Metadata
Title
Cynthia Riginos
Category
general
UUID
0e0d3e945f2a41abb63e0da06ddd977a
Source URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1650
Parent URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246
Crawl Time
2026-03-11T07:37:38+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Cynthia Riginos

Source: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1650 Parent: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246

Professor

Cynthia Riginos

Email: : c.riginos@uq.edu.au

Phone: : +61 7 336 52152

Positions

Affiliate of Centre for Marine Science : Centre for Marine Science : Faculty of Science

Affiliate of Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science : Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science : Faculty of Science

Professor : School of the Environment : Faculty of Science

Overview

Background

Ecological and evolutionary genomics

My research group uses genetic markers as tools for understanding dispersal and gene flow, often with conservation implications and most frequently focusing on highly dispersive marine animals such as fishes, mussels, and corals. We also study how gene flow and natural selection affect genomic variation and limit gene exchange across genomes, populations, and species.

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Availability

Professor Cynthia Riginos is: : Not available for supervision : Media expert

Fields of research

Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Biological Sciences Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology Ecology Environmental Sciences Fisheries sciences Genetics

Qualifications

Research interests

How do habitat landscapes, ocean depth, and oceanography affect movements of individuals and genes? Can we identify source and linking populations in order to prioritize areas for conservation? How does environmentally mediated selection shape spatial patterns of population genetic variation?

Read more Read less - #### Stochasticity in planktonic dispersal

How does high temporal variability in sources of juvenile settlers affect evolutionary dynamics especially local adaptation? Does phenotypic plasticity allow niche specialization in the face of high gene flow?

Read more Read less - #### Biological invasions, historical and modern

What factors facilitate species expanding their ranges and colonizing new habitat? How do colonizing populations adapt to novel environments? Does hybridization with local species enhance invasiveness and rapid evolution?

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Works

Search Professor Cynthia Riginos’s works on UQ eSpace

All (130) Journal Article (118) Other Outputs (6) Conference Publication (4) Book Chapter (2)

2026

Journal Article

Shaping research in marine functional connectivity for integrated and effective marine science and management

Darnaude, Audrey M., Tanner, Susanne E., Blanco, Andreu, Sturrock, Anna M., Seker, Yael Teff, Pérez‐Ruzafa, Angel, Kotta, Jonne, Guy‐Haim, Tamar, Barboza, Francisco R., Hidalgo, Manuel, Guizien, Katell, Penca, Jerneja, López‐López, Lucía, Beger, Maria, Costantini, Federica, Arnaud‐Haond, Sophie, Riginos, Cynthia, Hostens, Kris, Rilov, Gil, Katsanevakis, Stelios and Hunter, Ewan (2026). Shaping research in marine functional connectivity for integrated and effective marine science and management. Biological Reviews brv.70120. doi: 10.1002/brv.70120

Shaping research in marine functional connectivity for integrated and effective marine science and management

2025

Journal Article

A rapidly closing window for coral persistence under global warming

Bozec, Yves-Marie, Adam, Arne A. S., Arellano-Nava, Beatriz, Cresswell, Anna K., Haller-Bull, Vanessa, Iwanaga, Takuya, Lachs, Liam, Matthews, Samuel A., McWhorter, Jennifer K., Anthony, Kenneth R. N., Condie, Scott A., Halloran, Paul R., Ortiz, Juan-Carlos, Riginos, Cynthia and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). A rapidly closing window for coral persistence under global warming. Nature Communications, 16 (1) 9704, 9704-1. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-65015-4

A rapidly closing window for coral persistence under global warming

2025

Journal Article

Using a null hypothesis framework to test expectations of disparity in an adaptive radiation

Garcia, Vhon Oliver, Riginos, Cynthia, Blomberg, Simone and Cook, Lyn G. (2025). Using a null hypothesis framework to test expectations of disparity in an adaptive radiation. Royal Society Open Science, 12 (10) 250353, 250353. doi: 10.1098/rsos.250353

Using a null hypothesis framework to test expectations of disparity in an adaptive radiation

2025

Journal Article

Connectivity differs by orders of magnitude among co-distributed corals, affecting spatial scales of eco-evolutionary processes

