Dr Diana Percy
Researcher, Entomology
Division: LS Insects Division
Summary
Insect diversity is an immensely rich source of biological, ecological, and behavioral
data. Its importance for addressing fundamental biological questions of evolution,
biogeography, and speciation has long been acknowledged, yet we have barely begun to investigate and understand the immense natural diversity present. Understanding insect diversity and the interactions insects have with other organisms is critical for our management of the environment. Insects perform a huge number of ecosystem services that have profound consequences for the sustainability of biological systems, and we need to know more about the flexibility of insect biologies in the face of shifts in plant distributions and ecology due to environmental and climate changes. The study of natural groups within fluctuating environments, such as those due to anthropogenic habitat alteration, or diversification in naturally unstable habitats such as volcanic regions, will increase our predictive power for implementing biodiversity management and conservation programs.
My research is underpinned by the discovery and description of variation. I work
predominantly on diverse hemipteran insect groups that have significant impacts in
both agricultural and native ecosystems. These insects have diversified on ocean islands and continents. These insects also use vibrational communication during mating providing avenues for comparative behavioral analyses, and the investigation of sexual traits versus other traits in maintaining reproductive isolation.
I am interested in species diversity and the evolutionary patterns and processes
involved in insect-plant interactions. My past and current research reflects my interest
in the dynamics of these interactions, and the radiation and patterns of diversity,
including at the margins of habitats or where different types of environment intersect. A number of my research projects focus on islands, and island ecosystems. Together, the biogeographic patterns of speciation on islands and the ecological analysis of interacting groups has proven to be an exciting means of studying evolution and natural selection within a systematic and phylogenetic framework. I am involved in projects from alpha taxonomic and systematic revisions, to large scale phylogenetic analyses, and the analyses of temporal and spatial components in shifting environments. I am interested in understanding plant-insect systems from both the plant and insect perspective.
Qualifications
- PhD, University of Glasgow, UK, 1997 - 2001
- MSc, University of Edinburgh, UK, 1994 - 1995
- BFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, United States, 1986 - 1989
Degrees
Employment history
- Research Associate, University of British Columbia, Canada, 2006 - ongoing
- Contract Researcher, University of California, Riverside, United States, 2009 - 2010
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Duke University, United States, 2005 - 2006
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Institution (NMNH), United States, 2004 - 2005
- Contract Researcher, University of California, Berkeley, United States, 2003 - 2004
- Leverhulme Postdoctoral Research Fellow, CSIRO Entomology, Australia, 2001 - 2003
Academic
Non-academic
Botanical survey coordinator, The Society for Environmental Exploration, 2005 - 2006
Biological survey team member, World Bank and RSCN Jordan, 2004 - 2004
Other projects
NHM Initiative Pest and Crop Wild Relatives
Role: Researcher
Funding: Museum development
Dates: 2015 - 2017.
Patterns of host-plant associations in plant sap-sucking insects: a global analysis using the Psylloidea
Role: Researcher
Funding: Museum development
Using wing morphometrics to develop an automated identification system
Role: Leader
Funding: Museum development
External Positions
Council Member, Member 2014 - on going.
