Charles Fransen

• Fransen C.H.J.M. 2023. The marine palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea, Deapoda, Caridea) of the Dutch Caribbean. Zootaxa 5387 (1), 1-127. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5387.1.1
• de Gier W., Helleman P., van den Oever J., Fransen C.H.J.M. 2023. Ecomorphological convergence in the walking leg dactyli of two clades of ascidian‐and mollusc‐associated shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae). Ecology and Evolution 13 (12), e10768. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10768
• De Grave S., Decock W., Dekeyzer S., Davie P.J.F., Fransen C.H.J.M., Boyko C.B, Poore G.C.B., Macpherson E., Ahyong S.T., Crandall K.A., Mazancourt V., Osawa M., Chan T.-Y., Ng P.K.L., Lemaitre R., van der Meij S.E.T., Santos S. 2023. Benchmarking global biodiversity of decapod crustaceans (Crustacea: Decapoda). Journal of Crustacean Biology 43, 1–9. doi.org/10.1093/jcbiol/ruad042
• de Gier W., Fransen C.H.J.M. 2023. Polka-dotted treasures: Revising a clade of ascidian- and bivalve-associated shrimps (Caridea: Palaemonidae). Contributions to Zoology 92, 179–282. doi: 10.1163/18759866-bja10042
• de Gier W., Groenhof M., Fransen C.H.J.M. 2022. Coming out of your shell or crawling back in: multiple interphylum host switching events within a clade of bivalve and ascidian-associated shrimps (Caridea: Palaemonidae). Contributions to Zoology 91, 166–198. doi:10.1163/18759866-bja10030.
• Horká I., De Grave S., Fransen C.H.J.M., Petrusek A., Ďuriš Z. 2018. Multiple origins and strong phenotypic convergence in fish-cleaning palaemonid shrimp lineages. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 124: 71-81.
• Horká I., Grave S. de, Fransen C.H.J.M., Petrusek A., Ďuriš Z. 2016. Multiple host switching events shape the evolution of symbiotic palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda). Scientific Reports 6: 26486.
• Grave S. de, Fransen C.H.J.M. 2011. Carideorum catalogus: the recent species of the dendrobranchiate, stenopodidean, procarididean and caridean shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda). Zoologische Mededelingen 85: 195-589.

All publications on GoogleScholar

The course Tropical Biodiversity and Field Methods provides a broad overview of tropical coastal ecosystems and coral reefs, with a focus on Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Students learn about practical aspects of doing field research in tropical coastal ecosystems and coral reefs, including experimental design, data analysis methods, theory of biodiversity data, and the application of biodiversity data in conservation. In addition, students receive basic taxonomic overviews for taxa that are particularly relevant in tropical coastal ecosystems, and practice their identification based on reference collections and own collections to be made during fieldwork. The course also introduces students to molecular methods such as DNA barcoding and metabarcoding for the integrative study of biodiversity. Students learn how to collect and analyze molecular data, and how to integrate these methods with traditional field methods to improve biodiversity research in tropical coastal ecosystems and coral reefs.

The course is held partly in Leiden, partly at a field station on Ambon in Indonesia. The field work  consist of (a) demonstrations of field methods and techniques, (b) short research projects carried out by small groups of students.

The course is a unique opportunity to get theoretical as well as practical instructions on tropical coastal ecosystems and coral reefs from a broad range of experienced lecturers, in a setting that allows you to interact informally and intensively with fellow students, including Indonesian ones, as well as more experienced researchers and field biologists. The course is an excellent preparation for fieldwork in tropical coastal ecosystems and coral reefs, as well as for biodiversity research. The course provides study credits and is also a coveted c.v.-item.

Watch trailer Tropical Biodiversity and Field Methods - Marine Edition, Ambon Indonesia, 2025.