Enlaces de interés

Sergio Álvarez-Parra

Previous positions/career:
- M.Sc. in Applied Palaeontology (2017–2018) University of Valencia and University of Alicante
- B.Sc. in Biology (2013–2017) Autonomous University of Madrid

Phone: (+34) 934 020 177
Email: sergio.alvarez-parra@ub.edu
Office: 327

Mailing address:
Departament de Dinàmica de la Terra i de l’Oceà
Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona
Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Research:
My scientific interests include fossil insects, their palaeobiology and their palaeoecology. Taxonomy is a fundamental part of the palaeoentomological studies, but in order to understand the evolution of insects it is essential to address the systematics of the different groups and the ecological interactions that could have occurred in ancient ecosystems. Furthermore, taphonomy is an important part of any palaeontological research, providing information about the fossil preservation and the formation of the palaeontological record. Application of state-of-the-art techniques, such as three-dimensional reconstruction of fossil specimens through computed tomography, are also of my interest. Currently, I am carrying out my Ph.D. Thesis about the palaeobiological inclusions from the Lower Cretaceous of the Maestrazgo Basin (E Spain).

Research activities:
My interest in palaeontology began during my childhood, but I really delved into the outstanding “palaeontological world” during my Biology degree. I had the opportunity to participate in palaeontological excavations in localities such as Las Hoyas (Cuenca, Spain), Somosaguas and Cerro de los Batallones (both in Community of Madrid, Spain). Furthermore, I also did an internship in the National Museum of Natural Sciences-CSIC (Madrid). My B.Sc. Thesis about the fossil insects from the lower Miocene San Chils compression site (Castellón, Spain) was guided by Dr. Enrique Peñalver (IGME, Spain) and Dr. Ángela D. Buscalioni (UAM, Spain). I decided to work with vertebrate fossils in my M.Sc. Thesis, so I studied the cranial and endocranial anatomy of an early actinopterygian from the upper Carboniferous–lower Permian of Uruguay through X-ray computed tomography, and my advisors were Dr. Héctor Botella (UV, Spain) and Dr. Alan Pradel (MNHN, France). Later, I achieved a FI grant from the Government of Catalonia to carry out my Ph.D. Thesis at the University of Barcelona, supervised by Dr. Xavier Delclòs (UB, Spain) and Dr. Enrique Peñalver (IGME, Spain). My current research includes taphonomy, palaeobiology and palaeoecology of the amber-bearing outcrops from the Lower Cretaceous of the Maestrazgo Basin and the taxonomic study of the psocid (Psocodea) and hymenopteran (Hymenoptera) insects.

Publications

Álvarez-Parra, S., Peñalver, E., Nel, A. & Delclòs, X. 2020. The oldest representative of the extant barklice genus Psyllipsocus (Psocodea: Trogiomorpha: Psyllipsocidae) from the Cenomanian amber of Myanmar. Cretaceous Research 113, 104480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104480

Álvarez-Parra, S. & Peñalver, E. 2019. Palaeoentomological study of the lacustrine oil-shales of the lower Miocene San Chils locality (Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin, Castellón province, Spain). Spanish Journal of Palaeontology 34(2), 187–204. https://doi.org/10.7203/sjp.34.2.16093