Dr. Christopher M. Pomory, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology, is researching physiology, behavior, and ecology of invertebrates, especially marine invertebrates, with a focus on response to stress in the environment. A continuing interest is the organismal response of echinoderms (starfish, brittle stars) during regeneration and how regeneration changes with changes in environmental conditions.Other work has included bleaching response in jellyfish, habitat associations in reef fish and echinoids, and taxonomy of ophiuroids (brittle stars). Publications carrying his work include Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, Marine Biology, Hydrobiologia, Gulf of Mexico Science, Cahiers de Biologie Marine, Journal of Fish Biology, Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology, and Caribbean Journal of Science. He earned a Ph.D. in Biology at the University of South Florida, a M.S. in Zoology at Texas A & M University, and a B.A. in Biology, with a minor in Computer Science, at Rollins College. A UWF faculty member since 2000, he has taught numerous courses, including General Zoology, Marine Invertebrate Zoology, Biogeography, Invertebrates of Coral Reefs, and Experimental Design Ph.D. Biology, University of South Florida M.S. Zoology, Texas A & M University B.A. Biology/Computer Science Minor, Rollins College

Students working in Pomory's laboratory typically concentrate on investigating questions concerning physiology, behavior, and ecology of invertebrates, especially marine invertebrates. The primary focus is on how organisms respond to stress in the environment. An area of particular interest to him, but not necessarily all the graduate students working in the lab, is the biology and taxonomy of the Echinodermata commonly known as starfish, sea urchins, and brittle stars. Pomory is currently researching regeneration in starfish and brittle stars, habitat influence on growth in shrimp and niche separation in starfish.

Lawrence, J.M. & C.M. Pomory 2008. Position of arm loss and rate of arm regeneration by Luidia clathrata(Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Cahiers de Biologie Marine 49: 369-373. Conner, S.L., C.M. Pomory & P.C. Darby. 2008. Density effects of native and exotic snails on growth in juvenile apple snails Pomacea paludosa (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae): a laboratory experiment. Journal of Molluscan Studies 74: 355-362. McGill, C.J. & C.M. Pomory 2008. Effects of bleaching and nutrient supplementation on wet weight in the jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana (Bigelow) (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology 41: 179-189. Pomory, C.M. 2007. Key to the common shallow-water brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Caribbean Journal of Science, Special Publication #10, 42 pp. Article-