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You can generally find me hiking and exploring nature with my dog, enjoying a glass of wine or coffee, or practicing my photography skills. I hope to travel more in the future.
In 2011, I joined the department of Anthropology at the University of Missouri. My supervisor was Dr Gregory Blomquist. My PhD research focused on the morphological and genetic diversity of cryptic species. Part of my research investigated the the within family relations of Lorisidae (Arctocebus, Perodicticus, Loris, Nycticebus). Another aspect of my PhD analyzed the multivariate craniodental allometry of the tarsier family (Tarsiidae) I earned my Master of Philosophy in Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University in the Spring of 2010. My research investigated the abundance and diversity of Southeast Asia's nocturnal primates, specifically the Bornean tarsiers (Tarsius bancanus borneanus) and Bornean slow lorises (Nycticebus menagensis) in the Lower Kinabatangan Floodplain, Sabah Malaysia Borneo. Furthermore, I examined facial mask differences of Bornean slow loris museum specimens and photographs. Geographic and facemask analyses resulted in the recognition of one species (Nycticebus kayan), and the uplisting of two more species (N. borneanus and N. bancanus). Now there is a grand total of four species of lorises on Borneo (don't forget about the original N. menagensis), and 8-10 species throughout Southeast Asia. But Southern Illinois-Carbondale was where my anthropological and primate interests started. I graduated with my Bachelors in Anthropology from SIUC, under the guidance of Dr Susan Ford. SIUC was where I first learned about nocturnal primates. Southern Illinois also facilitated my love of hiking because of all the beautiful state parks that surround it, and my love of wine as it has a great wine trail. |
Rachel A. Munds
