Nora Lentge-Maaß

Dr. Nora Lentge-Maaß is a Researcher and Collection Transformation Manager for Invertebrates and Paleobotany at the Museum of Natural History, Leibniz Institute for Evolutionary and Biodiversity Research in Berlin, Germany. She is directly associated with the Malacological Collection, focusing on the curation and transformation of invertebrate and paleobotanical specimens.

She earned her PhD from Humboldt University of Berlin's Faculty of Life Sciences in 2021, with a dissertation on the evolutionary systematics of viviparous freshwater gastropods in Thailand's Kaek River. Her academic background combines rigorous taxonomic training with field-based evolutionary research.

Her research centers on malacology and evolutionary biology, specializing in freshwater gastropod systematics, reproductive biology (particularly viviparity), and adaptive radiation. She investigates morphological diversification mechanisms like radula evolution, employs integrative molecular-morphological approaches, and conducts fieldwork in Southeast Asia and Australia's monsoonal regions. Her work bridges collection-based taxonomy with contemporary evolutionary theory.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a concentrated focus on Cerithioidea-Thiaridae gastropods. Key themes include the description of new species (e.g., Sermyla), ecomorphological divergence driven by radula specialization, and comparative studies of marsupial-like reproductive strategies across Australian drainages. This body of work establishes her as a significant contributor to understanding freshwater mollusk biodiversity and evolutionary processes.

As Collection Transformation Manager, she oversees critical infrastructure for biodiversity research while maintaining active collaboration with Humboldt University. Her role positions her at the intersection of museum collection science, evolutionary research, and taxonomic curation within one of Europe's premier natural history institutions.