More about SLAM
Founded in the spring of 2022, our mission is to assess the presence, prevalence, and intensity of R. orientalis infection in snakes of the southeastern United States. The main focus is to establish a baseline dataset to advance future research on the conservation concerns posed by R. orientalis. We also collect data on the prevalence and intensity of native pentastomes. To date, we have documented R. orientalis infections in new ranges, several novel host species (including captive animals), and contributed samples to genomic research projects. Given the broad range of potential host species and the presence of R. orientalis in the pet trade, expanding the SLAM network remains imperative to addressing this emerging threat.
The Team
Jenna Palmisano | Co-Founder & Leader of SLAM
Jenna Palmisano earned her BS at Stetson University where she majored in aquatic and marine biology and minored in environmental studies. Jenna is currently a second-year PhD student at the University of Central Florida in Dr. Anna Savage’s Lab. She studies the genetic and physiologic impacts of emerging pathogens on Florida pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) populations. Jenna founded SLAM in the spring of 2022 with Dr. Terry Farrell. Since then, she has increased the connections of the network. Jenna is the co-chair of the national PARC Disease Task Team. Additionally, she started a pentastome working group to connect researchers studying pentastomes and serves as an Associate Editor for the disease section of Herpetological Review.
Instagram: FL.SIMI
Website
Google Scholar
Instagram: FL.SIMI
Website
Google Scholar
Dr. Terry Farrell | Co-Founder
Terry Farrell is a faculty member at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida where he typically teaches Ecology, Biostatistics, and Invertebrate Zoology. For three decades, Terry has studied the biology of Florida reptiles and amphibians in the lab and in the field with a series of talented collaborators and dedicated groups of Stetson students. Their published research focusses strongly on pygmy rattlesnakes and includes papers on foraging behavior, reproductive behavior, defensive behavior, demography, venom effects on prey, and the endocrinology of pygmy rattlesnakes. Much of his recent research focuses on two important conservation issues, snake fungal disease and invasive pentastome parasites. A list of his publications is at Google Scholar
Dr. Andrew Durso | Dissection Leader of South Florida
Andrew Durso has been an assistant professor at Florida Gulf Coast University since 2020. He is a population and community ecologist who focuses on snakes. Part of his dissertation focused on immune-reproductive trade-offs in lizards but SLAM is his first foray into disease ecology of snakes. Together with a team of undergraduate students, he has been working to better understand the dynamics of the pentastome invasion since 2021.
Michael Brennan | Dissection Leader of Georgia
Michael is a graduating master's student at Georgia Southern University, Wildlife Technician for the Jekyll Island Authority and soon to be PhD student at the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry. His background is in herpetology, especially lizards and snakes. In the past, my research has focused on Argentine black and white tegus and Florida scrub lizards. Presently, his research is centered on eastern diamondback rattlesnakes on Jekyll Island, Georgia. Additionally, I assist with curation of the Georgia Southern University herpetology collection which allows access to many incoming specimens from across southern Georgia.
Michael's interest in parasitology started with the tegus, as multiple non-native helminth species could be found in these invading lizards. He began monitoring native snakes and lizards for non-native parasites that may have invaded alongside the tegus. He was introduced to R. orientalis in a coachwhip while conducting thesis research in north-central Florida and quickly began working with SLAM collaborators to watch for cases from Georgia snakes and lizards.
Michael's interest in parasitology started with the tegus, as multiple non-native helminth species could be found in these invading lizards. He began monitoring native snakes and lizards for non-native parasites that may have invaded alongside the tegus. He was introduced to R. orientalis in a coachwhip while conducting thesis research in north-central Florida and quickly began working with SLAM collaborators to watch for cases from Georgia snakes and lizards.
Dr. Anna SavageAnna Savage is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida. She earned her B.A. in Biology at Amherst College and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University. She did her postdoctoral training at the Smithsonian’s Center for Conservation Genomics. Savage's research program investigates the evolutionary processes driving infectious diseases of amphibians and reptiles, with an emphasis on host and pathogen genomic changes that alter disease virulence and drive population outcomes. The Savage lab works on a range of disease systems, including chytrid, Ranavirus, and Perkinsea infections in frogs, fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles, malaria in Florida scrub jays, and most recently, mycoses and pentastomes in snakes. Savage's work with SLAM is focused on developing and sharing genetic tools that can help diagnose snake disease and understand host genomic contributions to susceptibility.
Stevie VillellaBio to come :) !
Paul Evans |
Paul Evans is the Research Coordinator with the University of Florida’s Invasion Science Research Institute (ISRI). ISRI is a team of researchers, data scientists, and extension specialists working to improve knowledge gaps and introduce innovated research within the multifaceted subject that is invasion science. Paul aims to bridge knowledge gaps existing in the invasion science through wildlife education, scientific research, and public engagement. He has aided in improving citizen science initiative throughout Florida and presently is working with SLAM to increase citizen scientists’ efforts throughout the southeastern US. Presently his research is focused on lesser studied nonnative vertebrates throughout the southeast affectionately titled ‘The Leftovers Initiative.’ He is a board member for the Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC), and SE RISCC (Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change).
Jasmine Kesselring
Jasmine Kesselring is a master’s student at the University of South Florida in the Conservation Biology program. She earned both a BS in Biomedical Sciences and a BS in Biology at the University of Central Florida. While pursuing her undergraduate degrees, she assisted Jenna Palmisano as a technician in both the field and laboratory, starting in 2023. After graduating, she continued contributing to research involving Raillietiella orientalis’ spread by participating as a SLAM collaborator. Her current thesis work at USF aims to establish the current extent of geographic invasion of R. orientalis in the southeastern United States.
Contact us with questions and reporting of R. orientalis
Student Lab Technicians
Martina Arnaud (current) is a senior majoring in Biology at the University of Central Florida. A lifelong Florida resident, Martina is deeply committed to the conservation of the state’s unique and fragile wildlife. Her passion for protecting native species has driven her to collaborate with researcher Jenna Palmisano in both field and laboratory environments, investigating the population dynamics of Raillietiella orientalis in Florida snake species. Martina intends to pursue a graduate degree focused on molecular research, intending to apply cutting-edge techniques to conservation biology and advance efforts to safeguard biodiversity.
Bailey Tator (current) is a veterinary technician with the Central Florida Zoo and an aspiring herpetologist/veterinarian. They earned their BS in Biology with the University of Albany and are currently applying to DVM/PhD programs. During their gap year, Bailey has been contributing to SLAM research by dissecting snakes in search of invasive pentastome species Raillietiella orientalis and assisting Jenna Palmisano with field work. Bailey is incredibly passionate about furthering their research in snake parasitology.
Myzell Amaro is a recent graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and a minor in Pathogenesis. Myzell is passionate about snake conservation and disease ecology, leading him to contributing to SLAM research on Raillietiella orientalis. His contributions began during his NSF funded Research Experience for Undergraduates where he performed lab dissections of snakes, assisted Jenna Palmisano with field work, and presented findings from SLAM.
Gianna Florentino
Alex Fischer
Alex Fischer