Meziere, Zoe, Prata, Katharine, Lechene, Marine, Ferrari, Renata, Popovic, Iva and Riginos, Cynthia (2025). Connectivity differs by orders of magnitude among co-distributed corals, affecting spatial scales of eco-evolutionary processes. Science Advances, 11 (27) eadt2066, 1-15. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adt2066

Connectivity differs by orders of magnitude among co-distributed corals, affecting spatial scales of eco-evolutionary processes

2025

Journal Article

Conserving Nemo: Genomic insights into the history and status of the endangered anemonefish Amphiprion mccullochi and its sister species Amphiprion akindynos

Lei, Chuan, Hobbs, Jean-Paul A., Riginos, Cynthia, Prata, Katharine E., Heatwole, Siobhan J. and Popovic, Iva (2025). Conserving Nemo: Genomic insights into the history and status of the endangered anemonefish Amphiprion mccullochi and its sister species Amphiprion akindynos. Conservation Genetics, 26 (3), 419-428. doi: 10.1007/s10592-025-01678-2

Conserving Nemo: Genomic insights into the history and status of the endangered anemonefish Amphiprion mccullochi and its sister species Amphiprion akindynos

2024

Journal Article

Natural selection could determine whether Acropora corals persist under expected climate change

Lachs, Liam, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Bythell, John C., Donner, Simon D., East, Holly K., Edwards, Alasdair J., Golbuu, Yimnang, Gouezo, Marine, Guest, James R., Humanes, Adriana, Riginos, Cynthia and Mumby, Peter J. (2024). Natural selection could determine whether Acropora corals persist under expected climate change. Science, 386 (6727), 1289-1294. doi: 10.1126/science.adl6480

Natural selection could determine whether Acropora corals persist under expected climate change

2024

Journal Article

Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration

Riginos, Cynthia, Popovic, Iva, Meziere, Zoe, Garcia, Vhon, Byrne, Ilha, Howitt, Samantha M., Ishida, Hisatake, Bairos-Novak, Kevin, Humanes, Adriana, Scharfenstein, Hugo, Richards, Thomas, Briggs, Ethan, Clark, Vanessa, Lei, Chuan, Khan, Mariam and Prata, Katharine E. (2024). Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration. Peer Community Journal, 4 e106, 1-34. doi: 10.24072/pcjournal.492

Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration

2024

Journal Article

A framework for optimising opportunistic collaborative syntheses to propel ecological conservation

Sequeira, Ana M.M., Bates, Amanda E., Hays, Graeme, Sims, David W., Andrzejaczek, Samantha, Audzijonyte, Asta, Baum, Julia K., Beal, Martin, Block, Barbara, Cinner, Joshua, Cowley, Kaitlyn, Gilman, Eric, Gleason, Arthur, Harrison, Autumn-Lynn, Hudson, Charlotte, Ishimura, Gakushi, Jabado, Rima W., Landrum, Jason P., Mangubhai, Sangeeta, McClenachan, Loren, Meagher, Laura, Riginos, Cynthia, Serrão, Ester A., Sherley, Richard B., Stuart-Smith, Rick D., Wambiji, Nina and Marley, Sarah A. (2024). A framework for optimising opportunistic collaborative syntheses to propel ecological conservation. Biological Conservation, 298 110717, 110717. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110717

A framework for optimising opportunistic collaborative syntheses to propel ecological conservation

2024

Other Outputs

Data and scripts from - Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration

Riginos, Cynthia, Prata, Katharine, Popovic, Iva, Byrne, Ilha, Howitt, Samantha, Ishida, Hisatake and Meziere, Zoe (2024). Data and scripts from - Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/76456b1

Data and scripts from - Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration

2024

Journal Article

Chromosomal inversions harbour excess mutational load in the coral, Acropora kenti, on the Great Barrier Reef

Zhang, Jia, Schneller, Nadja M., Field, Matt A., Chan, Cheong Xin, Miller, David J., Strugnell, Jan M., Riginos, Cynthia, Bay, Line and Cooke, Ira (2024). Chromosomal inversions harbour excess mutational load in the coral, Acropora kenti, on the Great Barrier Reef. Molecular Ecology, 33 (16) e17468, e17468. doi: 10.1111/mec.17468

