Team Leaders
Nuria Macías Hernández
Team leader · Viera y Clavijo Researcher (ULL)
Spider evolution, adaptive radiations & biodiversity patterns
PhD from the University of La Laguna (2010), in collaboration with the University of Barcelona, with the thesis “Phylogeographic and morphological bases of the diversification of the genus Dysdera (Araneae, Dysderidae) in the Canary Islands”, supervised by Dr. Pedro Oromí Masoliver and Dr. Miquel Àngel Arnedo Lombarte.
During 2012–2014 I was awarded two postdoctoral fellowships to conduct research at Aarhus University (Denmark) and the University of Kentucky (USA). In 2014 I was hired as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of La Laguna, and in 2015 as a technician assistant at the University of Barcelona. From October 2016 I was a postdoctoral researcher funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship at the Finnish Museum of Natural History (University of Helsinki) and at the Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC).
My main research interest is evolutionary biology, focusing on adaptive radiations by combining molecular and morphological approaches. I have worked mostly on phylogeny, phylogeography, morphology, prey preferences, nutritional experiments and molecular prey detection with the spider genus Dysdera in the Canary Islands. My current research aims to reveal the main drivers of biodiversity in different biogeographical areas and ecosystems (islands vs. continents) by analysing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity, using spiders as model organisms.
In October 2019 I joined the University of La Laguna, and since July 2021 I have been a Viera y Clavijo Researcher, carrying out teaching and research at the ULL.
Carlos Ruiz Carreira
Team leader · Associate Professor (ULL)
Bee phylogenetics, diversity & conservation
Associate Professor at the University of La Laguna. My main line of research focuses on understanding how evolutionary patterns and processes shape bee diversity from a phylogenetic perspective. I am also interested in the response of bees to different anthropogenic impacts in order to establish appropriate conservation measures.
I began my research activity as an internal student in the Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology of the University of Murcia in 1999, and in 2002 obtained a collaboration scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Education. In 2004 I began my PhD on the molecular phylogeny of carabids with an FPU scholarship, which allowed me to carry out numerous short stays at leading international centres.
After my PhD, I carried out several postdoctoral stays in a new line of research on native bees: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (Mexico, 2010–2011), Universidad Técnica de Manabí (Ecuador, 2012) and Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador, 2013–2015), where I collaborated on and led several research projects. I later returned to the University of Murcia, collaborating on various R&D projects, and in 2018 joined the University of La Laguna as Assistant Professor.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Daniel Suárez is a biologist and postdoctoral researcher with interests in the study of the ecology and evolution of arthropods on oceanic islands. He studied the Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (2012–2016) and the Master’s Degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation (2016–2018) at the University of La Laguna.
He completed his PhD thesis (2018–2024) at the IPNA-CSIC, which focused on the diversity of spiders in the laurel forests and Euphorbia shrublands of the Canary Islands, using molecular tools to study patterns of genetic structuring and community assembly. He is currently contracted by the General Foundation of the University of La Laguna (2024–2025) for the inventory of arthropods in the Teide National Park.
PhD Students
David Lugo is a biologist and predoctoral researcher (Research Staff Training – ACIISI, co-funded by ESF+), interested in the ecology and evolution of arthropods on islands, especially island pollinators. He studied the Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (2014–2018) and the Master’s Degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation (2020–2021) at the University of La Laguna.
He has participated in several projects for the evaluation, knowledge and dissemination of pollinators, funded by regional (RIS3, Government of the Canary Islands) and state entities (AEI – State Research Agency), as well as in projects for the monitoring and control of invasive alien arthropod species (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, IPNA-CSIC).
His thesis focuses on the assessment of the conservation status of wild bees in the Canary Islands, using molecular tools and citizen science platforms to understand how decline factors (pathogens, exotic species and climate change) affect the pollinator community, and especially bees, in the archipelago.
Felipe Rodríguez Arvelo is a biologist and predoctoral researcher focused on ecology. He completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (2014–2018) and a Master’s Degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation (2020–2021) at the University of La Laguna. He has participated in several projects aimed at establishing a network of permanent plots for long-term vegetation monitoring, studying carbon storage and sequestration in the ecosystems of the Canary Islands, and assessing the effects of grazing as a tool to reduce forest fire risk and its impact on biodiversity.
