Jean-Marc Pons

Dr. Jean-Marc Pons is a Lecturer at the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris, France, affiliated with the Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (UMR 7205). He serves as curator of the Bat Collection and focuses on phylogeography, systematics, and avian speciation mechanisms.

• Education: Doctoral thesis in population biology (1987-1991) from the University of Paris XI (Orsay)

His research spans evolutionary processes in non-model bird species, particularly examining genetic and phenotypic variability across groups like Galerida (larks), Otus (screech-owls), Larus (gulls), and Picus (woodpeckers). Key contributions include studies on mitochondrial introgression in gulls, hybrid zones in green woodpeckers, and speciation in ring species complexes.

Recent publications highlight trends in:

• Phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial lineages
• Avian genome assembly techniques
• Speciation mechanisms under climatic fluctuations
• Bat community ecology in French Guiana
• Systematic revision using type specimens
• Evolutionary implications of nest architecture

Pons actively collaborates with researchers like Pierre-André Crochet (CEFE, Montpellier) and Jérôme Fuchs (MNHN) on hybrid zone dynamics and chromosomal speciation barriers. His work integrates genetic markers (including Z-chromosome sequencing) with ecological observations to address conservation priorities for endemic lineages.