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Hans-Werner Herrmann
Assistant Staff Scientist

I am responsible for research and development within the Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory. Together with a great team of undergraduate students and lab members I am optimizing ongoing research and develop new projects. Additionally, I am an Adjunct Research Scientist at School of Natural Resources (Wildlife Conservation and Management Program) where I am involved in a number of conservation genetics projects.

I received my MSc and PhD in Biology with theses on "The Molecular Phylogenetics of Palaearctic and Sub-Saharan Viperid Snakes" from Philipps University Marburg, Germany. My academic interests are in molecular systematics, population genetics, and conservation genetics. As a herpetologist I am interested in a wide range of amphibian and reptile species with a special focus on snakes and frogs.

I spent seven years as the curator of ichthyology, herpetology and invertebrates at the Zoological Garden Cologne and three years with the department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego. I have taught classes in herpetology and desert ecology and led student programs in Morocco and Namibia. My international background is broad. I have conducted herpetological and conservation research in numerous countries with a focus on Africa (i.e. Cameroon, Namibia and South Africa) and Vietnam. Together with Taylor Edwards, I will lead a Office of Study Abroad and Student Exchange conservation biology program in Namibia during the summer of 2008.

Other than the above I cannot help but admire the insights of evolutionary biologists Charles Darwin and more recently Richard Dawkins, the most important scientists in human history.

"We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." Richard Dawkins



Selected Publications:

PLATH, M., HERRMANN, H.-W., & W. BÖHME (2006). New frog species of the genus Phrynobatrachus (Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from Mt Nlonako, Cameroon. Journal of Herpetology 40 (4): 486-495.pdf

Herrmann, H.-W., Böhme, W., Euskirchen, O., Herrmann, P. A. & A. Schmitz (2005): African biodiversity hotspots: The reptiles of Mt Nlonako, Cameroon. Revue suisse de Zoologie, 112: 1045-1069. pdf

Rösler, H., Ziegler, T., Vu Ngoc Thanh, Herrmann, H.-W. & W. Böhme (2005): A new lizard of the genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the Phong Nha: Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Bonner zoologische Beiträge 53: 135-148. pdf

HERRMANN, H.-W., BÖHME, W., HERRMANN, P. A., PLATH, M., SCHMITZ, A. & M. SOLBACH (2005): African biodiversity hotspots: the amphibians of Mt Nlonako, Cameroon. Salamandra 41: 61-81. pdf

HERRMANN, H.-W., HERRMANN, P. A., SCHMITZ, A. & W. BÖHME (2004): A new frog species of the genus Cardioglossa from the Tchabal Mbabo Mtns, Cameroon. Herpetozoa 17 (3/4): 119-125. pdf

HERRMANN, H.-W., ZIEGLER, T., MALHOTRA A., THORPE R. & C. L. PARKINSON (2004): Redescription and systematics of Trimeresurus cornutus (Serpentes: Viperidae) based on morphology and molecular data. Herpetologica 60 (2): 211-221. pdf

PLATH, M., SOLBACH, M. & H.-W. HERRMANN (2004): Anuran habitat selection and temporal partitioning in a montane and submontane rainforest in Southwestern Cameroon: first results. Salamandra 40(3/4): 239-260.  pdf

ZIEGLER, T., HERRMANN, H.-W., VU NGOC THANH, LE KHAC QUYET, NGUYEN TAN HIEP, CAO XUAN CHINH, LUU MINH THANH & DINH HUY TRI (2004): The amphibians and reptiles of the Phong Nha: Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Hamadryad, Tamil Nadu 28 (1-2): 19-42. pdf

MEBS, D., KUCH, U., HERRMANN, H.-W. & T. ZIEGLER (2003): Biochemical and biological activities of the venom of a new species of pitviper from Vietnam, Triceratolepidophis sieversorum. Toxicon 41: 139-143.  pdf

ZIEGLER, T., HERRMANN, H.-W., DAVID, P., ORLOV, N. & O. PAUWELS (2000): Triceratolepidophis sieversorum, a new genus and species of pitviper (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) from Vietnam. Russian Journal of Herpetology 7 (3): 199-214. pdf

LENK, P., HERRMANN, H.-W., JOGER, U. & M. WINK (1999): Phylogeny and taxonomic subdivision of Bitis (Reptilia: Viperidae) based on molecular evidence. Kaupia 8: 31-38.  pdf

HERRMANN, H.-W., JOGER, U., LENK, P. & M. WINK (1999): Morphological and molecular phylogenies of viperines: Conflicting evidence? Kaupia 8: 21-30.  pdf

MEBS, D., HOLADA, K., KORNALIK, F., SIMAK, J., VANKOVA, H., MÜLLER, D., SCHOENEMANN, H., LANGE, H.& H.-W. HERRMANN (1998): Severe coagulopathy after a bite of a Green bush viper (Atheris squamiger): Case report and biochemical analysis of the venom. Toxicon 36 (10): 1333-1340. pdf

HERRMANN, H.-W. & U. JOGER (1997): Evolution of viperine snakes. in: THORPE, R. S., WÜSTER, W. & A. MALHOTRA (eds.): Venomous Snakes Ecology, Evolution and Snakebite. Symp. zool. Soc. Lond. No. 70: 43-61.  pdf

Herrmann, H.-W., Joger, U. & G. Nilson (1992b): Molecular phylogeny and sy­stematics of viperine snakes III: Resurrection of the genus Macrovipera (Reuss, 1927) as sug­gested by biochemical evidence. Amphibia-Reptilia 13: 375-392.