Chromosomal inversions harbour excess mutational load in the coral, Acropora kenti, on the Great Barrier Reef

2024

Journal Article

Some reef-building corals only disperse metres per generation

Prata, Katharine E., Bongaerts, Pim, Dwyer, John M., Ishida, Hisatake, Howitt, Samantha M., Hereward, James P., Crandall, Eric D. and Riginos, Cynthia (2024). Some reef-building corals only disperse metres per generation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291 (2027) 20231988, 20231988. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1988

Some reef-building corals only disperse metres per generation

2024

Journal Article

Research priorities to support coral reefs during rapid climate change

Fabricius, Katharina E., Cooley, Sarah R., Golbuu, Yimnang, Riginos, Cynthia, Gonzalez-Rivero, Manuel, Heron, Scott F., Mead, David, Cinner, Joshua and Schaffelke, Britta (2024). Research priorities to support coral reefs during rapid climate change. PLOS Climate, 3 (7) e0000435, e0000435. doi: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000435

Research priorities to support coral reefs during rapid climate change

2024

Journal Article

Gene flow throughout the evolutionary history of a colour polymorphic and generalist clownfish

Schmid, Sarah, Bachmann Salvy, Marianne, Garcia Jimenez, Alberto, Bertrand, Joris A. M., Cortesi, Fabio, Heim, Sara, Huyghe, Filip, Litsios, Glenn, Marcionetti, Anna, O'Donnell, James L., Riginos, Cynthia, Tettamanti, Valerio and Salamin, Nicolas (2024). Gene flow throughout the evolutionary history of a colour polymorphic and generalist clownfish. Molecular Ecology, 33 (14) e17436, e17436. doi: 10.1111/mec.17436

Gene flow throughout the evolutionary history of a colour polymorphic and generalist clownfish

2024

Journal Article

DNA metabarcoding as a tool for characterising the spatio-temporal distribution of planktonic larvae in the phylum Echinodermata

Byrne, Ilha, Riginos, Cynthia, Uthicke, Sven, Brookes, Dean and Popovic, Iva (2024). DNA metabarcoding as a tool for characterising the spatio-temporal distribution of planktonic larvae in the phylum Echinodermata. Coral Reefs, 43 (3), 717-731. doi: 10.1007/s00338-024-02496-7

DNA metabarcoding as a tool for characterising the spatio-temporal distribution of planktonic larvae in the phylum Echinodermata

2024

Journal Article

Contaminant or goldmine? In silico assessment of Symbiodiniaceae community using coral hologenomes

Ishida, Hisatake, Riginos, Cynthia and Chan, Cheong Xin (2024). Contaminant or goldmine? In silico assessment of Symbiodiniaceae community using coral hologenomes. Frontiers in Protistology, 2. doi: 10.3389/frpro.2024.1376877

Contaminant or goldmine? In silico assessment of Symbiodiniaceae community using coral hologenomes

2024

Journal Article

High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator

Popovic, Iva, Bergeron, Lucie A., Bozec, Yves-Marie, Waldvogel, Ann-Marie, Howitt, Samantha M., Damjanovic, Katarina, Patel, Frances, Cabrera, Maria G., Wörheide, Gert, Uthicke, Sven and Riginos, Cynthia (2024). High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator. PLoS Genetics, 20 (2) e1011129, e1011129. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011129

High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator

2024

Journal Article

Exploring coral speciation: multiple sympatric Stylophora pistillata taxa along a divergence continuum on the Great Barrier Reef

Meziere, Zoe, Popovic, Iva, Prata, Katharine, Ryan, Isobel, Pandolfi, John and Riginos, Cynthia (2024). Exploring coral speciation: multiple sympatric Stylophora pistillata taxa along a divergence continuum on the Great Barrier Reef. Evolutionary Applications, 17 (1) e13644, 1-17. doi: 10.1111/eva.13644

Exploring coral speciation: multiple sympatric Stylophora pistillata taxa along a divergence continuum on the Great Barrier Reef

2024

Other Outputs

Scripts and data from: High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator

Riginos, Cynthia and Popovic, Iva (2024). Scripts and data from: High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ad122d0

Scripts and data from: High germline mutation rates, but not extreme population outbreaks, influence genetic diversity in a keystone coral predator

