Dr. Matthias Geiger

Committee work, reporting, PhD program coordination
(Former GBOL & FREDIE Project Coordination )

Directorate Staff, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School

Tel: +49 228 9122-258

Fax: +49 228 9122-212

Mail: m.geiger [at] leibniz-zfmk.de

Tabs

Profile

Field of work

Since Jan 2019 I am responsible for various science reporting obligationgs, panel work and the coordination of the newly initiated ZFMK Graduate School.

Between May 2014 and Dec 2018 I coordinated the German Barcode of Life project (GBOL - www.bolgermany.de) as successor of Dr. Stephanie Pietsch.
Before that I worked as postdoctoral researcher in the FREDIE (FREshwater Diversity Identification for Europe - www.fredie.eu) project with Fabian Herder. This project was aimed at setting up - and critically testing - a voucher-based DNA barcoding reference system for virtually all species of European freshwater fish, mollusks and mayflies, from Portugal to the Ural.
My special focus is on freshwater fish evolution and diversity. Please visit the GBOL & FREDIE sites for details, partners, pictures and progress. Before I came to ZFMK in Bonn, I worked on phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of Nicaraguan Midas cichlids (Amphilophus spp.), on fish taxonomy, and have been involved in the DNA Bank Network and different DNA Barcoding projects.

Research interests

Science management, project coordination, science-policy interactions, DNA barcoding and biodiversity, European freshwater fishes, cichlids and plecos, speciation, hybridization, systematics and taxonomy, biogeography, population genetics, morphology

Further information

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthias_Geiger2

Projects

2020

GBOL III: Dark Taxa

The BMBF-funded GBOL, the German Barcode of Life initiative, has been run successfully over the last eight years. It delivered an operative DNA barcode reference library for German animals, fungi and plants. However, a significant proportion of insect taxa has so far been excluded from GBOL and merely all biodiversity research, because no or only very insufficient expertise and information are available that allow to get a grip on them. They are called “Dark Taxa”.

Unit:

Hymenoptera, Diptera, Chair Systematic Zoology, Mammalogy, Biobank, Biodiversity Informatics, Directorate, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Metabarcoding, Department Arthropoda, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb)

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2019

DINA – Diversity of Insects in Nature Protected Areas

In collaboration with the German NABU the ZFMK has been an active partner to initiate a large joint project to understand drivers of insect decline, the DINA project (2019-2022). The goal of the project is to assess and monitor the insect fauna in 21 selected Nature-protected areas using a Malaise trap transect approach. A particular goal of this project is to demonstrate the power of metabarcoding for the rapid and efficient assessment of the insect fauna relying on the GBOL database. Additionally to the insect fauna, landscape parameters including anthropogenic influence will be recorded.

Unit:

Conservation Ecology, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Directorate Staff, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Metabarcoding, Herpetology, Experimental and Applied Ecology

Project lead:

Dr. Livia Schäffler

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2018

Sherlock

Sherlock is an automated process pipeline for statistical evaluation of patristic tree-distance variation given partitioned or non-partitioned molecular sequence data.

Unit:

Algorithmic Development, Chair Systematic Zoology, Directorate, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School

Project lead:

Dr. Patrick Kück

2017

GGBC: Assessment, Monitoring and Management of Caucasian Biodiversity

A Georgian-German initiative to explore and barcode the biodiversity of the Caucasus area

Unit:

Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Biobank, Department Arthropoda, Coleoptera, Mammalogy, Lepidoptera, Herpetology, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Biodiversity Informatics, Metabarcoding, Myriapoda, Arachnids, Staff Council, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Comparative Insect Genomics

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2011

GBOL- German Barcode of Life

"German Barcode of Life" ( GBOL ) is a project sponsored by the BMBF and includes the creation of inventories for the gentic characterization of the animals, fungi and plants of germany, using DNA-Barcodes.

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. J. Wolfgang Wägele

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

FREDIE - Freshwater Diversity…

Freshwater Diversity Identification for Europe: Barcoding all European freshwater fishes, freshwater molluscs and mayflies.

Unit:

Ichthyology, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb), Biodiversity Informatics, Mammalogy

Project lead:

PD Dr. Fabian Herder

Funding:

Leibniz Association

Publications

Full list available here:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthias_Geiger2

Published in

2024

Novaga, R., Bellucci, D., Geiger, M.F. & Freyhof, J., (2024): Cobitis feroniae, a new spined loach from southern Latium, Italy (Teleostei: Cobitidae). - Zootaxa 5458 (3): 385–402.