He is currently pursuing his PhD at the Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (Germany), where his research focuses on limnology, studying the macroinvertebrate fauna of freshwater ecosystems in the Canary Islands. He also works for the General Foundation of the University of La Laguna on the BioTER Arthropods project, which aims to evaluate the conservation status and distribution of critically endangered terrestrial arthropod species in the Canary Islands.
Collaborators
Pedro Oromí Masoliver
Collaborator · Professor of Zoology (retired)
Beetle systematics, phylogeography & subterranean biology
Pedro Oromí (Barcelona, 1947) graduated in Biology (1970) from the University of Barcelona and obtained his PhD in Biology (1975) from the University of La Laguna. Professor of Zoology at the University of La Laguna, now retired but still affiliated with the ULL and the IPNA-CSIC through participation in research projects. He taught at the ULL from 1973 to 2017, delivering different courses related to Zoology and Biogeography.
Member of the Instituto de Estudios Canarios (1975–), the International Society of Subterranean Biology (1987–; Vice-president 1982–2000), the Association for the Conservation of Canary Biodiversity (2020–) and the Commission of Vulcanospeleology of the UIS (1994–); Vice-president of the Canary Islands Federation of Speleology (1995–2009); and Advisor for Arthropods at the Natural Inventory Bank of the Canary Islands (1999–).
Research lines: taxonomy and systematics of beetles, particularly from the Canary Islands and Macaronesia; phylogeny and phylogeography of Canarian arthropods, with special emphasis on endemisms in polytypic genera; and subterranean biology on volcanic islands, including studies of both volcanic caves and the Mesovoid Shallow Substratum, covering faunistics, taxonomy of troglobitic species, ecology and conservation.
Molaye Mohamed Ahid Nuez
Collaborator
Arthropod citizen science & macro photography
Molaye Mohamed Ahid Nuez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of La Laguna, where he also completed the Master’s Degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation. He is part of the outreach project “Amigos de los Bichos”, where he takes part in citizen science initiatives that bring arthropod biodiversity closer to society. He is also a keen macro photographer, a discipline he uses as a tool to support his training.
Erasmus Students
Elena Congiu
Erasmus student · University of Siena
Biodiversity, genomics & bioinformatics
My name is Elena Congiu and I’m from Italy. I’m particularly interested in biodiversity, conservation and ecology, especially in understanding how environmental changes affect ecosystems. Driven by these interests, I studied Biological Sciences at the University of Siena, where I graduated with a thesis focused on the effects of yeast metabolism on nectar chemistry. After my Bachelor’s degree, I completed a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Siena.
During my Master’s I spent six months abroad in Mallorca, at IMEDEA (Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados), where I developed my thesis on the genomics and metagenomics of Posidonia oceanica, which increased my interest in genomics and bioinformatics. To improve my skills and knowledge, I’m currently spending six months in the Biodiversity and Evolution of Island Arthropods research group at the University of La Laguna.
Carlos Zaragoza Trello
Postdoc
Global change & pollinator conservation
Carlos Zaragoza, PhD (2021), is an early-career researcher in ecology who has worked in diverse fields, from evolutionary and biogeographical studies to more integrative disciplines, with a special focus on the impacts of global change on pollinator species, ecosystem services and conservation.
He has contributed to European applied research and management projects and has participated in developing initiatives for international NGOs focused on rural development and land stewardship. He is currently conducting a conservation project aimed at reassessing critically endangered terrestrial arthropod species in the Canary Islands according to IUCN criteria.
Eduardo Jiménez García is a biologist and predoctoral researcher with interests in the study of the ecology and evolution of arthropods, especially Coleoptera. He studied the Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (2013–2017, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos) and the Master’s Degree in Biodiversity in Tropical Areas and its Conservation (2017–2019, Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo – CSIC).
