Dr. Michael Dixon

• Ph.D. (1994) Zoology, University of Texas
• B.A. (1984) Zoology, Miami University (Ohio)

• Human Biology
• Man and the Environment

I am interested in a wide variety of ecological and evolutionary questions. I have addressed these questions using traditional field techniques as well as modern biochemical methods.

Recently I have been working on bats in Big Bend National Park with Loren Ammerman.

• First record of Lasiurus xanthinus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 44(3):343-347.
• Yucca provides roost for Lasiurus xanthinus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 45(3):338-340
• Bat ectoparasites from the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, including notes from Big Bend National Park. Journal of Medical Entomology 38(3): 400-404.

I have also investigated questions of evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity.

• Ribosomal DNA and the phylogeny of frogs. Herpetological Monographs 7:118-131.
• Evolutionary relationships of the blennioid fish families Clinidae, Labrisomidae, and Chaenopsidae: congruence among DNA sequence and allozyme data. Bulletin of Marine Science 52(1):496-515.
• Minimal genetic variation in a morphologically diverse species (Florida Tree Snail, Liguus fasciatus). Journal of Heredity 82:282-286.
• The relationships of the coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae: evidence from sequences of vertebrate 28S ribosomal RNA genes. Pp. 119-130. In: The Biology of Latimeria chalumnae and Evolution of Coelacanths.

At Texas Wesleyan University I supervised students doing research on numerous other topics. Some examples

• Geographic Variation and Genetic Substructuring of Myotis californicus and Myotis ciliobrum.
• The effect of food abundance on the distribution of fox squirrels.
• Bird species-richness and abundance in grassland and woodland communities.
• “Edge Effect” on medium-sized mammals in a wildlife refuge.
• Thermal variation in squirrel nest boxes.
• Gender differences in rat nocturnal activity.
• Vertebrate surveys in urban and rural environments.
• Microbial degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether.
• Effectiveness of chelex versus organic DNA extractions in a forensics lab.