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Alba Sánchez-García

Alba Sánchez-García
Current position:
PhD Candidate in Earth Sciences (2012–present)
Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Expected graduation April 2017
Advisors: Dr. Xavier Delclòs (UB, Spain) and Dr. Enrique Peñalver (IGME, Spain)

Previous positions/career:
- MSc in Paleontology (2011–2012)
University of Barcelona and Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Advisors: Dr. Xavier Delclòs and Dr. Enrique Peñalver
- BSc in Biology (=License) (2006–2011) with a concentration in Organisms and Systems
University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Collaboration grant at the Geology Department of the University of Valencia for preparing, curating and cataloging of fossil collections (2010–2011)
University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Phone: (+34) 934020177
Email: sanchez.garcia.alba@gmail.com; alba.sanchez@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, España

Research:
My primary research interests include the systematics, life history, and evolution of fossil terrestrial arthropods, particularly those related to aquatic and edaphic biotopes. My research focuses on the Early Cretaceous, an important period for the diversification of terrestrial arthropods, linked with the origin and radiation of the angiosperms. Although a substantial number of studies on Cretaceous amber address diverse clades such as beetles, hymenopterans and flies, more basal hexapods such as springtails or bristletails require more attention, not only due to their evolutionary significance but also because their unique life-styles provide a unique opportunity to infer the local environment in which the resin was exuded. As part of my PhD dissertation, I seek to explore the diversity of semi-aquatic and litter-inhabiting arthropods groups found in Cretaceous resins, including crustaceans (tanaidaceans and isopods), arachnids (mites), and hexapods (springtails, bristletails, termites, and semi-aquatic true bugs such us water threaders and water measurers). For some of these groups I am also assessing their interesting ecobehavioral adaptations. I am generally concerned about understanding the diversity of these groups, but also about extracting paleoecological, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic data from them. Lastly, I have conducted field work on different outcrops, in which I have excavated fossils belonging to diverse organism groups and ages.

Research activities:
I obtained a BSc in Biology from the University of Valencia in 2011 and a MSc in Paleontology from the University of Barcelona and Autonomous University of Barcelona in 2012. Back in 2006, I began volunteering in the Department of Geology and the Museum of Geology from the University of Valencia, where I helped to survey the collection of fossil vertebrates from the Miocene of Venta del Moro (Valencia, Spain) – including preparing and labeling new material, performing data entry, ensuring proper specimen storage and participating in a variety of outreach activities. From 2010 to 2011, I was funded by a fellowship from the Spanish Government to continue my work in the fossil collections as a collaborator student. Working in this collection allowed me to learn about the preparation of fossil material, specimen care and how research is conducted and presented in paleontology. During that time, several works and field trips awoke my interest on fossil insects, and later I had the opportunity to begin to study of insects preserved in amber during my MSc's studies. I am now a PhD student in Earth Sciences at the University of Barcelona supervised by Enrique Peñalver (IGME, Spain) and Xavier Delclòs (UB, Spain). I carry out research on the systematics and paleobiology of several groups of fossil arthropods preserved in the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain. I am also collaborating in the study of other Cretaceous ambers, such as those from France and Lebanon. Overall, I seek to explore the diversity of semi-aquatic and litter-inhabiting crustaceans, arachnids and hexapods. Field work is critical for my research, and I have been involved in targeting fossil-bearing rocks and participated in excavations of diverse fossils, from macro- and microvertebrates to amber inclusions.

Publications

Overview on publications:

I have published papers on fossil crustaceans, arachnids and hexapods, i.e., tanaidaceans (Tanaidacea), mites (Acari: Oribatida), springtails (Collembola), and water measurers (Hemiptera: Hydrometridae). Also, I am currently working on isopods (Isopoda), bristletails (Archaeognatha), termites (Isoptera) and other semi-aquatic Hemiptera. I am generally interested in understanding the diversity of all the former, but also in obtaining paleoecological, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic data from them. I have also participated in several national and international professional meetings, in which I have presented my research.

