Philip D. Sudman, Ph.D., Professor

Phone: 254-968-9154
FAX:  254-968-9157
Office: Science Building Rm 408
email: sudman@tarleton.edu


Fall 2009 Classes•Research Interests•Current Graduate Students•Publications

Image of a pronghorn antelope

Education:  Ph.D. Zoology, Texas A&M University, 1989; M.S. Biology, Fort Hays State University, 1985; B.A. Biology, Central University of Iowa, 1983.

Fall 2009 Classes:

Interests:

Dr. Sudman's primary interests are in the general areas of vertebrate evolution, systematics, and conservation biology. His major training is in the area of mammalogy but he also works with avian species.  Recent research projects include using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data to reconstruct the phylogenetic histories of various groups of mammals in the order Rodentia, as well as assessing the genetic health of endangered or threatened birds through the use of microsatellite analyses. Favorite research organisms include members of the squirrel family Sciuridae and pocket gophers, fossorial rodents in the family Geomyidae, and various birds including the Attwater's Prairie Chicken and Black-capped Vireos. General research techniques include isolation of DNA, amplification of specific regions of the DNA via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleotide sequencing, analyses of genetic variation of microsatellite DNA, and using AFLP to examine population genetics of rodents. Finally, he uses the information derived from analysis of the sequence data to reconstruct the historical biogeography of the group under study.


Dr. Sudman's research also entails a large amount of field work to collect research specimens. Recent collection expeditions have included trips to the desert southwest, the mountains of Wyoming and Utah, and various localities within Texas. Additional research involves comparative karyology, mophometric analyses, and other genetic techniques such as RFLP analyses.

Current Graduate Students:


Recent Publications:
 

  1. Sudman,  P.D., J.K Wickliffe, P. Horner, M.J. Smolen, J.W. Bickham, and R.D. Bradley.  2006.  Molecular systematics of pocket gophers of the genus Geomys.  Journal of Mammalogy, 87:668-676.
  2. Goetze, J.R., W.C. Stasey, A.D. Nelson, and P.D. Sudman.  Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator) burrow ecology and development of a population estimation technique for this species.  Submitted, Texas Journal of Science.
  3. McAliley, L.R. and P.D. Sudman.  2005.  Genetic diversity within the Llano pocket gopher, Geomys texensis.  Southwestern Naturalist. 50:342-349.
  4. Goetze, J. R., A. D. Nelson, and P. D. Sudman. 2004.   Noteworthy records of mammals from Erath County, Texas.  Occassional Papers the Museum, Texas Tech University, 234:1-6.
  5. Goetze, J. R., A. D. Nelson, and P. D. Sudman.  2003.  Noteworthy records of bats from Central and South Texas.  Texas Journal of Science 55:365-367.
  6. Elrod, D.A., E.G. Zimmerman, P.D. Sudman and G.A. Heidt.  2000.  A new subspecies of pocket gopher (Genus Geomys) from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas with comments on its historical biogeography.  The Journal of Mammalogy, 81:852-864.
  7. King, C.B.,  G. M. Wilson and P.D. Sudman.  1999.  Recent records of the pygmy shrew (Sorex hoyi) in South Dakota.  The Prairie Naturalist, 31:115-117.
  8. Hafner, M.S, J.W. Demastes, D.J. Hafner, T.A. Spradling, P.D. Sudman, and S.A. Nadler.  1998.  Age and movement of a hybrid zone: implications for dispersal distance in pocket gophers and their chewing lice.  Evolution, 52:278-282.
  9. Xia, X., M.S. Hafner, and P.D. Sudman. 1996. On transition bias in mitochondrial genes of pocket gophers. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 43:32-40.
  10. Hafner, M.S., P.D. Sudman, F.X. Villablanca, T.A. Spradling, J.W. Demastes, and S.A. Nadler. 1994. Disparate rates of molecular evolution in cospeciating hosts and parasites. Science, 265:1087-1090.
  11. Sudman, P.D., L.J. Barkley, and M.S. Hafner. 1994. Familial affinity of Tomopeas ravus (Chiroptera) based on protein electrophoretic and cytochrome b sequence data. Journal of Mammalogy, 75:365-377.
  12. Kingswood, S.C., A.T. Kumamota, P.D. Sudman, K.C. Fletcher, and I.F. Greenbaum. 1994. Meiosis in chromosomally heteromorphic goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa (Artiodactyla, Bovidae). Chromosome Research, 2:37-46.
  13. DeWalt, T.S., P.D. Sudman, M.S. Hafner, and S.K. Davis. 1993. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of pocket gophers (Pappogeomys and Cratogeomys) based on cytochrome b sequence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2:193-204.
  14. Sudman, P.D. and M.S. Hafner. 1992. Phylogenetic relationships among Middle American pocket gophers (genus Orthogeomys) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 1:17-25


 

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