I am interested in the relative importance of key historical and ecological factors which may govern the distribution, diversity and radiation of tropical arthropods. My taxonomic focus is on the beetle family, Chrysomelidae ("leaf beetles"), especially the subfamilies Cassidinae ("tortoise beetles"), Chrysomelinae ("broad-shouldered beetles") and the Aulacoscelidinae ("cycad-feeding beetles"), their parasitoids and host-plants. The arrival of the genomic era has opened up many possibilities that can enrich these research endeavours; genome comparisons in the subfamilies Chrysomelinae and Cassidinae between species with and without maternal care, aggregated larval feeding and coordinated movement, reproductive or gut bacterial symbionts, elytral color and pattern polymorphisms, or those with differing egg-laying habits (oviparity vs ovoviviparity), or feeding preferences (monocots/dicots/extreme specialists).

• Vivian Flinte, Donald M. Windsor, Lukas Sekerka, Margarete Valverde de Macedo, Ricardo Ferreira Monteiro. 2010. Plagiometriona emarcida (Boheman, 1855) and Plagiometriona forcipata (Boheman, 1855) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), a single species differing in larval performance and adult phenotype. Journal of Natural History 44(15): 891 – 904

• Prado, A., J. Ledezma, L. Cubilla-Rios, J. Bede, D. Windsor.  2011. Two Genera of Aulacoscelinae Beetles Reflexively Bleed Azoxyglycosides Found in Their Host Cycads. J. Chem. Ecol.    DOI 10.1007/s10886-011-9977-5.

• Meskens, C., D. McKenna, T. Hance, D. Windsor. 2011. Host plant taxonomy and phenotype influence the structure of a neotropical host plant-hispine beetle food web.  Ecological Entomology 36: 480-489.