Research Interests

I completed my honours in the lab in 2007 and enlisted for my PhD. My research interests centre on aspects of animal evolution and behaviour, particularly the evolution of communication systems and signals. I am currently engrossed by questions of phenotypic radiation and within-species diversity.

My chosen study species for both my honours and current PhD research is the Ornate Rainbowfish, Rhadinocentrus ornatus, whose many populations on Fraser Island contain both a common blue morph and a rare red morph. This polymorphism is expressed in both sexes, a rarity among freshwater fish species that formed the basis of my honours research investigation the relative role of female and male sexual selection in maintaining this polymorphism. My PhD research aims to investigate the influence of behaviour, habitat and vision, and phylogenetics on the evolution, maintenance and among population variation of R. ornatus on the world’s largest sand island.

Dan collecting rainbowfish at Alligator Creek

Gwen and Dan collecting at Fig Tree Creek

Personal Interests

Outside my research, I have a certain regard for our native freshwater fish fauna due to their abundance, diversity and colourful nature (both in appearance and behaviour). I have something of a penchant for the collected works of P.G. Wodehouse (if you’re not familiar you’re missing out) and can often be spotted investigating the photographic potential of Brisbane’s inner suburbs.