Publications
Wonglersak R, Cronk Q, Percy D (null) Salix transect of Europe: structured genetic variation and isolation-by-distance in the nettle psyllid, Trioza urticae (Psylloidea, Hemiptera), from Greece to Arctic Norway. Biodiversity Data Journal, 5 : e10824 - e10824. doi: 10.3897/bdj.5.e10824
Syfert MM, Serbina L, Burckhardt D, Knapp S, Percy DM (null) Emerging New Crop Pests: Ecological Modelling and Analysis of the South American Potato Psyllid Russelliana solanicola (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) and Its Wild Relatives. PLOS ONE, 12 (1) : e0167764 - e0167764. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167764
Percy DM (null) Making the most of your host: the Metrosideros-feeding psyllids (Hemiptera, Psylloidea) of the Hawaiian Islands. ZooKeys, 649 : 1 - 163. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.649.10213
Percy D (2016) Psylloidea phylogenomics: Resolving the psyllid tree. 2016 International Congress of Entomology, 2016 International Congress of Entomology Entomological Society of America : doi: 10.1603/ice.2016.94959
Cronk Q, Canty R, Ruzzier E, Percy D (null) Salix transect of Europe: patterns in the most abundant chrysomelid beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) herbivores of willow from Greece to Arctic Norway. Biodiversity Data Journal, 4 : e10194 - e10194. doi: 10.3897/bdj.4.e10194
Percy DM, Butterill PT, Malenovský I (2016) Three new species of gall-forming psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Papua New Guinea, with new records and notes on related species. Journal of Natural History, 50 (17-18) : 1073 - 1101. doi: 10.1080/00222933.2015.1104394
Upton L, Price BW, Percy D, Brooks SJ (2016) Applying novel digital visualization tools and traditional morphometrics to the analysis of wing size and asymmetry and male wing spot size in Calopteryx splendens (Harris) (Banded Demoiselle). Journal of the British Dragonfly Society,
Rominger AJ, Goodman KR, Lim JY, Armstrong EE, Becking LE, Bennett GM, Brewer MS, Cotoras DD, Ewing CP, Harte J, Martinez ND, O'Grady PM, Percy DM, Price DK, Roderick GK, Shaw KL, Valdovinos FS, Gruner DS, Gillespie RG, Ricklefs R (2016) Community assembly on isolated islands: macroecology meets evolution. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 25 (7) : 769 - 780. doi: 10.1111/geb.12341
Bailey S, Percy DM, Hefer CA, Cronk QCB (2015) The transcriptional landscape of insect galls: psyllid (Hemiptera) gall formation in Hawaiian Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae). BMC Genomics, 16 (1) : doi: 10.1186/s12864-015-2109-9
Cronk Q, Ruzzier E, Belyaeva I, Percy D (null) Salix transect of Europe: latitudinal patterns in willow diversity from Greece to arctic Norway. Biodiversity Data Journal, 3 : e6258 - e6258. doi: 10.3897/bdj.3.e6258
Ouvrard D, Chalise P, Percy DM (2015) Host-plant leaps versus host-plant shuffle: a global survey reveals contrasting patterns in an oligophagous insect group (Hemiptera, Psylloidea). Systematics and Biodiversity, 13 (5) : 434 - 454. doi: 10.1080/14772000.2015.1046969
Koh J, MacLeod N, Dee R, Percy D (2015) Assessing the utility of psyllid wing variation for geographic and taxonomic identification. Program and Abstracts. O'Neill M (Eds). 2015 Royal Entomological Society Electronic and Computing Technology Special Interest Group, The Royal Entomological Society : London. 15 - 15.
Percy DM, Argus GW, Cronk QC, Fazekas AJ, Kesanakurti PR, Burgess KS, Husband BC, Newmaster SG, Barrett SCH, Graham SW (2014) Understanding the spectacular failure of DNA barcoding in willows (Salix): Does this result from a trans-specific selective sweep?. Molecular Ecology, 23 (19) : 4737 - 4756. doi: 10.1111/mec.12837
Lubanga U, Guédot C, Percy D, Steinbauer M (null) Semiochemical and Vibrational Cues and Signals Mediating Mate Finding and Courtship in Psylloidea (Hemiptera): A Synthesis. Insects, 5 (3) : 577 - 595. doi: 10.3390/insects5030577
Burckhardt D, Ouvrard D, Queiroz D, Percy D (2014) Psyllid Host-Plants (Hemiptera: Psylloidea): Resolving a Semantic Problem. Florida Entomologist, 97 (1) : 242 - 246. doi: 10.1653/024.097.0132
Burckhardt D, Ouvrard D, Queiroz D, Percy D (2014) Psyllid Host-Plants (Hemiptera: Psylloidea): Resolving a Semantic Problem. Florida Entomologist: an international journal for the Americas, 97 (1) : 242 - 246.