He is in the last year of his doctoral thesis (2019–2024), funded by an FPU contract (2019–2023) at the IPNA-CSIC and focused on the evolutionary and ecological study of the arthropod communities of Canarian laurel forests and Euphorbia shrublands. He is currently contracted by the General Foundation of the University of La Laguna (2024–2025) for the inventory of arthropods in the Teide National Park.
Manuel Cárdenas Guerrero is a postdoctoral researcher investigating the dynamics of interspecific interactions. His research primarily uses spiders as a model organism to examine their ecological roles in diverse habitats.
His PhD focused on the role of spiders in a Mediterranean olive grove agroecosystem. Subsequently, he held a postdoctoral position at Masaryk University (Czech Republic), where he studied the behavioural ecology of spiders, particularly interspecific communication via the exploitation of prey chemical signals by predators. He then conducted research in Ecuador, exploring how spiders in tropical ecosystems have evolved different strategies for resource use and predator defence.
Rebecca Magdalena Kropp
Technician
Pollinators, native plants & agriculture
Rebecca Magdalena Kropp is a researcher and PhD candidate in the Department of Zoology at the University of La Laguna. She is a geographer specialising in physical geography and holds a Master’s degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation.
She has previously participated in national and international projects focused on the impact of human activity on natural and semi-natural habitats, climate research and cartography. Currently, she is part of the European project EU Horizon VALOR, where she investigates the relationships between pollinators, native plant species and agriculture.
Amanhuy Duque Hernández
Technician
Island ecology & science communication
Amanhuy Duque Hernández (BSc Biology, 2020; MSc in Terrestrial Biodiversity and Island Conservation, 2022) is an early-career biologist with a growing background in terrestrial arthropod research and conservation. He has worked as a field and laboratory technician for the Fundación Canaria General de la Universidad de La Laguna, focusing on the sampling and identification of arthropods in insular ecosystems.
His professional experience also includes science communication and environmental education, particularly through collaborations with the Canary Islands Coastal Action Group. His interests lie at the intersection of biodiversity conservation, insular ecology and public engagement with science.
Ana Munévar
Postdoc · Lab visitor (2023)
Spider community ecology
Biologist from Colombia, specialised in entomology and community ecology. During her PhD, she addressed changes in the taxonomic and functional structure and composition of the spider community (Arachnida: Araneae) due to the transformation of land use from native forests to pine monocultures in Argentina.
In her postdoctoral project, she evaluated changes in the phylogenetic structure of this spider community in collaboration with Dr. Macías-Hernández at the Biodiversity and Evolution of Island Arthropods Lab, University of La Laguna. Her work offers a holistic view of the reassembly of communities as a result of anthropogenic disturbance of natural ecosystems.
Ricardo Costa
PhD student · Lab visitor (2023)
Macroecology & conservation of island arthropods
PhD student at the University of the Azores (Azorean Biodiversity Group, cE3c). Visit project: “Spider vertical stratification in addressing colonization and ecology of Macaronesia islands forest communities”.
My work is focused on the macroecology and conservation biology of island arthropods. I have worked with pollinators and their interactions with endemic island plants, as well as on the role of microhabitat patches in agricultural landscapes. In the last few years I have shifted my focus to island spiders, specifically how their vertical microhabitat in native forests affects their establishment, diversity and conservation on oceanic islands.
Cecilia Maria Ariemma
Erasmus student · Lab visitor
Freshwater ecology & global change
My name is Cecilia Maria Ariemma, and I was born in 1998 in Biella, Italy. I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and Technologies at the University of Trieste, with a thesis on the role of skeletal muscle in the ageing process. In 2024, I completed a Master’s degree in Ecology of Global Change at the same university, with a thesis on the macrozoobenthic communities of a mountain lake in Friuli Venezia Giulia (northeast Italy), studying their ecological dynamics and responses to environmental variables.
My main research interests lie in ecology, biodiversity and the impacts of global change on ecosystems. I carried out a seven-month research visit with the Arthropod Research Group at the University of La Laguna.
