Dr. Carlos Maya-Lastra

• Ph.D. (August 2018) Botany, Institute of Ecology A.C. (Mexico)
• M.S. (August 2014) Botany, Institute of Ecology A.C. (Mexico)
• B.S. (September 2007) Biology and Environmental Education, University of Quindío (Colombia)

• The Botanical Society of America

• Botany
• Plant Taxonomy
• Python for Biologists
• Computational Phylogenetics
• Bioinformatics

Maya-Lastra’s research centers around the evolution, taxonomy, and morphology of species complexes, primarily within the Euphorbiaceae family. In recent years, he has delved into the evolutionary history of various plant genera (including Euphorbia and Cnidoscolus [Euphorbiaceae], Salvia [Lamiaceae], Guadua [Poaceae], and Viburnum [Adoxaceae]). His investigations have utilized a diverse array of DNA sequencing technologies, spanning from fragment amplification via Sanger sequencing to high-throughput sequencing in RADseq and Hybseq libraries. Dr. Maya-Lastra is also an ardent advocate for Computational Biology, having developed scripts and software useful for biologists across different disciplines. The majority of his code is open-source and accessible at https://github.com/camayal

• Donoghue, M. J., Eaton, D., Maya-Lastra, C. A., Landis, M. J., Sweeney, P. W., Olson M., Cacho, N. I., Moeglein, M. K., Gardner, J. R., Heaphy, N. M., Castorena, M., Segovia-Rivas, A., Clement, W. L. & Edwards, E. J. 2022. Replicated radiation of a plant clade along a cloud forest archipelago. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 6: 1318-1329. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01823-x
• Maya-Lastra, C. A., Alvarado-Cárdenas, L. O., Rodriguez-Gómez, F. del C., Urrea-Galeano, L. A., Villaseñor, J. L., & Ruiz-Sanchez, E. 2022. The Mexican flora as a case study in systematics: A meta-analysis of GenBank accessions. Botanical Sciences 100: S66-S82. https://doi.org/10.17129/botsci.3061
• Simbrón-Romero, D., Maya-Lastra, C. A., Lara-Cabrera, S. I. 2022. Evaluación bioinformática de datos Hyb-Seq para tres especies de Salvia subgénero Calosphace (Lamiaceae). Ciencia Nicolaita 86: 69-83. https://doi.org/10.35830/cn.vi86.689
• The Brazil Flora Group 2021* (B.F.G. 2021). 2021. Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network. Taxon 71: 178-198. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12640
• Steinmann, V. W., Ferrucci, M. S. & Maya-Lastra, C. A. 2022. Phylogenetics of Serjania (Sapindaceae-Paullinieae), with emphasis on fruit evolution and the description of a new species from Michoacán, Mexico. Syst. Biodivers. 20: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2022.2030425
• Lara-Cabrera, S. I., Pérez-García, M. L., Maya-Lastra, C. A., Montero-Castro, J. C., Godden, G.T., Cibrián-Jaramillo, A., Fisher, A. E. & Porter, J. M. 2021. Phylogenomics of Salvia L. subgenus Calosphace (Lamiaceae). Front. Plant Sci. 12: 725900. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.725900
• Rodríguez-Gómez, C. F., Vázquez, G., Maya-Lastra, C. A., Aké-Castillo, J. A., Band-Schmidt, C. J., Moreno-Casasola, P., & Rojas-Soto, O. 2021. Potential distribution of the dinolagellate Peridinium quadridentatum and its blooms in continental shelves globally: an environmental and geographic approach. Marine Biology 168:29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03825-y
• Maya-Lastra., C. A., Torres, D.S.C., Cordeiro, I. & Silva, O.L.M. 2020. Cnidoscolus in Flora do Brasil 2020. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Available at: http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/reflora/floradobrasil/FB17491
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Steinmann, V. W. 2019. Evolution of the untouchables: phylogenetics and classification of Cnidoscolus (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 68(4): 692-713. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12093
• Ruiz-Sanchez, E., Maya-Lastra, C. A., Steinmann, V. W., Zamudio, S., Carranza, E., Murillo, R. M., & Rzedowski, J. 2019. Datataxa: a new script to extract metadata sequence information from GenBank, the Flora of Bajío as a case study. Botanical Sciences 97(4):754-760. https://doi.org/10.17129/botsci.2226
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Steinmann, V. W. 2019. Novelties in Mexican Cnidoscolus sect. Calyptrosolen (Euphorbiaceae). Systematic Botany, 44(2):339-345. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364419X15562052252081
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Steinmann, V. W. 2018. A Nomenclator of Cnidoscolus (Euphorbiaceae). Phytotaxa 346 (1): 1–30. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.346.1.1
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. Porter, J. Mark & Steinmann, V. W., 2017. Evolutionary History and Taxonomy of the Euphorbia polycarpa Complex (Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce sect. Anisophyllum, Euphorbiaceae). Systematic Botany, 42 (2): 257–270. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364417X695565
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. 2016. ColectoR, a Digital Field Notebook for Voucher Specimen Collection for Smartphones. Applications in Plant Sciences, 4(7):1600035. https://doi.org/10.3732/apps.1600035
• The Brazil Flora Group* (B.F.G.). 2015. Growing Knowledge: An Overview Of Seed Plant Diversity In Brazil. Rodriguésia 66(4): 1085–1113. https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860201566411
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Steinmann, V. W. 2015. Two new species of Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae) from Baja California Sur, Mexico, and their phylogenetic relationships. Phytotaxa, 221 (3): 265–278. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.221.3.4
• Cordeiro, I., Caruzo, M. B. R., Pscheidt, A. C. & Maya-Lastra, C. A. 2011. Euphorbiaceae. In: Wanderley, M. G. L. et al. (eds.) Checklist of Spermatophyta of the São Paulo state, Brazil. Biota Neotrop. 11(1a): 259–263.
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Agudelo H., C. A. 2011. Euphorbiaceae del Quindío. Ed. Universidad del Quindío. ISBN 978-958-8593-17-3. 80 pp.
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Agudelo H., C. A. 2010. Lista anotada de las especies de Euphorbiaceae para el Quindío. Rev. Invest. Univ. Quindío (20): 126–136.
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Secco, R. 2010. Dalechampia (Euphorbiaceae). In: Campostrini, R. et al. (eds.) 2010. Catálogo de Plantas e Fungos do Brasil. Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. 2: 976-978. ISBN 978-85-88742-43-7.
• Cordeiro, I., Secco, R. & Maya-Lastra, C. A. 2010. Tragia (Euphorbiaceae). In: Campostrini, R. et al. (eds.) 2010. Catálogo de Plantas e Fungos do Brasil. Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. 2: 989. ISBN 978-85-88742-43-7.
• Maya-Lastra, C. A. & Agudelo H., C. A. 2009. Estudio taxonómico de la familia Euphorbiaceae en el Quindío (Extenso). Revista De La Asociación Colombiana De Ciencias Biológicas 21: 156–173. ISSN 0120-417