Articles:

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Delclòs, X., Engel, M.S. 2020. Early Cretaceous termites in amber from northern Spain (Isoptera). Cretaceous Research, 110 (2020) 104385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104385

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Delclòs, X., Engel, M.S. 2019. Jumping bristletails (Insecta, Archaeognatha) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. Papers in Palaeontology, 5(4): 679–697. http://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1261

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Delclòs, X., Engel, M.S. 2018. Mating and aggregative behaviors among basal hexapods in the Early Cretaceous. PLoS ONE, 13(2): e0191669. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191669

Sánchez-García, A., Nel, A., Arillo, A., Solórzano Kraemer, M.M. 2017. The semi-aquatic pondweed bugs of a Cretaceous swamp. PeerJ, 5: e3760. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3760

Sánchez-García, A., Delclòs, X., Engel, M.S., Bird, G.J., Perrichot, V., Peñalver, E. 2017. Marsupial brood care in Cretaceous tanaidaceans. Scientific Reports, 7: 4390. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-04050-8

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Bird, G.J., Perrichot, V., Delclòs, X. 2016. Palaeobiology of tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) from Cretaceous ambers: extending the scarce fossil record of a diverse peracarid group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 178(3): 492–522. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12427

Sánchez-García, A., Engel, M.S. 2016. Springtails from the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha), with an annotated checklist of fossil Collembola. American Museum Novitates, 3862: 1–47. https://doi.org/10.1206/3862.1

Sánchez-García, A., Engel, M.S. 2016. Long-term stasis in a diverse fauna of Early Cretaceous springtails (Collembola: Symphypleona). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 15(7), 513–537. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2016.1194575

Arillo, A., Subías, L.S., Sánchez-García, A. 2016. New species of fossil oribatid mites (Acariformes, Oribatida), from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain. Cretaceous Research 63, 68-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2016.02.009

Sánchez-García, A., Arillo, A., Nel, A. 2016. The first water measurers from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain (Heteroptera: Hydrometridae: Heterocleptinae). Cretaceous Research 57, 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2015.07.010

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Bird, G.J., Perrichot, V. & Delclòs, X. 2016. Palaeobiology of tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) from Cretaceous ambers: extending the scarce fossil record of a diverse peracarid group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 178: 492–522.

Sánchez-García, A. & Engel, M.S. 2016. Springtails from the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha), with an annotated checklist of fossil Collembola. American Museum Novitates 3862: 1–47.

Sánchez-García, A. & Engel, M.S. 2016. Long-term stasis in a diverse fauna of Early Cretaceous springtails (Collembola: Symphypleona). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2016.1194575

Arillo, A., Subías L.S. & Sánchez-García, A. 2016. New species of fossil oribatid mites (Acariformes, Oribatida), from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain. Cretaceous Research 63: 68–76.

Sánchez-García, A., Arillo, A. & Nel, A. 2016. The first water measurers from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain (Heteroptera, Hydrometridae, Heterocleptinae). Cretaceous Research 57: 111–121.

Peris, D., Maier, C.A., Sánchez-García, A. Delclòs, X. 2015. The oldest known riffle beetle (Coleoptera: Elmidae) from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. Comptes Rendus Palevol 14, 181-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2014.11.005

Sánchez-García, A. & Peñalver, E., Pérez-de la Fuente, R., Delclòs, X. 2015. A rich and diverse tanaidomorphan (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) assemblage associated with Early Cretaceous resin-producing forests in North Iberia: palaeobiological implications. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 13, 645-676. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2014.944946

Peris, D., Maier, C.A., Sánchez-García, A. & Delclòs, X. 2015. The oldest known riffle beetle (Coleoptera: Elmidae) from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. Comptes Rendus Palevol 14: 181–186.

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Pérez-de la Fuente, R. & Delclòs, X. 2015. A rich and diverse tanaidomorphan (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) assemblage associated with Early Cretaceous resin-producing forests in North Iberia: Palaeobiological implications. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 13: 645–676.

Books and book chapters:

Peñalver, E., Arillo, A., Barrón, E., Delclòs, X., Pérez-de la Fuente, Peris, D. & Sánchez-García, A. 2014. El ámbar del Cretácico Inferior de España. Pp. 153–155 in R. Royo-Torres, F.J. Verdú & L. Alcalá (Coords.), XXX Jornadas de Paleontología de la Sociedad Española de Paleontología. ¡Fundamental! 24: 1–282. Teruel.