[more]

Seymour M., Roslin T., deWaard J.R., Perez K.H.J., D'Souza M.L., Ratnasingham S., Ashfaq M., Levesque-Beaudin V., Blagoev G.A., Bukowski B., Cale P., Crosbie D., Decaëns T., deWaard S.L., Ekrem T., El-Ansary H.O., Evouna Ondo F., Fraser D., Geiger M.F., Hajibabaei M., Hallwachs W., Hanisch P.E., Hausmann A., Heath M., Hogg I.D., Janzen D.H., Kinnaird M., Kohn J.R., Larrivée M., Lees D.C., León-Règagnon V., Liddell M., Lijtmaer D.A., Lipinskaya T., Locke S.A., Manjunath R., Martins D.J., Martins M.B., Mazumdar S., McKeown J.T.A., Anderson-Teixeria K., Miller S.E., Milton M.A., Miskie R., Morinière J., Mutanen M., Naik S., Nichols B., Noguera F.A., Novotny V., Penev L., Pentinsaari M., Quinn J., Ramsay L., Rochefort R., Schmidt S., Smith M.A., Sobel C.N., Somervuo P., Sones J.E., Staude H.S., St Jaques B., Stur E., Telfer A.C., Tubaro P.L., Wardlaw T.J., Worcester R., Yang Z., Young M.R., Zemlak T., Zakharov E.V., Zlotnick B., Ovaskainen O., Hebert P.D.N. (2024): Global arthropod beta-diversity is spatially and temporally structured by latitude. - Commun Biol. 2024 May 8;7(1):552. doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06199-1.

[more]

2023

Brasseur, M. V., Astrin, J. J., Geiger, M. F., & Mayer, C. (2023): MitoGeneExtractor: Efficient extraction of mitochondrial genes from next-generation sequencing libraries.- Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 00, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14075.

[more]

2022

Freyhof, J., Geiger M. F., Ball, S., Zimmerman, B. (2022): DNA barcode data confirm the placement of subterranean Noemacheilus (Troglocobitis) starostini Parin 1983 in the genus Paracobitis (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae). - Zootaxa 5190 (4): 565–574. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5190.4.6

[more]

Freyhof, J., Kaya, C., Geiger, M.F. (2022): A practical approach to revise the Oxynoemacheilus bergianus species group (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). - Zootaxa 5128 (2): 151–194.

[more]

Segherloo, H.I., Tabatabaei, S.N., Abdoli, A., Freyhof, J., Normandeau, E., Levin, B., Geiger, M.F., Laporte, M., Hallerman,E., Bernatchez, L. (2022): Biogeographic insights from a genomic survey of Salmo trouts from the Aralo-Caspian regions.- Hydrobiologia. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-022-04993-8

[more]

Seidel, N.I., Geiger, M.F., Kück, P. (2022): SHERLOCK – an Automatized Analysis of Molecular Sequence Variation in Species Communities Using Statistical Tests on Patristic Tree Distances. - Biodiversity Online J. 2(4). BOJ. 00541.

[more]

Wägele, J. W., Bodesheim, P., Bourlat, S. J., Denzler, J., Diepenbroek, M., Fonseca, V., Frommolt, K.-H., Geiger, M. F., Gemeinholzer, B., Glöckner, F. O., Haucke, T., Kirse, A., Kölpin, A., Kostadinov, I., Kühl, H. S., Kurth, F., Lasseck, M., Liedke, S., Losch, F., Müller, S., Petrovskaya, N., Piotrowski, K., Radig, B., Scherber, C., Schoppmann, L., Schulz, J., Steinhage, V., Tschan, G. F., Vautz, W., Velotto, D., Weigend, M., Wildermann, S. (2022): Towards a multisensor station for automated biodiversity monitoring. - Basic and Applied Ecology 59: 105-138.

[more]

Links:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2022.01.003

Zizka, V. M., Geiger, M. F., Hörren, T., Kirse, A., Noll, N. W., Schäffler, L., Scherges, A. M., Sorg, M. (2022): Repeated subsamples during DNA extraction reveal increased diversity estimates in DNA metabarcoding of Malaise traps. - Ecology and Evolution, 12(11), e9502.

[more]

2021

Behrens-Chapuis, S., Herder, F., Geiger, M.F. (2021): Adding DNA barcoding to stream monitoring protocols – What’s the additional value and congruence between morphological and molecular identification approaches? - PLoS ONE 16(1): e0244598. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0244598

[more]

Links:

Zum Artikel

Freyhof, J., Geiger, M.F. (2021): Oxynoemacheilus shehabi, a new nemacheilid loach from the upper Orontes in southern Syria (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). - Zootaxa 4908 (4): 571–583. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4908.4.9

[more]

Links:

Zum Artikel

Freyhof, J., Kaya, C., Abdullah, Y.A. & Geiger, M.F. (2021): The Glyptothorax catfishes of the Euphrates and Tigris with the description of a new species (Teleostei: Sisoridae). - Zootaxa, 4969 (3): 453-491.

