B.Sc. in Biology, 1997. Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Perú
M.Sc. in Zoology, 2002. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú

Research Interests:

Systematic and Biogeography of Neotropical Bats.

Current research:

Neotropical bats, the most speciose mammals after rodents, are excellent models for evolutionary studies. The historical biogeography of bats provides evidence to discriminate between models of diversification based on vicariance or dispersal. The objective of my dissertation is to examine the phylogeographic patterns of a widespread bat genus (Platyrrhinus) using morphology, morphometry, and multiple genetic markers (cytochrome b, ND2, D-Loop, Rag1, and Rag2).

The result will be a framework for understanding the morphological evolution and ecological radiations of a diverse lineage of bats. Results will also shed light on understanding of biological diversification throughout the Neotropics, especially on diversification within Amazonia and between it and other Neotropical provinces.

Awards

2006 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Project (DDEP). Diversification in the Neotropics: Evolution and Variation of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

2006 American Society of Mammalogists Grant-in-Aid of Research. Historical Diversification in the Neotropics: Evolution and Variation of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

2006 The Ernst Mayr Travel Grant in Animal Systematics from the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. Taxonomy of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

2006 Provost’s Award for Graduate Research, University of Illinois at Chicago. Historical Diversification in the Neotropics: Evolution and Variation of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

2006 Graduate Student Research Achievement Award, University of Illinois at Chicago.

2003-2006 University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate College Travel Award.

2001 Barbara E. Brown Fund for Mammal Research. Phylogenetic Analysis of the genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

2001 Collection study Grant, American Museum of Natural History. Phylogenetic Analysis of the genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

Publications

Patterson, B. D., and P. M. Velazco. (In press). A distinctive New Cloud-Forest Rodent (Hystricognathi: Echimyidae) from the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru. Mastozoología Neotropical.

Solari, S., V. Pacheco, L. Luna, P. M. Velazco, and B. D. Patterson (In press) “Mammals of the Manu Biosphere Reserve.” Fieldiana, Zoology.

Jorge, M. S. P., and P. M. Velazco. (In press). Mammals. In T. S. Schulenberg, C. Vriesendorp, J. I. Rojas, and D. K. Moskovits, editors. Peru: Sierra del Divisor/Sina Jonibaon Manan. The Field Museum: Rapid Biological Inventories Report Number 17.

Velazco, P. M. 2005. Morphological Phylogeny of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) with description of four new species. Fieldiana, Zoology, n.s. 105: iv+53.

Pacheco, V., S. Solari, and P. M. Velazco. 2004. A New Species of Carollia (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University, 236: 1-16.

Hice, C. L., P. M. Velazco, and M. R. Willig. 2004. Bats of the Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo-Mishana, Northeastern Peru, with notes on Community Structure. Acta Chiropterologica, 6(2): 319-334.

Velazco, P. M., and S. Solari. 2003. Taxonomía de Platyrrhinus dorsalis y Platyrrhinus lineatus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) en Perú. Mastozoología Neotropical, 10(2): 303-319.

Tello, J. G., and P. M. Velazco. 2003 .First description of a tent used by Platyrrhinus helleri (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Acta Chiropterologica, 5(2): 269-276.

Leite Pitman, M. R. P., H. Beck, and P. M. Velazco. 2003. Mamíferos Terrestres y Arbóreos de la Selva Baja del Amazonia Peruana entre los ríos Manu y Alto Purús. Pp 109-122, 330-334. In: Alto Purús: Biodiversidad, Conservación y Manejo (Leite Pitman, Pitman y Alvarez, eds.). Center for Tropical Conservation, Duke University, 350pp.

Solari, S., J. Rodriguez,E. Vivar and P. M. Velazco. 2002 A framework for Assessment and Monitoring of Small Mammals in a Lowland Tropical Forest. Enviromental Monitoring and Assessment, 76(1): 89-104.