Delclòs, X., Arillo, A., Barrón, E., Dal Corso, J., Davieró-Gómez, V., López del Valle, R., Nel, A., Ortega-Blanco, J., Peñalver, E., Pérez-de la Fuente, R., Peris, D. & Sánchez-García, A. , Solórzano-Kraemer, M.M., Roghi, G., Saupe, E. & Selden, P. 2014. El ámbar del Cretácico Inferior de España. Pp. 65–68 in R. Royo-Torres, F.J. Verdú & L. Alcalá (Coords.), XXX Jornadas de Paleontología de la Sociedad Española de Paleontología. ¡Fundamental! 24: 1–282. Teruel.

Pérez-de la Fuente, R., Peñalver, E., Delclòs, X., Najarro, M., Rosales, I., Barrón, E., López del Valle, R., Ortega-Blanco, J., Arillo, A., Sánchez-García, A. & Peris, D. 2013. El ámbar del Cretácico Inferior de El Soplao (Rábago, Cantabria). Pp. 103–Y in I. Rosales (ed.), Avances en la investigación geológica de la Cueva El Soplao y su entorno. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid.

Congress contributions:

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Delclòs, X. & Engel, M.S. 2016. Springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. 7th International Conference on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber. Edinburgh, Scotland: 80 (Poster).

Arillo, A., Delclòs, X., Sánchez-García, A., Peris, D., Pérez-de la Fuente, R. & Peñalver, E. 2016. Arthropod hematophagy and vertebrate remains in Cretaceous Spanish amber. 7th International Conference on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber. Edinburgh, Scotland: 6 (Oral).

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Peris, D. & Delclòs, X. 2015. Los artrópodos epiedáficos del ámbar del Cretácico Inferior de España. XXXI Jornadas de Paleontología, Baeza, Spain: 275–277 (Oral).

Peris, D., Delclòs, X., Sánchez-García, A. & Peñalver, E. 2015. Implicaciones paleobiológicas de los coleópteros (Insecta: Coleoptera) de los ámbares cretácicos del oeste de Europa. XXXI Jornadas de Paleontología, Baeza, Spain: 246–248 (Oral).

Viejo, J.L., Delclòs, X., Barrón, E., Arillo, A., Gallardo, A., Peñalver, E., Pérez de la Fuente, R., Peris, D., Rodrigo, A., Sánchez-García, A. & Sarto i Monteys, V. 2015. Una investigación de carácter paleoecológico sobre las entomofaunas cretácicas. Proyecto AMBERIA: el ámbar de Iberia. XXXII Jornadas de la Asociación española de Entomología, Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain: 85–86 (Poster).

Barrón, E., Arillo, A., Gallardo, A., Lozano, R., Ontañón, R., Peñalver, E., Pérez-de la Fuente, R., Peris, D., Rodrigo, A., Sánchez-García, A., Sarto i Monteys, V., Viejo, J.L. & Delclòs, X. 2015. Proyecto AMBERIA: El ámbar de Iberia. Estudio pluridisciplinar de los ecosistemas boscosos en el Cretácico inferior. XXI Bienal de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, Burgos, Spain: 75–76 (Oral).

Pérez-de la Fuente, R., Peñalver, E., Arillo, A., Peris, D., Sánchez-García, A. & Delclòs, X. 2014. Paleobiotic interactions from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. The 4th International Paleontological Congress, Mendoza, Argentina: 393 (Oral).

Sánchez-García, A. 2014. Tanaid diversity in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Crustacea: Peracarida). XII Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores en Paleontología” (VII EJIP), Boltaña, Barcelona, Spain: 113–115 (Oral).

Peris, D. & Sánchez-García, A. 2014. The Early Cretaceous amber from Spain: paleobiological studies. II Jornada d’Investigadors Predoctorals Interdisciplinària, Barcelona, Spain: 3 (Oral).

Sánchez-García, A., Peñalver, E., Peris, D., Perrichot, V. & Delclòs, X. 2013. Diverse assemblages of tanaids (Crustacea) related to Albian-Cenomanian resin-producing forests in Western Europe and their paleobiological implications. The 6th International Congress on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber, Byblos, Lebanon: 47–48 (Oral).

Peris, D., Sánchez-García, A., Soriano, C. & Delclòs, X. 2013. Beetle fauna in the Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. The 6th International Congress on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber, Byblos, Lebanon: 74–75 (Poster).

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