[more]

Freyhof, J., Kaya, C., Epitashvili, G., Geiger, M.F. (2021): Oxynoemacheilus phasicus, a new nemacheilid loach from the eastern Black Sea basin with some remarks on other Caucasian Oxynoemacheilus (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). - Zootaxa 4952 (1): 135–151.

[more]

Geiger M., Koblmüller S., Assandri G., Chovanec A., Ekrem T., Fischer I., Galimberti A., Grabowski M., Haring E., Hausmann A., Hendrich L., Koch S., Mamos T., Rothe U., Rulik B., Rewicz T., Sittenthaler M., Stur E., Tończyk G., Zangl L., Moriniere J. (2021): Coverage and quality of DNA barcode references for Central and Northern European Odonata. - PeerJ 9:e11192 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11192

[more]

Documents:

geiger_etal_odopeerj_2021.pdf

Hüllen, S., Mandl, C., Geiger, M.F., Hadiaty, R.K., Wahyudewantoro, G., Ziegler, T., Herder, F. (2021): On the Challenge to Correctly Identify Rasboras (Teleostei: Cyprinidae: Danioninae) Inhabiting the MesangatWetlands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. - Diversity 2021, 13, 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13010008

[more]

Links:

Zum Artikel

Lehmann, G.U.C., Bakanov, N., Behnisch, M., Bourlat, S.J., Brühl, C.A., Eichler, L., Fickel, T., Geiger, M.F., Gemeinholzer, B., Hörren, T., Köthe, S., Lux, A., Meinel, G., Mühlethaler, R., Poglitsch, H., Schäffler, L., Schlechtriemen, U., Schneider, F.D., Schulte, R., Sorg, M., Sprenger, M., Swenson, S.J., Terlau, W., Turck, A. & Zizka, V.M.A. Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas (DINA): an interdisciplinary German research project. Biodivers. Conserv. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02209-4

[more]

Links:

Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas (DINA): an interdisciplinary German research project

Pereira, A. M., Levy, A., Vukić, J., Šanda, R., Levin, B. A., Freyhof, J., Geiger, M., Choleva, L., Francisco, S. M., & Robalo, J. I. (2021): Putting European lampreys into perspective: A global-scale multilocus phylogeny with a proposal for a generic structure of the Petromyzontidae.- Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 00, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzs.12522

[more]

Segherloo, I. H., Freyhof, J., Berrebi, P., Ferchaud, A. L., Geiger, M., Laroche, J., Levin, B., Normandeau, E., Bernatchez, L. (2021): A Genomic Perspective on an Old Question: Salmo trouts or Salmo trutta (Teleostei: Salmonidae)?. - Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 107204.

[more]

Links:

Publikation

2020

Epitashvili, G., Geiger, M., Astrin, J.J., Herder, F., Japoshvili, B., Mumladze, L. (2020): Towards retrieving the Promethean treasure: a first molecular assessment of the freshwater fish diversity of Georgia. Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e57862. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.8.e57862

[more]

Yoğurtçuoğlu, B., Kaya, C., Geiger, M.F., Freyhof, J. (2020): Revision of the genus Seminemacheilus, with the description of three new species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). - Zootaxa 4802 (3): 477–501

[more]

Links:

Zum Artikel

Pages

Presentations

Talks

(only selected ones)

III. 2018: Vortrag „DNA Barcoding & Metabarcoding - Chancen und Grenzen für Monitoring und Naturschutz“ im Plenum des LANUV Abt.2 in Recklinghausen.

III. 2018: Vortrag & Workshop zu „DNA Barcoding & Metabarcoding - Chancen und Grenzen für Monitoring und Naturschutz“ an der NUA, Flintbek.

II. 2018: GBOL-Vortrag an der Universität Münster auf einer NABU-Tagung zum Thema “Insektenrückgang”.

XI. 2017: 7th International Barcode of Life Conference (iBOL6) in Skukuza, Südafrika: “Testing the Global Malaise Trap Program – How well does the current barcode reference library identify flying insects in Germany?”.