MSc Students
2025–2026. Sara Enriqueta Suay Alcalá (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Efectos de la antropización sobre las redes de interacción planta-polinizador en el valle de Güímar (Tenerife)”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Rebecca Kropp
2025–2026. Lucía Íñego Tenorio (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Hacia una biblioteca de referencia del ‘código de barras’ para el orden Araneae de Canarias”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Brent Emerson
2025–2026. Miguel Ángel Zarzosa Gómez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Caracterización molecular de la biodiversidad de artrópodos edáficos en los Parques Nacionales de Timanfaya y Garajonay: patrones de diversidad y estructura de comunidades”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Carmelo Andújar
2025. Molaye Mohamed Ahid Nuez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Análisis de la vulnerabilidad del servicio de polinización entomófila en Europa y la Macaronesia: un enfoque comparativo mediante índices regionales”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Rebecca Kropp
2024–2025. Pedro Nicolás Pemán Alcayaga (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Efectos del cambio climático sobre las comunidades de polinizadores de alta montaña en el Parque Nacional del Teide: un estudio comparativo de la diversidad taxonómica, filogenética y funcional”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & David Lugo Pérez
2024–2025. Jorge Lobato Menéndez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Análisis del patrón espacial y temporal de la diversidad de arañas en el Parque Nacional del Teide”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Daniel Suárez Ramos
2024–2025. Erika Gimeno (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Respuesta taxonómica y funcional de la comunidad de polinizadores costeros de Canarias a la intensificación del uso de suelo”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Nuria Macías Hernández
2024–2025. Jaime Hernández Pérez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Estudio sobre la posible absorción de biocidas usados contra la especie invasora Reticulitermes flavipes por parte de las plantas”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & David Hernández Teixidor
2023–2024. Dara Viruega (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Efectos del pastoreo sobre los artrópodos epiedáficos y polinizadores del pinar en la isla de Gran Canaria”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2023–2024. Mónica Suárez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Análisis de la distribución espacial de abejas de Canarias: hotspots y conservación”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Nuria Macías Hernández
2022–2023. Carmen de la Paz Hernández (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Assessment of the impact of land use on the pollinator community of coastal scrubland in the Canary Islands”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Carlos Zaragoza Trello
2022–2023. María Mora (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Sistemas agroecológicos multiespecie como potenciadores de biodiversidad”.Supervisors: Francisco Javier Díaz Peña & Nuria Macías Hernández
2020–2021. Daniel Beamud (Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation of Tropical Areas. “Species distribution modelling of Dysdera spiders from Tenerife, Canary Islands: evolutionary consequences and conservation implications”.Supervisors: Miquel Arnedo Lombarte (UB) & Nuria Macías Hernández
2020–2021. David Lugo Pérez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Exploring the bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea – Anthophila) diversity in the Canary Islands through DNA barcoding”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira (ULL) & Pilar de la Rúa Tarín (UMU)
2019–2020. David Pérez Pérez (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “Efecto multiescala de Apis mellifera en la comunidad de polinizadores y plantas del Parque Nacional del Teide”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Aarón González Castro
2019–2020. Lia Schlippe Justicia (University of La Laguna). MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. “The evolution of host-parasite interactions during a biological invasion”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Greg Brown
Undergraduate Students
2025–2026. Carlos Santana Martín (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Evaluación de la robustez de redes planta-polinizador bajo distintos modelos de extinción en el Valle de Güímar (Tenerife)”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Rebecca Kropp
2025–2026. Joel Rodríguez García (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Influencia de la diversidad y abundancia de polinizadores en el éxito reproductivo de Lavandula canariensis”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Rebecca Kropp
2025–2026. Carlos Gopar Hernández (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Integrative taxonomy as a tool for the management of cryptic species: a case study with hump-backed flies (Phoridae) in Teide”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Daniel Suárez Ramos
2025–2026. Emilia Arno Barrera (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Diversification and cryptic speciation of the endemic spider Palpimanus canariensis Kulczynski, 1909”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & David Lugo Pérez
2025–2026. Fabian Hernández Couros (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Impacto de la diversidad y abundancia de polinizadores en la reproducción de plantas silvestres en un ecosistema de cardonal-tabaibal”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Carlos Zaragoza Trello