GREENSLADE AFC, BARCLAY MVL, HAMMOND PM, BOOTH RG, BANTOCK TM, PERCY D, OSBORNE D, WARE C, Shelton J, Weekes J, Ponsonby D, Cameron-Fleming I, VANE-WRIGHT RI (2013) The beetles (Coleoptera) of Bingley Island: a preliminary checklist, with additional notes on history, ecology, bugs (Hemiptera) and flowering plants. Entomologist’s Gazette, 64 : 146 - 165.
Percy DM, Rung A, Hoddle MS (2012) An annotated checklist of the psyllids of California (Hemiptera: Psylloidea). ZOOTAXA, 1 - 27.
Burgess KS, Fazekas AJ, Kesanakurti PR, Graham SW, Husband BC, Newmaster SG, Percy DM, Hajibabaei M, Barrett SCH (2011) Discriminating plant species in a local temperate flora using therbcL+matKDNA barcode. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 2 (4) : 333 - 340. doi: 10.1111/j.2041-210x.2011.00092.x
KESANAKURTI PR, FAZEKAS AJ, BURGESS KS, PERCY DM, NEWMASTER SG, GRAHAM SW, BARRETT SCH, HAJIBABAEI M, HUSBAND BC (2011) Spatial patterns of plant diversity below-ground as revealed by DNA barcoding. Molecular Ecology, 20 (6) : 1289 - 1302. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04989.x
Hollingsworth PM, Forrest LL, Spouge JL, Hajibabaei M, Ratnasingham S, van der Bank M, Chase MW, Cowan RS, Erickson DL, Fazekas AJ, Graham SW, James KE, Kim K-J, Kress WJ, Schneider H, van AlphenStahl J, Barrett SCH, van den Berg C, Bogarin D, Burgess KS, Cameron KM, Carine M, Chacón J, Clark A, Clarkson JJ, Conrad F, Devey DS, Ford CS, Hedderson TAJ, Hollingsworth ML, Husband BC, Kelly LJ, Kesanakurti PR, Kim JS, Kim Y-D, Lahaye R, Lee H-L, Long DG, Madriñán S, Maurin O, Meusnier I, Newmaster SG, Park C-W, Percy DM, Petersen G, Richardson JE, Salazar GA, Savolainen V, Seberg O, Wilkinson MJ, Yi D-K, Little DP (2009) A DNA barcode for land plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106 (31) : 12794 - 12797. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0905845106
FAZEKAS AJ, KESANAKURTI PR, BURGESS KS, PERCY DM, GRAHAM SW, BARRETT SCH, NEWMASTER SG, HAJIBABAEI M, HUSBAND BC (2009) Are plant species inherently harder to discriminate than animal species using DNA barcoding markers?. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9 : 130 - 139. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02652.x
Harbaugh DT, Wagner WL, Percy DM, James HF, Fleischer RC (null) Genetic Structure of the Polymorphic Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) Complex in the Hawaiian Islands Using Nuclear Microsatellite Data. PLoS ONE, 4 (3) : e4698 - e4698. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004698
Hollingsworth P, Forrest L, Spouge J, Hajibabaei M, Ratnasingham S, Van der Bank M, Chase M, Cowan R, Erickson D, Fazekas A, Graham S, JAMES KE, Kim KJ, John W, SCHNEIDER H, Van Alphen Stahl J, Barrett S, Van den Berg C, Bogarin D, Burgess K, Cameron K, CARINE M, Chacón J, Clark A, Clarkson J, Conrad F, Devey D, Ford C, Hedderson T, Hollingsworth M, Husband B, Kelly L, Kesanakurti P, Kim J, Kim Y, Lahaye R, Lee HL, Long D, Madriñán S, Maurin O, Meusnier I, Newmaster S, Park CW, Percy D, Petersen G, Richardson J, Salazar G, Savolainen V, Seberg O, WILKINSON M, Yi DK, Little D (2009) A DNA Barcode for Land Plants. CBOL Plant Working Group. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 106 : 12794 - 12797.
