity, 47, 55-56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0467-4

• García-Hernández, J. E., Reimer, J., & Hoeksema, B. W. (2016). Sponges hosting the Zoantharia-associated crab Platypodiella spectabilis at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean. Coral Reefs, 35, 209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-015-1364-1

• García-Hernández, J. E., de Voogd, N. J., & van Soest, R. (2016). Sponges (Porifera) of St. Eustatius. In B. W. Hoeksema (Ed.), Marine biodiversity survey of St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean, 2015 (pp. 23-31). Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, and ANEMOON Foundation, Bennebroek.

• Hagiwara, K., García-Hernández, J. E., Harper, M. K., Carroll, A., Motti, C. A., Awaya, J., Nguyen, H. Y., & Wright, A. D. (2015). Puupehenol, a potent antioxidant antimicrobial meroterpenoid from a Hawaiian deep-water Dactylospongia sp. sponge. Journal of Natural Products, 78, 325-329. https://doi.org/10.1021/np500793g

• García-Hernández, J. E., Hagiwara, K. A., Tabanera, N., de Voogd, N. J., Kelman, D., & Wright, A. D. (In preparation). Biological activity investigations of sponges (Porifera) collected from Hawaii and Maui. B.S. Thesis, Department of Marine Science, University of Hawaii at Hilo. In M. A. Lang & M. D. J. Sayer (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2013 AAUS/AEDP Curacao Joint International Scientific Diving Symposium (pp. 61-64). Dauphin Island, AL: American Academy of Underwater Sciences.

Daniel A. Toledo-Rodriguez

Specialty: Diving Operaetions, Photographer and Coral reef ecology/biology

• Lucas, M. Q., Collazo Roman, D. L., Mercado, M. A., Fain, E. J., Toledo-Rodríguez, D. A., & Weil, E. (2024). Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) induced mass mortality at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Marine Biodiversity, 54(1), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-023-01393-6

• García-Hernández, J. E., Tuohy, E., Toledo-Rodríguez, D. A., Sherman, C., Schizas, N. V., & Weil, E. (2021). Detrimental conditions affecting Xestospongia muta across shallow and upper-mesophotic coral reefs off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 147, 47-61. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03633

Glorimar Franqui-Rivera

Specialty: Shark taxnomy, ecology and genetics

• Franqui-Rivera, G. (2020). Using DNA barcoding to describe the diversity of sharks in Puerto Rico [Thesis]. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11801/2734

• Schärer-Umpierre, M., & Franqui-Rivera, G. (2022). First confirmed location of Carcharhinus signatus in Puerto Rico. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 102(8), 576-579. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315422000881

Ramon Rivera Vicéns

Specialty: Microbial ecology, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Genomics

• Deshpande, A., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., Thakur, N. L., & Wörheide, G. (2023). Transcriptomic response of Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa sponges to spatial competition. Molecular Ecology, 00, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17122

• Alex Veglia, Ramón E. Rivera-Vicéns, Carsten Grupstra, et al. (2023). vAMPirus: A versatile amplicon processing and analysis program for studying viruses. Authorea. February 09. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.167592965.50010700/v1

• Vargas, S., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., Eitel, M., Büttner, G., & Wörheide, G. (2022). rRNA depletion for holobiont metatranscriptome profiling across demosponges. bioRxiv, 2022.08.12.503726. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.12.503726

• Guiglielmoni, N., Rivera-Vicéns, R., Koszul, R., & Flot, J.-F. (2022). A deep dive into genome assemblies of non-vertebrate animals. Peer Community Journal, 2, Article e29. https://doi.org/10.24072/pcjournal.128

• Conci, N., Griesshaber, E., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., Schmahl, W. W., Vargas, S., & Wörheide, G. (2022). Molecular and mineral responses of corals grown under artificial Calcite Sea conditions. bioRxiv, 2022.02.25.481970. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.25.481970

• Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., Garcia-Escudero, C. A., Conci, N., Eitel, M., & Wörheide, G. (2022). TransPi—a comprehensive TRanscriptome ANalysiS PIpeline for de novo transcriptome assembly. Molecular Ecology Resources, 22, 2070–2086. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13593

• Deshpande, A., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., Thakur, N. L., & Wörheide, G. (2021). Transcriptomic response of Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa sponges to spatial competition. bioRxiv, 2021.07.05.451097. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.05.451097

• Veglia, A., Rivera Vicéns, R. E., Grupstra, C., Howe-Kerr, L., & Correa, A. (2021). vAMPirus: An automated, comprehensive virus amplicon sequencing analysis program (v1.0.1). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4549851

• Kenny, N. J., Francis, W. R., Rivera-Vicéns, R. E., et al. (2020). Tracing animal genomic evolution with the chromosomal-level assembly of the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri. Nature Communications, 11, 3676. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17397-w

• Hammerman, N. M., Rivera-Vicens, R. E., Galaska, M. P., et al. (2018). Population connectivity of the plating coral Agaricia lamarcki from southwest Puerto Rico. Coral Reefs, 37, 183–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-017-1646-x

• Berrocal, C. A., Rivera-Vicens, R. E., & Nadathur, G. S. (2016). Draft Genome Sequence of the Heavy-Metal-Tolerant Marine Yeast Debaryomyces hansenii J6. Genome Announcements, 4, e00983-16. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomea.00983-16