Prashant P. Sharma
  • Home
  • Research
    • Phylogenomics >
      • Chelicerate phylogenomics
      • Scorpion phylogenomics
      • Sea spider phylogenomics
    • Developmental genetics
    • Genomics
    • Biodiversity discovery
    • Older (archived) projects >
      • Systematics >
        • Arthropod systematics >
          • Cyphophthalmi
          • Zalmoxidae
          • Basal Opiliones phylogeny
        • Laniatores
        • Bivalve systematics >
          • Basal bivalve phylogeny
          • Protobranch phylogeny
      • Biogeography >
        • Sandokanidae
        • Zalmoxoidea
        • Simulations and theory
      • Evo-devo >
        • Harvestman Hox genes
        • Scorpion Hox genes
        • Evolution of the chelicera
        • RNAi in Phalangium opilio
        • Deutocerebral appendages
  • Personnel
    • Join the lab
    • Siddharth S. Kulkarni
    • Kaitlyn Abshire
    • Guilherme Gainett
    • Benjamin C. Klementz
    • Jo Jo Sardina
    • Emily V.W. Setton
    • Hugh G. Steiner
  • Lab Photos
  • Publications
  • The zoo
  • Courses
  • In the media
  • Videos from the lab
Evolutionary developmental biology
Picture
An adult male Phalangium opilio. Image courtesy of Arthropod i5k website.
The eupnoid harvestman Phalangium opilio is a relatively large species with a broad temperate distribution and lays multiple, large clutches of synchronously developing eggs. These qualities make this species an excellent choice for study of development.
Picture
Late stage embryo of Phalangium opilio in the egg; black spots are developing eyes, bands are prosomal segments.
Picture
Hatchling of Phalangium opilio.
In collaboration with Dr. Evelyn E. Schwager and Prof. Cassandra G. Extavour, gene expression protocols have been optimized for study of embryonic development in the harvestman. Below are images of harvestman embryos, indicating expression domains (in black) of the segment polarity gene engrailed.
Picture
Sharma et al. (2012) Evol. Dev. 14: 450-463.
More recent work encompasses the development of another non-model arachnid, the buthid scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus. 
Picture
Sharma et al. (2014) Proc. R. Soc. B. 281: 20140661.


Specific projects
For more information, click any image below.
Picture
Picture
(1) Harvestman Hox genes
(2) Scorpion Hox genes
Picture
Picture
(3) Evolution of cheliceral segmentation
(4) RNAi in Phalangium opilio
Picture
(5) Specification of deutocerebral appendage identity

Proudly powered by Weebly