2024

Other Outputs

Shallow Agaricia genomic data

Riginos, Cynthia, Prata, Katharine and Bongaerts, Pim (2024). Shallow Agaricia genomic data. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/62bc9a5

Shallow Agaricia genomic data

2023

Journal Article

Comparative landscape genomics has arrived with a splash

Riginos, Cynthia and Jahnke, Marlene (2023). Comparative landscape genomics has arrived with a splash. Molecular Ecology, 32 (24), 6725-6728. doi: 10.1111/mec.17204

Comparative landscape genomics has arrived with a splash

Funding

Current funding

Empowering community-led coral reef restoration and prioritization in the Maldives (Coral Accelerator Program grant administered by SCU)

Southern Cross University

Open grant - 2022 - 2026

Some like it hot: invasive species, hybridisation, and a warming world

ARC Discovery Projects

Open grant - 2020 - 2026

RRAP-ECO-01-V1 Integrated field-testing and sub-program management

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Open grant - 2020 - 2026

RRAP-ECO-03-V1 Ecological and genetic adaptation: EcoRRAP (GBRF Funding Administered by AIMS)

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Open grant - 2020 - 2026

RRAP-M&DS-04-V1: Modelling and Decision Support (M&DS)-ReefMod R&D

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Open grant

View all 5 current funded projects View less

Past funding

Plankton specimen DNA extraction, purifications and sequencing.

CSIRO

Open grant - 2020 - 2025

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Control Innovation Program

Great Barrier Reef Foundation

Open grant - 2020 - 2024

Systematic and taxonomic analyses of eastern Australian Symbiodiniaceae: the unification of research on coral-algal mutualisms

Australian Biological Resources Study

Open grant - 2019 - 2022

Tracking origins and spread of Crown-of-Thorns Seastars on the GBR

ARC Discovery Projects

Open grant - 2017 - 2019

Using genetic connectivity to improve source reef model outputs and predictions of recovery

Great Barrier Reef Foundation

Open grant - 2016 - 2019

Resolving the cryptic species identity of native Mytilus mussels and a marine global invader along Australia's temperate coastlines

National Taxonomy Research Grant Program

Open grant - 2013 - 2017

Survival after arrival: how post-settlement mortality shapes population connectivity and climate change resilience in a coastal marine fish

The Hermon Slade Foundation

Open grant - 2013 - 2018

Reconciling competing objectives for the design of marine reserve networks: biodiversity, food security, and local equity in benefits

ARC Linkage Projects

Open grant - 2012 - 2015

Shark Futures: Sustainable management of the NSW whaler shark fishery

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

Open grant - 2012 - 2014

Getting there and staying there: How important is larval dispersal versus local selection in determining the genetic composition of a coral reef fish population?

Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation Inc

Open grant - 2012

High Throughput Genotyping using Paralleled and Miniaturized DNA amplification.

UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure

Open grant - 2009

Building Capacity in Quantitative Genomics

UQ School/Centre Co-Funding

Open grant - 2008 - 2010

Coral reef connectivity: an empirical and theoretical synthesis

ARC Discovery Projects

Open grant - 2007 - 2011

Focusing regional marine conservation: merging seascape genetics and biophysical modeling within a graph-theoretic framework

World Wildlife Fund, Inc

Open grant - 2007 - 2008

Evaluating sources of selection on gamete recognition genes

UQ Early Career Researcher

Open grant - 2006 - 2007

Sea-scape genetics - small scale larval dispersal of cunjevoi (Pyura stolonifera)

UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund

Open grant - 2006 - 2007

Collaborative Research: Extreme discordance between allozyme and non-allozyme introgression in Baltic mussels. Selection on allozymes?

