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Zoological Systematics Lab (Kyoto Univ., Science, Biology)
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The lab explores animal diversity and evolutionary history through specimens and genes.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring from specimens how many species live on Earth.
The lab studies natural history centered on systematics and taxonomy, mainly of animals living on land and in fresh water.
Clarifying the diversity and distribution of species and building a classification system that reflects phylogenetic relationships is the foundation of biodiversity research.
The lab conducts research using morphological and genetic methods, based on specimens collected through fieldwork and specimens held in museums.
Students' research subjects and themes are decided in consultation with the faculty, with respect for each student's interests and independence.
Key terms
- Systematics and taxonomy
- The field that clarifies the evolutionary pathways (phylogeny) of organisms and classifies organisms on that basis
- Speciation
- The process by which one species splits into two or more separate species
- Functional morphology
- The perspective of asking what function an organism's body structure serves
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies natural history centered on systematics and taxonomy, mainly of inland animals. Building on species diversity and distribution, geographic variation, and the construction of classification systems, it takes on research into speciation and functional morphology.
*Illustrative imageAnimal Species Diversity and Classification Systems
The lab clarifies how many species live on Earth and how they are distributed, and works on morphological and genetic geographic variation and on building and revising classification systems that reflect phylogenetic relationships. On that basis, it also takes on research into speciation and functional morphology.
*Illustrative imagePhylogeny of Vertebrates and Invertebrates
The lab conducts specimen-based research on vertebrates, mainly mammals and reptiles (Motokawa and Okamoto), and on invertebrates such as leeches, arachnids, and amphipods (Nakano).
MembersFaculty
The Zoological Systematics Lab consists of faculty, researchers, doctoral and master's students, undergraduate thesis students and research students, and administrative and part-time staff.As of 2026
- ProfessorMasaharu Motokawa
- Associate ProfessorTakafumi Nakano
- Assistant ProfessorTaku Okamoto
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Preserved zoological museum specimens stored in glass display” Noukayami / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Animal Species Diversity and Classification Systems: “Architeuthis dux holotype specimen from the collections of the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen” Inger E Winkelmann / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Phylogeny of Vertebrates and Invertebrates: “Generalized phylogenetic tree of the deuterostomes, pharyngeal characters” Álvarez-Armada, N., Cameron, C. B., Bauer, J. E., & Rahman, I. A. / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Kyoto University Museum Lab): “Kyoto University Museum” J o / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Systematics and Taxonomy Lab): “Ranunculus lingua herbarium specimen by Joseph Witry” Musée national d'histoire naturelle Luxembourg / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Animal Behavior Lab): “Rhabdophis tigrinus 5778854” Kim, Hyun-tae / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Seto Marine Biological Lab, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University): “Shirahamaaquarium” Pterocirrus / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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