Dr. Claudia Koch

Curator Herpetology
Radiation Protection Officer
Head of Animal Husbandry

Herpetology, Scientific Animal Keeping Facility

Tel: +49 228 9122-234

Fax: +49 228 9122-212

Mail: c.koch [at] leibniz-zfmk.de

Tabs

Profile

Research interests

Systematics, taxonomy, morphology, evolution, biogeography, phylogeny, ecology and conservation of reptiles and amphibians, with a special focus on Neotropical species.

Memberships

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde, Societas Europaea Herpetologica, Alexander Koenig Gesellschaft, Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik, Association for Tropical Biology & Conservation

Awards

Biodiversitätspreis der Mainzer Akademie der Wissenschaften und Literatur, Chimaira-Wissenschaftspreis

Projects

2022

ColLomic

High-quality genomes are an important basis for biological and evolutionary research. However, generating assemblies of high completeness and contiguity requires ideally fresh, flash-frozen samples. The availability of such samples has become a major limitation for biodiversity genomics, in particular for rare or endangered species, or species inhabiting remote regions. On the other hand, museum collections house millions of samples in Germany and worldwide.

Unit:

Comparative Vertebrate Genomics, Herpetology, Scientific Animal Keeping Facility, Biobank, Mammalogy

Project lead:

Astrid Böhne

Funding:

Leibniz Association

Morphological evolution of the skull of worm snakes: a comparative study

Blind snakes represent the extant basalmost snakes of the evolutionary radiation of modern snakes and include fully fossorial species with bizarre skeletal traits. Despite their relevant phylogenetic position in the snake tree, little is known about their ontogeny and what it might reveal about the origin of their skull anatomy. In the context of recently proposed phylogenetic relationships two hypotheses were raised about the evolution of worm snakes. On one hand, some authors proposed that they represent very old phenotypes inherited from the last common ancestor of extant snakes. On the other hand, other authors argued on the basis of morphological information that each worm snake group represents an independent specialization for fossorial habits, as a result of miniaturization, deviating considerably from evolutionary trends of snakes. The aim of this project is to conduct a comprehensive characterization and specific analyses on skull morphology of blind snakes, incorporating ontogenetic data of blind snakes and alethinophidians. Additionally, the first description of the embryonic development of the skull of a worm snake (Epictia australis) will be addressed. Thus, this project will contribute with novel data on the ontogenetic skull changes in different clades of snakes using 3D reconstructions based on micro-CT data. In addition, a morphological and morphometric approach of the development of the skull of blind snakes will allow us to test hypotheses of homology of cranial elements in snakes, to propose developmental patterns for this group, as well as to reveal similarities or differences with respect to the development of alethinophidian snakes and to depict their evolutionary significance. On a broader scale, this project aims to describe the general patterns of skull diversity of snakes, and to elucidate if the blind snakes correspond to derived forms or are a highly plesiomorphic group.

Unit:

Herpetology, Morphology Laboratory, Scientific Animal Keeping Facility

Project lead:

Dr. Mariana Chuliver Pereyra

Funding:

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig

Ontogeny of the skull of the blind snake Amerotyphlops brongersmianus (Typhlopidae, Scolecophidia)

Unit:

Herpetology, Scientific Animal Keeping Facility

Project lead:

Dr. Mariana Chuliver Pereyra

Ontogeny of the skull of the blind snake Amerotyphlops brongersmianus (Typhlopidae, Scolecophidia) and its relevance to the evolution of the ophidian skeleton

Blind snakes are the most basal group of extant snakes and one of the least known in terms of morphology, biogeography and ecology. They are small snakes of fossorial habits that exhibit tubular bodies, smooth scales and a remarkable reduction of eyes and head escalation. The morphology of their skull is highly modified with respect to the rest of the snakes and is conditioned both by a particular system of feeding mechanism, as well as by the mechanical demands imposed by the fossorial habits. The aim of this project is to provide new information about the evolution of the snake skull through the analysis of the complete ontogenetic sequence of the skull of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus, which is a relatively large (SVL = 300 mm on average), oviparous, blind snake species belonging to the family Typhlopidae. The study was carried out entirely on the basis of 3D reconstructions based on micro-CT data, which allowed the accurate representation of anatomical structures with their natural shapes, orientations and spatial relations in minute size embryos.

