Akiko Okusu

Education: 

B.A., Hamilton College, 1996 Ph.D., Harvard University, 2003

Postdoctoral: 

Harvard University, 2004-2005

Research Interests: 

Invertebrate Evolution and Phylogeny Evolution Molluscan Bauplan Molecular Systematics

Representative Publications: 

Normark, Benjamin B, A. Okusu, G. E. Morse, D. A. Peterson, T. Itioka, and S. A. Schneider. “Phylogeny and Classification of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae).” Zootaxa 4616, no. 1 (2019): 1–98. Schneider, Scott A, A. Okusu, and B. B. Normark. “Molecular Phylogenetics of Aspidiotini Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) Reveals Rampant Paraphyly, Curious Species Radiations, and Multiple Origins of Association with Melissotarsus Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution129 (2018): 291–303.

Peterson, D. A, N. B. Hardy, G. E. Morse, I. C. Stocks, A. Okusu, and B. B. Normark. 2015. Phylogenetic analysis reveals positive correlations between adaptations to diverse hosts in a group of pathogen-like herbivores. Evolution, 69: 2785-2792.

Normark. B. B., G. E. Morse, A. Krewinski, and A. Okusu. 2014. Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) of San Lorenzo National Park, Panama, with descriptions of two new species. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 107: 37-49.

Ross, L, N. B. Hardy, A. Okusu, and B. B. Normark. 2013. Large population size predicts the distribution of asexuality in scale insects. Evolution, 67: 196-206.

Sabree, Z. L., C. Y. Huang, A. Okusu, N. A. Moran and B. B. Normark. 2013. The nutrient supplying capabilities of Uzinura, an endosymbiont of armored scale insects. Environmental Microbiology, 15: 1988-1999.

Dunn, C., A. Hejnol, D. Matus, K. Pang, W. Browne, S. Smith, E. Seaver, G. Rouse, M. Obst, G. Edgecombe, M. Sorensen, S. Haddock, A. Schmidt-Rhaesa, A. Okusu, R. Kristensen, W. Wheeler, M. Q. Martindale, and G. Giribet. 2008. Broad taxon sampling improves resolution of the Animal Tree of Life in phylogenomic analyses. Nature, 452: 745-749.

Todt, C., A. Okusu, C. Schander and E. Schwabe. 2008. Aplacophorans and Polyplacophora. In Molluscan Phylogeny by W. Ponder & D.R. Lindberg (eds.). U. C. Berkeley Press, CA, USA. Chapter4. Pp. 71-96.

Giribet, G., A. Okusuz, A.R. Lindgren, S.W. Huff, M. Schrödl and M.K. Nishiguchi. 2006. Evidence for a clade composed of molluscs with serially repeated structures: Monoplacophorans are related to chitons. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 103: 7723-7728.

Henry, J. Q., A. Okusu, and M. Q. Martindale. 2004. The cell lineage of the polyplacophoran, Chaetopleura apiculata: variation in the spiralian program and implications for molluscan evolution. Developmental Biology,272: 145-160.

Okusu, A., E. Schwabe, D. J. Eernisse, and G. Giribet. 2003. Towards a phylogeny of chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) based on combined analysis of five molecular loci. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 3: 281-302.

Okusu, A. and G. Giribet. 2003. New 18S rRNA sequences from neomenioid aplacophorans and the possible origin of persistent exogenous contamination. J. Moll. Stud., 69: 385-387.

Okusu, A. 2002. Embryogenesis and development of Epimenia babai (Neomeniomorpha Mollusca). Bio. Bull.,203: 87-103.

Reynolds, P. and A. Okusu. 1998. Phylogenetic relationships among families of Scaphopoda (Mollusca). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 126: 131-154.