José Ricardo Paula
2023-present: Postdoctoral Fellow, Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i, USA
2022-present: Researcher and Lecturer MARE - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2021-22: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2020-21: Postdoctoral Fellow, MARE - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2016-20: Ph.D., Biology, University of Lisbon, Portugal
2011-13: MSc., Conservation Biology, University of Lisbon, Portugal
2008-11: BSc, Evolutionary and Developmental Biology, University of Lisbon, Portugal
It all started when…
I grew up in Portugal, close to the beach and nice snorkeling spots, which made me develop a deep connection with the ocean. I got a book called "O Mar" (the sea in Portuguese) when I was eight years old. In it, I found a page describing the mutualism between cleaner fishes and their clients, which has captivated me since. I've got a Bachelor's in Evolutionary and Developmental Biology and a Master's in Conservation Biology from the University of Lisbon. For my thesis, I got to study the neurobiological basis of cooperative behavior in cleaner fishes at Lizard Island (Australia). Finally, seeing and working with this mutualism was a childhood dream. I was fortunate to design a Ph.D. on the effects of climate change stressors on this mutualism, supervised by Prof. Rui Rosa (U. Lisbon) and Dr. Alexandra Grutter (U. Queensland). Recently, I've been expanding my research to the neurogenomic mechanisms of cooperation and learning in cleaners with a Postdoc at The University of Hong Kong. In August 2022, I started my research line in Behavioural Ecology and Evolution at Guia Marine Laboratory (U. Lisbon).
My research...
My research focuses on the ecology and evolution of social behavior and cognition. Specifically, I'm interested in the ecology and mechanisms of strategic cognitive sophistication of cleaner fishes. My research focus on these three main questions:
1. What drives the development of strategic cognitive sophistication?
2. To what extent human activities and environmental stressors impact the cooperative behavior and cognitive sophistication?
3. How does the loss of strategic cognitive sophistication impact natural communities?
My work uses natural experiments and observations, large mesocosm systems, long-term reef manipulations, aquaria-based cognitive experiments, and neurobiological protocols. Using these different techniques, I’m able to study the ecology and evolution of cleaners' complex behavior using a Tinbergen 4-why approach combined with ecological relevance.
What I've written...
My peer-reviewed publications are listed here. Feel free to email me for copies of any of them.
Contact me…
Email:
josemdp@hawaii.edu
Website:
Address:
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
PO Box 1346 (for US Postal Service)
46-007 Lilipuna Road (For all other carriers)
Kaneohe, HI 96744 USA
Office:
New Pauly Building, Room 105