Unit:

Herpetology, Scientific Animal Keeping Facility

Project lead:

Dr. Mariana Chuliver Pereyra

Funding:

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig

2020

Phylogeny of bothropoid vipers

Bothropoids are a highly diverse group of pitvipers whose phylogeny is not yet sufficiently clear given the uncertain, unclear or conflicting position of many species. Our goal is to assess the contribution of new data and an increased taxon sampling for the outgroup on clarifying the phylogeny of bothropoids. New data includes new morphological and molecular characters, additional data of poorly known species, data of species described recently, and data of putative new species.

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

Dr. Claudia Koch

Systematics of blindsnakes

Although blindsnakes include many superlatives, such as the world’s smallest and most widespread living snake species they have largely been neglected in vertebrate research. Nonetheless, they tell a very interesting evolutionary story and – being of Gondwana origin - their relationships track place tectonics better than those of any other vertebrate group. With the help of micro-computer-tomography (µCT) and geometric morphometric analyses we aim to understand the evolution of several morphological characters (e.g. skull, cervical vertebrae, pelvic girdle).

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

Dr. Claudia Koch

2018

Herpetodiversity Andean valleys

Andean dry forests are among the least investigated biotopes worldwide. The project involves a herpetological inventory and an exemplary phylogeographic analysis on the basis of selected groups.

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

Dr. Claudia Koch

Funding:

Alexander Koenig Stiftung, Alexander-Koenig-Society e.V., German Academic Exchange Service

2017

Diversity of Neotropical Bush Anoles

Recently we discovered and described a new species of the lizard genus Polychrus, commonly known as bush anoles or Neotropical false chameleons (Koch et al. 2011), augmenting the number of recognized species in this genus to seven. This project will explore the diversity and evolutionary history of Neotropical false chameleons using DNA sequence data.

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

Dr. Claudia Koch

Funding:

Alexander-Koenig-Society e.V., Biopat - Patrons for Biodiversity

2008

Herpetofauna of Peruvian Dry Forests (2008-2014)

The present study was organized to contribute to the knowledge of the herpetofauna of the Inter-Andean dry forest valleys and provides a first checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the interandean part of the equatorial dry forest in Northern Peru.

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhme

Funding:

Alexander Koenig Stiftung, Alexander-Koenig-Society e.V., German Academic Exchange Service, Kirschner & Seufer Publisher

Publications

Published in

2015

Koch, C., Venegas, P. J., Böhme, W. (2015): Three new endemic species of Epictia Gray, 1845 (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae) from the dry forest of northwestern Peru. - Zootaxa 3964 (2): 228–244; http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3964.2.4; http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E9350BA0-885F-4256-81E0-5D0B03CB2A87

[more]

2013

KOCH, C., VENEGAS, P.J., RÖDDER, D., FLECKS, M., BÖHME, W. (2013) Two new endemic species of Ameiva (Squamata: Teiidae) from the dry forest of northwestern Peru and additional information on Ameiva concolor Ruthven, 1924. Zootaxa 3745: 263-295.

[more]

2011

AURICH , J., KOCH, C., BÖHME, W. (2011) Ecology of a unique gecko assemblage (Phyllodactylidae: Squamata) from northern Peru. North-Western Journal of Zoology 0,747 7: 310-317.

[more]

KOCH, C., BERAÚN, A.M. (2011) Notes on geographic distribution: Squamata, Phyllodactylidae, Phyllodactylus thompsoni Venegas, Townsend, Koch and Böhme, 2008 and Phyllodactylus delsolari Venegas, Townsend, Koch and Böhme, 2008: Latitudinal and altitudinal distribution extension and geographic distribution map. Check List 7: 272-275.

[more]

KOCH, C., VENEGAS, P.J., GARCIA-BRAVO, A., BÖHME, W. (2011) A new bush anole (Iguanidae, Polychrotinae, Polychrus) from the upper Marañon basin, Peru, with a redescription of Polychrus peruvianus (Noble, 1924) and additional information on P. gutturosus Berthold, 1845. ZooKeys 0,879, 141: 79-107.

[more]

KOCH, C., VENEGAS, P.J., RÖDDER, D. (2011) Notes on the advertisement call of Hyloxalus elachyhistus (Edwards, 1971) (Anura: Dendrobatidae). Salamandra 47: 116-119.

[more]

2010

KOCH, C. (2010) Geheimnisvolles Peru. Reptilia, Münster 82: 36-45.

