Raul F. Medina

TITLE: Assistant Professor

EDUCATION:

Ph.D. Department of Entomology, University of Maryland 2005
M.S. Department of Entomology, University of Maryland 1999
B.S. Department of Biology, Universidad Nacional Agraria la Molina 1995

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Research in my laboratory focuses on population genetic aspects of pest species and their natural enemies. Currently in the laboratory, we are searching for a system that will allow us to explore host associated differentiation in a tri-trophic context. The first step towards this direction is to understand the population genetics of plant-herbivore interactions in order to understand how genetic variability of herbivore species may impact the ecology of higher trophic levels. As part of this effort, my laboratory is currently exploring if cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae), populations from cotton fields are distinct from fleahopper populations from wild vegetation and also assessing the population substructure of insects associated with pecan trees. We are currently concentrating our effort on the pecan nut casebearer, Acrobasis nuxvorella (Neunzig) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its parasitoids, across its distribution in North America. Additionally, I am involved in finding if pecan nut casebearer populations that are attracted to different pheromone blends are reproductively isolated. Further, my laboratory is currently assessing the population substructure of the potato tuber worm Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in the United States. This knowledge will provide insights into the origin of potato tuber worm populations recently detected in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

I teach an undergraduate course (Principles of IPM-ENTO401) every fall and I have offered a graduate seminar on micro-evolutionary aspects of IPM in the Spring semester. I am currently hosting a BIMS 484 (Biomedical field experience) student and an undergraduate student worker, as well as mentoring a PhD student.

I am in charge of organizing the department graduate student forum. I am a member of the Professional Hispanic Network at Texas A&M and a member of the Entomological Society of America, the International Organization for Biocontrol and the Ecological Society of America.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES:

ENTO401, Principles of IPM, Fall 2006
ENTO681, Population Genetics, Microevolution and Biological Control, Spring 2006

Medina, R. F., P. Barbosa, M. Christman and A. Battisti. 2006. Number of Individuals and Molecular Markers to Use in Genetic Differentiation Studies. Molecular Ecology Notes 6: 1010-1013.

Medina, R. F., P. Barbosa, and K. Waddel. 2005. Parasitism levels in Orgyia leucostigma feeding on two tree species: Implications for the slow-growth-high-mortality hypothesis. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 115: 193-197.

Erwin T. L., and R. F. Medina. 2003. The neotropical species Askalaphium depressum  (Bates): Larval description, first diagnosis and illustrations of immature Ctenodactylini, with natural history notes on the genus and tribe (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Zootaxa 273:1-15.

Medina, R. F., and P. Barbosa. 2002. Predation of small and large Orgyia leucostigma (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) larvae by vertebrate and invertebrate predators, Environmental Entomology 31:1097-1102.