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Kevin Paul Johnson

Principal Ornithologist

Research Interests

Host parasite systems provide an opportunity to study the interface between microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns. The goals of my current research center around recovering the coevolutionary history of birds and their ectoparasitic lice. The degree of cospeciation varies across different groups of lice. 

Education

PhD, Ecology, University of Minnesota, 1997
BS, Biology, Bethel College, St Paul MN, 1991

Additional Campus Affiliations

Principal Ornithologist, Illinois Natural History Survey
Department Affiliate, Entomology

Recent Publications

Knyshov, A., Gordon, E. R. L., Masonick, P. K., Castillo, S., Forero, D., Hoey-Chamberlain, R., Hwang, W. S., Johnson, K. P., Lemmon, A. R., Lemmon, E. M., Standring, S., Zhang, J., & Weirauch, C. (2023). Chromosome-aware phylogenomics of Assassin Bugs (Hemiptera: Reduvioidea) elucidates ancient gene conflict. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 40(8). https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.22.533714, https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msad168

Saenz Manchola, O. F., Virrueta Herrera, S., D'Alessio, L. M., García Aldrete, A. N., & Johnson, K. P. (2023). Phylogenomics of the family Lachesillidae (Insecta: Psocodea: Psocomorpha). Systematic Entomology, 48(2), 316-327. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12577

Sweet, A. D., Browne, D. R., Hernandez, A. G., Johnson, K. P., & Cameron, S. L. (2023). Draft genome assemblies of the avian louse Brueelia nebulosa and its associates using long-read sequencing from an individual specimen. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 13(4), Article jkad030. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkad030

Boyd, B. M., Nguyen, N. P., Allen, J. M., Waterhouse, R. M., Vo, K. B., Sweet, A. D., Clayton, D. H., Bush, S. E., Shapiro, M. D., & Johnson, K. P. (2022). Long-distance dispersal of pigeons and doves generated new ecological opportunities for host-switching and adaptive radiation by their parasites. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289(1970), Article 20220042. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0042

Johnson, K. P. (2022). Genomic Approaches to Uncovering the Coevolutionary History of Parasitic Lice. Life, 12(9), Article 1442. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12091442

View all publications on Illinois Experts