Tan Zhi Wan

PhD Student
Main supervisor: Associate Professor Darren CJ Yeo
Co-supervisor: Dr. Jose Christopher Mendoza
Email: tzw@u.nus.edu
BES (Hons) National University of Singapore

Background and current projects

I graduated with a bachelors degree in Environmental Studies from NUS. During my undergraduate years, I completed an UROPS under FIB Lab, studying the habitat associations and functional response change over substrate type of freshwater Macrobrachium species in Singapore. For my honours project, also under FIB, I worked on the taxonomy and systematics of Thai freshwater crabs, from the family Potamidae. The project uses morphological traits to revise the taxonomy of Thai potamids, with new species descriptions and updated distribution patterns. In all, 22 new species, one new combination and three new genera of potamid crabs native to Thailand are described, bringing the total tally of Thai potamid species and genera to 96 and 30, respectively (papers in prep).

I am currently holding a research assistant post at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (with affiliation to FIB lab). My project is on the taxonomy and systematics of Indochinese freshwater crabs (Brachyura: Potamidae, Gecarcinucidae). Freshwater crabs are particularly diverse in Indochina region. The current level of understanding with regards to the taxonomy and systematics is however, still poor. Much of the region is still poorly surveyed and in the discovery phase. As such, I will be using morphological and genetic analysis to revise the taxonomy of Indochinese freshwater crabs, to better understand the intergeneric relationships and at the same time, uncover new species. 

Besides academics, I also worked as an undergraduate helper for a Msc project on the conservation ecology of the critically endangered and endemic Singapore Freshwater Crab (Johora singaporensis). I also freelanced as Aquatic Specialist Lead at the Environmental Consulting Firm, Camphora Pte Ltd. 

Research Interests

  • Taxonomy and Systematics
  • Freshwater Decapod Crustaceans
  • Freshwater Ichthyofauna