Thomas von Rintelen

Thomas von Rintelen is a Senior Researcher at the Museum of Natural History, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research, specializing in integrative taxonomy, biogeography, and evolution of tropical freshwater invertebrates. He serves as the scientific head of the mollusc collection and leads research initiatives focused on Southeast Asia.

• Integrative taxonomy combining morphological and genetic methods
• Phylo- and biogeography of Southeast Asian freshwater species
• Speciation studies in ancient lakes, particularly Sulawesi
• International collaborations with Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cameroon

His research group employs advanced techniques including SEM, µCT, histology, molecular phylogenetics, and phylogenomics. He has established long-term partnerships in Southeast Asia and West Africa to study biodiversity and evolutionary processes in tropical freshwater ecosystems.

For a full list of his publications, see Thomas von Rintelen on Google Scholar. His work bridges traditional taxonomy with modern genetic approaches to address fundamental questions in biodiversity and evolution.

He contributes to citizen science, education, and knowledge transfer through collaborations, advising, and public engagement activities at the museum.