X. 2017: Vortrag beim LANUV, Abt.5 in Düsseldorf, Dezernentensitzung: „DNA-Barcoding !? Chancen und Grenzen – Heute“.

IX. 2017: Vortrag und Workshop an der Dr. Hans Riegel-Akademie 2017 in Köln: „Biodiversitätsverluste – Kenntnisstand und Handlungsoptionen - Warum und wie das 'German Barcode of Life' Projekt die genetischen Fingerabdrücke der deutschen Artenvielfalt erfasst“.

III. 2017: Vortrag „Overview on the German DNA barcoding initiatives and status of reference libraries for aquatic taxa”. Kick-Off der EU COST action DNAqua-Net.

III. 2017: GBOL-Vortrag auf der Jahresversammlung der Sieg Fischereigenossenschaft.

III. 2017: GBOL-Vortrag & Führung für eine Delegation des LANUV.

III. 2017: Vortrag „DNA-Barcoding in Deutschland und im europäischen Kontext – wer liefert die Referenzdaten?“ Symposium am ZFMK: DNA-Barcoding in der Praxis.

X. 2016: BfN Tagung „Biodiversität und Klima - Vernetzung der Akteure in Deutschland XIII“, Vilm: “German Barcode of Life - wie GBOL einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Erfassung der tatsächlichen Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die Biodiversität leisten kann“.

VII. 2016: Konferenz der Arten (Von Leibniz & ZFMK organisierte Veranstaltung zur Vernetzung von Akteuren im Bereich Biodiversitätsforschung), Berlin: Präsentation, Symposium und Open Air Salon.

VI. 2016: GEO Tag der Artenvielfalt 2016, Burg Wissem: „Jede Art zählt! Inventarisierung und genetische Charakterisierung der Tiere, Pflanzen und Pilze Deutschlands.“ Präsentation and Podiumsdiskussion.

X. 2015: Gastredner in Berlin auf der “IUBS 2015 – Frontiers in Unified Biology” Tagung (32rd International Union of Biological Sciences General Assembly and Conference): “Engaging citizens in the inventory and DNA barcoding of fauna and flora – Experiences from the German Barcode of Life Project”.

XI. 2015: Gastredner auf dem ZSM-Infotag zu Nutzungsmöglichkeiten des DNA-Barcodings: “DNA Barcoding im gesamtdeutschen bzw europäischen Kontext”.

VIII. 2015: 6th International Barcode of Life Conference (iBOL6) in Guelph, Kanada: “The FREDIE project – different lessons from a large-scale DNA barcoding campaign”.

III. 2015: GfBS Tagung in Bonn am ZFMK: “Germany's freshwater fishes assessed by DNA barcoding - implications for natural resource management”.

X. 2014: Gastredner auf dem NRM Fishbase 2014 Symposium in Stockholm, Schweden.

I.2014: NHV Wintertagung 2013/14am ZFMK, Bonn: „Die aquatische Fauna des Mittelrheintals“

I.2014: GBOL1 Workshop am ZFMK, Bonn: “DNA-Barcoding der westpaläarktischen Fischfauna - überraschende Ergebnisse auch aus Deutschland“

X. 2013: 5th International Barcode of Life Conference (IBOL5) in Kunming, China: “A Review of the Freshwater Fish Diversity in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot using DNA Barcoding”.

IX. 2013: 10. Tagung der Gesellschaft für Ichthyologie (GfI) in Bonn am ZFMK: “A Review of the Freshwater Fish Diversity in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot using DNA Barcoding”.

II. 2013: BioSyst.EU 2013 Global Systematics in Wien, Österreich: “Introducing the FREDIE project with notes on the Mediterranean diversity hot-spot”.

XII. 2012: Gastredner bei SWISSBOL in Bern, Schweiz: “Lessons from a large-scale European DNA Barcoding initiative“.

IX. 2012: ECBOL3 in Brüssel, Belgien: “Introducing the FREDIE project with notes on the Mediterranean diversity hot-spot”.

VII. 2012: IVX ECI in Liège, Belgien: “Introducing the FREDIE project with notes on the Mediterranean diversity hot-spot”.

VI. 2012: FISHBOL in Yeosu, Korea: “Introducing the FREDIE project with notes on the Mediterranean diversity hot-spot”.

V. 2012: ECFF in Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal: “Introducing the FREDIE project, Freshwater Diversity Identification for Europe”.

II.2012: GfBS Tagung in Bonn: “Molecular Ecology of the Crater Lake Apoyo Midas cichlid species flock”.

II.2012: Poster GfBS in Bonn: “FREDIE – Freshwater Diversity Identification for Europe”.

IX.2010: Poster “Tools for Identifying Biodiversity: Progress and Problems” in Paris, Frankreich: “DNA Bank Network – connecting biological collections and sequence databases by means of long-term DNA storage with online accession”.

