Christophe Dufresnes

Christophe Dufresnes serves as Associate Professor and Curator of Amphibians at the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris, France. He manages the Amphibian collection and is affiliated with the SPEC research unit (Systematics, Phylogeography, Evolution, Conservation). He actively participates in scientific commissions of the French Herpetological Society (SHF) and the Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH).

His research centers on herpetofauna evolution, biogeography, and conservation. Key interests include speciation mechanisms, sex determination evolution, and human-mediated biological invasions. Fieldwork and molecular analyses focus on Eurasian amphibians (anurans and urodeles), combining museum specimens with genomic approaches to address diversification and conservation challenges.

Recent publications (2025) reveal a cohesive focus on amphibian systematics and conservation genetics. Studies span taxonomic revisions (e.g., Himalayan toads, Balkan yellow-bellied toads), invasion biology (e.g., marsh frog, black-spined toad), and genomic investigations of sex determination in toads. This integrated methodology bridges evolutionary theory with urgent conservation applications across Europe and Asia.

Dufresnes leads the SPEC research unit, which drives interdisciplinary studies in systematics and conservation. He also contributes to public science through naturalist books on herpetofauna and active roles in SHF and SEH commissions, supporting European herpetological research and conservation policy.