[more]

2008

VENEGAS, P., TOWNSEND, J.H., KOCH, C., BÖHME, W. (2008) Two New Sympatric Species of Leaf-Toed Geckos (Gekkonidae: Phyllodactylus) from the Balsas Region of the Upper Maranon, Valley, Peru. Journal of Herpetology 42 (2): 386–396

[more]

2006

KOCH, C., VENEGAS, P., BÖHME, W. (2006) A remarkable discovery: description of a big-growing new gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Phyllopezus) from northwestern Peru. Salamandra 42 (2/3): 145-150

[more]

Pages

Presentations

Talks

(selected)

January 2020: WCH Congress, Dunedin, New Zealand: “Comparative skull morphology of Leptotyphlopidae via Micro-CT images.“

June 2019: DGHT, Cologne, Germany: „Pura Vida: Auf der Suche nach den Schätzen Panamas und Costa Ricas.”

April 2018: AKG, Bonn, Germany: „Zwischen Anden und Galapagos - Verborgene herpetologische Vielfalt.”

September 2017: SEH Congress, Salzburg, Austria: “Diversity of South American wormsnakes of the genus Epictia: Analysis of internal morphological characters via Micro-CT images.”

July 2017: Latinamerican Congress of Herpetology, Quito, Ecuador: “Diversity of South American wormsnakes of the genus Epictia: Analysis of external and internal morphological characters via Micro-CT images.”

July 2017: Natural History Museum of the University of San Marcos (MUSM), Lima, Peru: “Unique and endangered: Herpetofauna of the Andean dry forest valleys of the Marañón River and its tributaries in N-Peru.”

June 2017: San Ignacio University (USIL), Lima, Peru: “Unique and endangered: Herpetofauna of the Andean dry forest valleys of the Marañón River and its tributaries in N-Peru.”

May 2017: Instituto Nacional de la Biodiversidad (INABIO), Quito, Ecuador: “Biodiversity Research at the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig.”

November 2015: DGHT, Bonn Germany: „Die Herpetofauna Westaustraliens“ (The herpetofauna of Western Australia)

November 2015: Biologische Gesellschaft Bonn, Germany: “Auf Entdeckerpfaden in Peru“ (On explorer paths in Peru)

March 2015: DGHT, Bad Dürkheim, Germany: “Auf Entdeckerpfaden in Peru“ (On explorer paths in Peru)

December 2014: Latinamerican Congress of Herpetology, Cartagena, Colombia: “Unique and endangered: The Herpetofauna of the Peruvian dry forest along the Andean valley of Río Marañón and its tributaries” (presented in Spanish)

October 2014: DGHT annual meeting, Bonn, Germany: „Einzigartig und bedroht: Die Herpetofauna andiner Trockenwaldtäler im Norden Perus“ (Unique and endangered: The herpetofauna of Andean dry forest valleys in Northern Peru)

May 2014: AKG, Bonn, Germany: "Auf Entdeckerpfaden in Peru" (On explorer paths in Peru)

Teaching

Courses

SS 2019: OEP MSc excursion of the university of Bonn to Ecuador: “Biodiversity of the Tropics“ (together with X. Mengual & R. Wistuba)

SS 2014-2018: OEP MSc excursion of the university of Bonn to Austria and Hungary: “Ecology and Zoogeography of the Pannonian Area” (together with D. Rödder)

Since 11/2018 Animal welfare officer at the ZFMK

Since 09/2018 Vice-President of the Germany Society for Herpetology (DGHT)

Since 09/2015 Radiation protection officer at the ZFMK

Since 06/2014 Curator of Herpetology at the Alexander Koenig Research Museum, Bonn, Germany (ZFMK).

02/2014 PhD at the Alexander Koenig Research Museum, Bonn, Germany: „The Herpetofauna of the Peruvian dry forest along the Andean valley of the Marañón River and its tributaries, with a focus on endemic iguanians, geckos and tegus (Squamata: Iguanidae, Phyllodactylidae, Teiidae).” (Advisor: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhme)

03/2006 Diploma in Biology at the Alexander Koenig Research Museum, Bonn, Germany: „The amphibians and reptiles of the Tumbesian dry forest region of Northern Peru.” (Advisor: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhme)

10/2000- 03/2006 Studies of Biology at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelm-Universität, Bonn, Germany. Major subjects: Zoology, Palaeontology, Geography

05/2000 Gymnasium am Ölberg, Königswinter-Oberpleis (University-entrance diploma)

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Dr. Claudia Koch

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Research interests

Memberships

Awards

2022

2020

2018

2017

2008

Pages

2015

2013

2011

2010

2008

2006

Pages

Talks

(selected)

Courses

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