2024–2025. Evelyn Quintero Gutiérrez (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Efectos de un sistema agroecológico en la biodiversidad de artrópodos edáficos y polinizadores en Fuerteventura”.Supervisors: Francisco Javier Díaz Peña & Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2024–2025. David Chong (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Análisis funcional de la capacidad olfativa de arañas del género Dysdera”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Ángel Acebes
2023–2024. Alba Jiménez (University of Girona). Undergraduate student. “Estudio transcriptómico comparativo de los apéndices quimiosensoriales de dos especies de Dysdera (Araneae) con diferente grado de especialización en su dieta”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Sara Guirao-Rico (UB)
2023–2024. Molaye Mohamed Ahid Nuez (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Spatio-temporal analysis of arthropod communities of Teide National Park (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain)”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2023–2024. Jorge Mena Villa (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Efectos de la intensificación agrícola sobre las comunidades de abejas silvestres”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2022–2023. Javier Hernández Felipe (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Grazing impacts on pollinator insects”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Nuria Macías Hernández
2022–2023. Daniel Febles Medina (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Análisis del impacto del pastoreo sobre la diversidad de artrópodos edáficos en pinares de Gran Canaria”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2022–2023. Yalenne Vilar López (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Functional analysis of the olfactory capacity of Dysdera ramblae (Araneae, Dysderidae)”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Ángel Acebes
2022–2023. Diego Patiño Sauma (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Estudio y caracterización de diversidad críptica de Osmia submicans (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) aplicando taxonomía integrativa en las Islas Canarias”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & David Lugo Pérez
2021–2022. Pablo Caloca de la Riva (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Biblioteca de códigos de barras de ADN para dípteros polinizadores en las Islas Canarias”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Carmelo Andújar Fernández
2021–2022. Francisco González Guedes (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Impacto de la competencia de Apis mellifera sobre el perfil lipídico de dos especies de abejas silvestres en el Parque Nacional del Teide”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Jose Antonio Pérez
2021–2022. María Cañardo Perera (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Obtaining a reference collection of the genetic barcode of Canary Island spiders”.Supervisors: Paula Arribas (IPNA-CSIC) & Nuria Macías Hernández
2021–2022. Marta Perdomo Martín (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Obtaining a reference collection of genetic barcodes of Canarian carabids”.Supervisors: Heriberto López (IPNA-CSIC) & Nuria Macías Hernández
2021–2022. Natalia Rivero Sanz (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “DNA barcoding of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) from the Canary Islands”.Supervisors: Víctor Noguerales (IPNA-CSIC) & Nuria Macías Hernández
2021–2022. Lucía Gabriela Jung García (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Evaluación del impacto antrópico en polinizadores de cardonal-tabaibal”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Nuria Macías Hernández
2020–2021. Zulema Ramos Hernández (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Assessment of the threat status of bees in the Canary Islands”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Nuria Macías Hernández
2020–2021. Judith González González (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Evaluation of the threat status of endemic spiders of the genus Dysdera in Tenerife”.Supervisors: Nuria Macías Hernández & Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2020–2021. María del Cristo Pérez Pérez (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Análisis espacial de los polinizadores y recursos florales en el Parque Nacional del Teide”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & M. Francisca Carreño Fructuoso
2019–2020. Carmen de la Paz Hernández (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Estudio de la competencia entre la especie introducida Bombus ruderatus y la especie endémica Bombus canariensis”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2019–2020. Jesús Padrón García (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Los perfiles de hidrocarburos cuticulares en abejas: análisis de la viabilidad como potenciales marcadores del cambio global”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira
2018–2019. Xerach Hernández Aguiar (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Redes de interacción plantas-polinizador en las Islas Canarias”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Francisco La Roche Brier
2018–2019. Richard Gosende Amorín (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Distribución potencial de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de las Islas Canarias. Cambio climático y especies invasoras”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & David Jesús Hernández
2018–2019. Nauzet Dorta García (University of La Laguna). Undergraduate student. “Análisis de distribución espacial de la biodiversidad de las abejas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) en las Islas Canarias: conservación de polinizadores y cambio climático”.Supervisors: Carlos Ruiz Carreira & Antonio Pérez Delgado