Solari, S., E. Vivar, P. Velazco, J.J. Rodriguez, D.E. Wilson, R. J. Baker and J. L. Mena. 2001 The Small Mammal Community in the Neotropical Rainforest of the Lower Urubamba River Valley, Peru. Pp. 171-181. In: Urubamba: The Biodiversity of a Peruvian Rainforest (A. Alonso and F. Dallmeier, eds.). SI/MAB Series, 7. Washington D.C.

Solari, S., E. Vivar, P. Velazco, and J. J. Rodríguez. 2001. Small Mammals of the southern Vilcabamba region, Peru. Pp. 110-116 & 262-264, In: Biological and Social Assessment of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba, Peru (L.E. Alonso, A. Alonso, T.S. Schulenberg, and F. Dallmeier, eds.). RAP Working Papers, 12, and SI/MAB Series, 6. Washington, D.C.

Solari, S., E. Vivar, J.J. Rodríguez, P. Velazco, and E. Montesinos. 1999. Small Mammals: Biodiversity Assessment at the Pagoreni well site. Pp. 137-150, In: Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring of the lower Urubamba region, Peru. Pagoreni well site: Assessment and training. SI/MAB Series N° 3 (A. Alonso and F. Dallmeier, eds.). Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Morales, V. R. and P. M. Velazco. 1998 Una Especie Nueva de Epipedobates (Amphibia; Anura; Dendrobatidae) de Perú. Amphibia-Reptilia 19: 369-376.

Recent Oral and Poster Presentations on Meetings (Since 2003):

Velazco, P. M., and B. D. Patterson. 2006. Evolutionary Radiations in the Neotropics: Phylogeny of Broad-Nosed Bats, Genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). 86th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Velazco, P. M. 2006. Análisis Filogenético del género Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) basado en datos moleculares y morfológicos. At the Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.

Velazco, P. M. 2006. Análisis Filogenético y problemas taxonómicos del género Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) basado en datos moleculares y morfológicos. At the Departamento de Biología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

Velazco, P. M., and B. D. Patterson. 2005. Evolutionary relationships of the genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). 85th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri.

Hice, C. L., P. M. Velazco, C. M. Brown, and J. H. Brown. 2005. Going beyond presence/absence data: Neotropical bat communities as a case study. IX International Mammalian Congress, Sapporo, Japan.

Hice, C. L., P. M. Velazco, C. M. Brown, and J. H. Brown. 2005. Going beyond presence/absence data: Neotropical bat communities as a case study. 90th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), Montreal, Canada.

Brown, C. B. C. L. Hice, and P. M. Velazco. Measuring similarity among Neotropical bat communities: incorporating abundance and biomass. 52nd Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, Huntsville, Texas.

Velazco, P. M. and B. D. Patterson. 2004. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Genus Platyrrhinus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). 34th Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pacheco, V., L. Villalobos, H. Quintana, A. Vásquez, I. Salinas, D. Rodríguez, H. Beltrán, D. La Rosa, E. Salas, J. Suárez, C. Torres, P. M. Velazco, and L. Arias. 2004. Conservation of Fragmented Montane Forests in Central Peru: Bosque de Carpish. 18th Annual Meeting Society for Conservation Biology. New York.

Velazco, P M. 2003. Phylogenetic Analysis of the Genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). 83rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists. Lubbock, Texas.

Velazco, P., B. D. Patterson, D. F. Stotz, and S. Solari. 2003. Mammals and Birds over an Elevational Gradient in Southeastern Peru. II Symposium Internacional, El Manu y Otras Experiencias de Investigación y Manejo de Bosque Tropical. Cusco, Perú.

Hice, C. L., Velazco, P. M., and M. R. Willig. 2003. Bats of the Zona Reservada Allpahuayo-Mishana: Comments on the Ecology, Biogeography, and Conservation of a Peruvian Hotspot of Biodiversity. 33rd Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research. Lincoln, Nebraska.

Pacheco, V., S. Solari, and P. M. Velazco. 2003. A New Carollia (Phyllostomidae) from Peru and Bolivia, with a Cladistic Hypothesis of Its Relationships. 33rd Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research. Lincoln, Nebraska.