Kendall Clements

Associate Professor

Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour

Phone: 09-3737599 x87223
Biohub-126
Email: k.clements@auckland.ac.nz

Research Interests

Two PhD positions are available in the project "Do marine fishes break the rules of hindgut fermentation?" This project is supported by the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New Zealand, and is due to commence in early 2010. The students will be based in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. See here for more information - KDC Marsden PhD ad 2009.pdf (105kB) The first of these topics involves many aspects of the biology of marine herbivorous fishes, from ecological work on feeding rates and diet choice to biochemical and physiological studies on metabolism and the function of the digestive system. A particular interest has been the activities and identity of the diverse endosymbiotic microorganisms that inhabit the gut of these fishes. My work on digestion in marine herbivorous fishes is supported by a Marsden grant in collaboration with Dr Doug Mountfort, Cawthron Institute. Dr Lindsey Zemke-White will be investigating aspects of algal biology asociated with herbivory as part of his postdoctoral fellowship in my lab.

The second of my research topics has a focus on triplefin fishes. These small blennioid fishes are very abundant and diverse in New Zealand waters. We have a Marsden grant to investigate speciation in New Zealand triplefins. Our work involves looking at the genetic relationships of triplefin populations around New Zealand, triplefin physiology, triplefin ecology (including habitat choice and diet), and triplefin systematics. Two PhD students (Tony Hickey and Laith Jawad) are working on triplefins.

A pair of the New Zealand triplefin Bellapiscis lesleyae getting ready for spawning. The male is the larger, dark fish.

The third of my research topics involves phylogenetic projects on fishes, mainly those groups involved in (a) and (b) above. We are especially interested in phylogenetic work on herbivorous fishes to provide an evolutionary context for our work on feeding and digestion. Current projects include molecular phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies on surgeonfishes (F. Acanthuridae) in collaboration with Prof. Howard Choat (James Cook University), drummers or sea chubs (F. Kyphosidae), weed whiting and butterfish (F. Odacidae) in collaboration with Dr Mark Westneat (Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago), and triplefins (F. Tripterygiidae). In 2002 I commenced a collaboration with Dr Barry Hutchins (West Australian Museum) on the relationships of the New Zealand clingfishes (F. Gobiesocidae).

A subadult of the marine herbivorous species Odax pullus (F. Odacidae) the New Zealand butterfish.

Herbivorous Fishes

The Biology of Marine Herbivorous Fishes

My work on marine herbivorous fishes involves many aspects of their biology, from ecological work on feeding rates and diet choice to biochemical and physiological studies on metabolism and the function of the digestive system. A particular interest has been the activities and identity of the diverse endosymbiotic microorganisms that inhabit the gut of these fishes. This work involves two major collaborators: Prof. Howard Choat (James Cook University, Townsville) and Dr Doug Mountfort (Cawthron Institute, Nelson).

Light microscope image of hindgut flora from the Australian herbivorous fish species Odax cyanomelas.

Most of my graduate students have worked on herbivorous fishes, and Dr Lindsey Zemke-White is working in this area for his postdoctoral fellowship. Howard Choat supervised my masters degree at the University of Auckland and my PhD at James Cook University.