Duke University

Open grant

View all 17 past funded projects View less

Supervision

Availability

Professor Cynthia Riginos is: : Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

##### Some like it hot: invasive species, hybridisation, and a warming world

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan - Doctor Philosophy

##### Genomic signatures of adaptation across coral reef seascapes: linking geography, environment, and evolutionary processes

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema - Master Philosophy

##### Evaluating label accuracy in Australian seafood

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Carissa Klein - Doctor Philosophy

##### Hologenomic variation in the reef-building coral Acropora hyacinthus across the Great Barrier Reef

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Cheong Xin Chan

Completed supervision

Doctor Philosophy

##### Genomic insights into coral diversity, connectivity and adaptation across the Great Barrier Reef

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Cheong Xin Chan - 2025

Doctor Philosophy

##### The Genomics of Hybridisation and Introgression in Anemonefishes: Implications for Conservation and Evolutionary Dynamics

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney - 2023

Doctor Philosophy

##### On the macroevolution, biogeography, and evolutionary history of an adaptive radiation in sea snakes

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2023

Doctor Philosophy

##### Understanding cryptic coral diversity: A 3D-reefscape genomics approach to assess dispersal dynamics and niche differentiation

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer - 2022

Master Philosophy

##### One mussel, two mussel, blue mussel, blue mussel: Utilizing putative diagnostic genetic markers to identify invasive cryptic Mytilus species in Australia

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos - 2020

Doctor Philosophy

##### Estimating contemporary abundance, demography, and vulnerability to change for long-lived species with effective population size and population simulation

Principal Advisor - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Evolutionary pathways to invasive success: Thermal adaptation, hybridisation and parallel evolution in a marine global invader

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Explaining genetic patterns in the Philippines: broad and fine scale perspectives

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Dimensions of genotypic and phenotypic divergence in marine metapopulations: space, time, and ontogeny

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan - 2016

Doctor Philosophy

##### Phylogeography and population genetics of Australian freshwater rainbowfishes

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Robbie Wilson, Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2015

Doctor Philosophy

##### Mapping within-species biodiversity: Patterns and predictors of genetic diversity on Indo-Pacific reefs

Principal Advisor - 2014

Doctor Philosophy

##### Seascape genetics of Indo-Pacific reef organisms: methodologies and case studies for an emerging discipline

Principal Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham - 2014

Doctor Philosophy

##### Phylogeographic variation in selected Indo-West Pacific shark and ray species, and application to monitoring and enforcement of the international shark fin trade

Principal Advisor - 2025

Doctor Philosophy

##### Growth and survival dynamics of coral:The effects of various environmental influences on population level physiology in Acropora muricata and Galaxea fascicularis

Associate Advisor - 2023

Doctor Philosophy

##### Biogeography and diversity of Australian tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2022

Doctor Philosophy

##### Reconstructing ecological baselines of the Great Barrier Reef before and during European colonization using ancient environmental DNA

Associate Advisor - 2021

Doctor Philosophy

##### The ecology of grouper spawning aggregations in Palau

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Peter Mumby - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Evolution and ecology of coral range dynamics under climate change

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Dr Eugenia Nijgh de Sampayo Garrido - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Evolution and Biogeography of the Australian Cycad Genus Macrozamia

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Thermal adaptation and acclimation in an intertidal goby (Bathygobius cocosensis)

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Robbie Wilson - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Global population structure and life history traits in the Galapagos Marine Reserve of wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri): Implications for fisheries management

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts - 2019

Doctor Philosophy

##### Systematics, evolution and cryptic species of the Australian gall-inducing scale insect Apiomorpha (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), with a focus on the Apiomorpha nookara and Apiomorpha hilli species groups

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2018

Doctor Philosophy

##### Evolutionary dynamics of the mutualistic interactions between fungus-gardening termites in Oman (Macrotermes subhyalinus) and their fungal associates (Termitomyces)

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook - 2016

Doctor Philosophy

##### Parasites and cleaning behaviour in damselfishes

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney - 2013

Doctor Philosophy

##### Molecular ecology of the green mirid Creontiades dilutus Stal (Hemiptera: Miridae) - movement and host plant interactions across agricultural and arid environments.

Associate Advisor - 2012

Master Philosophy

##### The Population Genetic Structure of the Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, at Different Spatial Scales

Associate Advisor - 2011

Doctor Philosophy

##### Bathymetric patterns of genetic variation in the coral-algal symbiosis

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg - 2010

Doctor Philosophy

##### Predictive models in landscape ecology: Understanding the effects of landscape pattern on the avifauna of South East Queensland

Associate Advisor

Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham

View all 28 completed supervisions View less

Media

Enquiries

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communications@uq.edu.au

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