XI.2009: International Conference on Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes – Diversification, Adaptation and Speciation in Berlin: “Not a simple case. The Midas cichlid complex – a first comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis”.

XI.2009: ZSM München: “Auf Buntbarschjagd im Kratersee – Abenteuer Nicaragua”.

IX.2008: DATZ-Forum „Buntbarsche“ in Stuttgart: “Vielfalt und Taxonomie des Midas-Cichliden Komplexes in Nicaragua (Amphilophus cf. citrinellus)”.

I.2008: National Park Masaya Volcano in Masaya, Nikaragua: “Species Concepts and Midas Cichlids in Nicaragua”.

XI.2007: ZSM für EESlmu-Master Studenten in München: “An introduction into morphometrics”.

IX.2007: Poster XII ECI in Dubrovnik, Kroatien: “A morphometric and molecular study of selected populations of Gymnocephalus cernuus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Teleostei:Percidae) from central Europe”.

III.2007: Präsentation “Aportes a la taxonomía de la mojarra común (Amphilophus c.f. citrinellus) y su conservación” in Managua, Nikaragua.

Poster

IX.2007: Poster presentation at the ECI XII (XII. European Congress of Ichthyology) in Dubrovnik, Croatia: "A morphometric and molecular study of selected populations of Gymnocephalus cernuus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Teleostei:Percidae) from central Europe".

IX.2010: Poster presentation at conference "Tools for Identifying Biodiversity: Progress and Problems" in Paris: "DNA Bank Network - connecting biological collections and sequence databases by means of long-term DNA storage with online accession".

II.2012: Poster GfBS in Bonn: "FREDIE - Freshwater Diversity Identification for Europe".

Academic Education:
1999 - 2005: Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany: Biology (Zoology, Palaeontology, Ecology and Fishery-Biology)

2005 - 2006: Diploma Thesis, "A morphometric and molecular study of selected populations of Gymnocephalus cernuus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Teleostei:Percidae) from central Europe" (Advisor: Dr. U. Schliewen, Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Munich (ZSM)). Diploma Biology ("Diplom Biologe Univ.")

2007 - 2011: PhD, "A morphometric and molecular analysis of parallel sympatric speciation in the Midas-Cichlid-Complex in Nicaraguan Lakes" (Advisor: Prof.Dr. G. Haszprunar & Dr. U. Schliewen, ZSM)

Research Experience:
2000 - 2004: Student Assistant at Max-Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology in Seewiesen (Aquaria management and realization of habitat-choice and clonal-competition experiments with Poecilia formosa and other viviparous fish; Flow Cytometry)

2002 - 2008: Student Assistant at ZSM, Section Ichthyology (EDP acquisition of the ichthyological collection, assistance in the project "Diversity of Bavarian Fishes" including field work and sample processing)

2010 - IV. 2011: Project Co-leader, DFG funded "DNA Bank Network" at ZSM

V. 2011 - IV.2014: postdoc position at ZFMK with Fabian Herder, Freshwater Diversity Identification for Europe (FREDIE): Establishing a voucher-based barcoding system for European freshwater fish, molluscs and mayflies. Funded by the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft (SAW)

V. 2014 - XII. 2018: Coordination of the German Barcode of Life project ( GBOL).

I. 2019 - : Committee Work, Scientific Referee & Graduate School Coordination at ZFMK

Reviewer for:
- Croatian Journal of Fisheries
- DNA Barcodes
- Freshwater Science
- Genetica
- Marine Biodiversity
- Molecular Ecology Resources
- National Geographic
- PLoS ONE
- Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
- Zootaxa

Skills & Interests:
- German, native language
- English, fluent in written and spoken
- Spanish advanced knowledge
- Latin qualification
- Molecular biology (DNA-extraction, PCR, sequencing, AFLP & microsatellite genotyping)
- Experience with ABI 3130 genetic analyser
- Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses
- EDP (Soft- & Hardware installation, Office, Photoshop, Illustrator etc.)
- Diving license (AOWD - Advanced Open Water Diver, PADI)
- Fishing & electrofishing license
- International driving license

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Dr. Matthias Geiger

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Field of work

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Further information

2020

GBOL III: Dark Taxa

2019

DINA – Diversity of Insects in Nature Protected Areas

2018

Sherlock

2017

GGBC: Assessment, Monitoring and Management of Caucasian Biodiversity

2011

GBOL- German Barcode of Life

FREDIE - Freshwater Diversity…

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

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Dr. Matthias Geiger

Tabs

Field of work

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Further information

2020

2019

2018

2017

2011

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2023

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