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 Professor/Associate Research Scientist in the 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 lead a UofA Study Abroad conservation biology program in Namibia.
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. |
