Karen Carleton

Karen Carleton works on the evolution of visual systems in fishes. She uses genomic tools to identify the genes that control the wavelengths of light that fish can see. By comparing their visual sensitivities with their ecology and environment, she works to understand how different visual systems have evolved. Much of her work focuses on cichlid fishes in the Great Lakes of Africa as well as South and Central America. Variation in visual sensitivities have contributed to the amazingly fast speciation in this group. She also works on coral reef fishes on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and deep sea fishes. These studies have enabled her to SCUBA dive around the world, do molecular studies in the lab, and use behavioral studies to determine what colors fish can see.