Photoreception is among the most widespread senses in animal evolution, with many phyla having evolved specialized sensory organs for light detection: the eyes. Spiders represent an exceptional model for studying the drivers behind the evolution of these organs, as well as the neural centers where visual processing occurs. While spiders typically possess eight eyes divided into two distinct and independent visual systems, various lineages have undergone significant evolutionary modifications. These include changes in eye morphology, the loss of specific eye pairs, or the total loss of vision. My project focuses on elucidating the functional links between these ocular modifications, corresponding anatomical changes in the brain, and the specialization of different spider groups to exploit specific ecological niches or exhibit specialized behaviors. This research will help us understand the co-evolution of the brain and the visual system, identifying the primary evolutionary drivers behind these complex sensory adaptations.
Nature of Life Seminar: Dr. Andres Rivera Quiroz 21 April 2026 15:30 - 17:15
About Nature of Life Seminar: Dr. Andres Rivera Quiroz
Starting date
- 21 April 2026
Time
- 15:30 - 17:15
Location
- Main Building
- HG-08A33
Address
- De Boelelaan 1105
- 1081 HV Amsterdam
Organised by
- A-LIFE, Systems Ecology and Ecology & Evolution
Language
- English
About our speaker:
Dr. Andres Rivera is an evolutionary biologist at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, where he leads an NWO-Veni funded study on the integration of visual systems and brain architecture. Using spiders as a model system, his work examines the links between sensory morphology, neural evolution, and ecological niche specialization. Andres holds a Master’s in Taxonomy and Systematics from UNAM (Mexico) and a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from Leiden University. His previous research combined computational data-mining with fieldwork in Southeast Asia to describe new species and explore the evolution of specialized genitalia. Since 2021, he has focused on the use of X-ray micro-CT to study the co-evolution of the brain and photoreception, bridging the gap between classical taxonomy and modern evolutionary neurobiology.