Fazekas AJ, Burgess KS, Kesanakurti PR, Graham SW, Newmaster SG, Husband BC, Percy DM, Hajibabaei M, Barrett SCH (null) Multiple Multilocus DNA Barcodes from the Plastid Genome Discriminate Plant Species Equally Well. PLoS ONE, 3 (7) : e2802 - e2802. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002802
Percy DM, Garver AM, Wagner WL, James HF, Cunningham CW, Miller SE, Fleischer RC (2008) Progressive island colonization and ancient origin of Hawaiian Metrosideros (Myrtaceae). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 275 (1642) : 1479 - 1490. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2008.0191
Percy DM, Boyd EA, Hoddle MS (2008) Observations of Acoustic Signaling in Three Sharpshooters: <I>Homalodisca vitripennis</I>, <I>Homalodisca liturata</I>, and <I>Graphocephala atropunctata</I> (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 101 (1) : 253 - 259. doi: 10.1603/0013-8746(2008)101[253:ooasit]2.0.co;2
Grandgirard J, Hoddle MS, Petit JN, Percy DM, Roderick GK, Davies N (2007) Pre-introductory risk assessment studies ofGonatocerus ashmeadi(Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) for use as a classical biological control agent againstHomalodisca vitripennis(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 17 (8) : 809 - 822. doi: 10.1080/09583150701527573
Percy DM (2007) John N. Thompson, The Geographic Mosaic of Coevolution. Systematic Biology, 56 (1) : 149 - 151. doi: 10.1080/10635150601115640
Grandgirard J, Hoddle MS, Roderick GK, Petit JN, Percy D, Putoa R, Garnier CL, Davies N (2006) Invasion of French Polynesia by the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): A New Threat to the South Pacific. Pacific Science, 60 (4) : 429 - 438. doi: 10.1353/psc.2006.0028
Percy DM, Taylor GS, Kennedy M (2006) Psyllid communication: acoustic diversity, mate recognition and phylogenetic signal. Invertebrate Systematics, 20 (4) : 431 - 431. doi: 10.1071/is05057
Percy D (null) Psyllids website .
Percy DM, Day MF (2005) Observations of unusual acoustic behaviour in two Australian leafhoppers (Hemiptera; Cicadellidae). Journal of Natural History, 39 (38) : 3407 - 3417. doi: 10.1080/00222930500393087
Percy DM, Page RDM, Cronk QCB (2004) Plant–Insect Interactions: Double-Dating Associated Insect and Plant Lineages Reveals Asynchronous Radiations. Systematic Biology, 53 (1) : 120 - 127. doi: 10.1080/10635150490264996
Percy DM (2003) RADIATION, DIVERSITY, AND HOST-PLANT INTERACTIONS AMONG ISLAND AND CONTINENTAL LEGUME-FEEDING PSYLLIDS. Evolution, 57 (11) : 2540 - 2556. doi: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb01498.x
Percy DM (2003) Legume-feeding psyllids (Hemiptera, Psylloidea) of the Canary Islands and Madeira. Journal of Natural History, 37 (4) : 397 - 461. doi: 10.1080/713834706
Percy DM (2003) Tangled Trees: Phylogeny, Cospeciation, and Coevolution.(Edited by Roderic D. M. Page). Invertebrate Systematics, 17 (2) : 359 - 359. doi: 10.1071/isv17n2_br
Percy DM, Cronk QCB (2002) Different fates of island brooms: contrasting evolution in Adenocarpus, Genista, and Teline (Genisteae, Fabaceae) in the Canary Islands and Madeira. American Journal of Botany, 89 (5) : 854 - 864. doi: 10.3732/ajb.89.5.854
Percy DM (2002) Distribution patterns and taxonomy of some legume-feeding psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) and their hosts from the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Macaronesia. Insect Systematics & Evolution, 33 (3) : 291 - 310. doi: 10.1163/187631202x00163
Contributed Publications
Percy D (null) Psyllids website .