Expertise
At UVI, I am actively involved in program and course-level assessment, and the scholarship
of teaching and learning. I work outside the university on animal rescue and animal
husbandry, including serving as Vice President of the Virgin Islands Horse Rescue
and Retirement. Research interests and specialties include fish biology, vertebrate
biology, aquarium fish, animal husbandry, guts, tropical freshwater ecosystems, marine
biology, fish, and general biology.
Biography
Area: Ichthyology, aquatic animal husbandry, functional morphology
Abstract of Research: Abstract of Research: My academic interests center on animal design and how that
influences function in the environment. Current research projects include:
- A survey of biodiversity and water quality of freshwater habitats in St. Thomas, and
how that varies with levels of human development in different watersheds. This USGS-WRRI
funded project includes Renata Platenberg, Ph.D. (USVI Division of Fish & Wildlife)
as a co-PI.
- A study of monogenean parasite loads in two sympatric surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae)
in the Virgin Islands, and how that is influenced by habitat characteristics and habitat
use. Our finding of variation in parasite loads in blue tang and ocean surgeonfish
has led our research team (Paul Sikkel, Ph.D., currently at Murray State University;
and Amber McCammon, B.S. Marine Biology, UVI) to further investigate differential
susceptibility to parasite infection.
As the former Curator of Exhibits at Coral World Ocean Park (1997-2003), I still have a great interest in recreating appropriate natural habitats
for aquatic organisms. I am currently working with Coral World on designing a new
public exhibit that focuses on freshwater fishes and crustaceans in Virgin Islands
watersheds. I am also designing an aquarium science curriculum for K-12 and undergraduate
students, which will use a closed-system marine aquarium in the UVI MacLean Marine
Science Center to investigate the integration of biology, math, chemistry, and other
disciplines in the captive care of marine life.
Publications:
- Nemeth, D., McCammon, A., Sikkel, P.C., and Williams Jr., E. H. (submitted 2006) Habitat/species
differences in monogenean loads of free-living sympatric surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae)
in the Virgin Islands, and a Redefinition of Neobenedenia melleni (MacCallum, 1927),
Resurrecting Neobenedenia pargueraensis Dyer et al., 1992
- Nemeth, D. 2001. Champsodontidae. p. 3496-3497 In: FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes:
The living marine resources of theWestern Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part
4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes, and marine
mammals. FAO, Rome.
- Nemeth, D.H. 1997. Modulation of buccal pressure during prey capture in Hexagrammos decagrammus
(Teleostei: Hexagrammidae). J. exp. Biol. 200 (15): 2145-2154.
- Nemeth, D.H.1997. Modulation of attack behavior and its effect on feeding performance in a tropic generalist
fish, Hexagrammos decagrammus. J. exp. Biol. 200 (15): 2155-2164.
- Nemeth, D. 1994. Systematics and Distribution of fishes of the family Champsodontidae (Teleostei,
Perciformes), with descriptions of three new species. Copeia 1994(2): 347-371.
