Dr. Lara is currently involved in research on topics in marine biology with her students at SPC.  Her lab is located on the Clearwater campus. If you are interested in doing research in her lab please contact her.

She is an Advisor of the Science Adventurers Club at Clearwater

She is Science Editor for the SPC journal META




EDUCATION

Ph.D.  Biological Oceanography - Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary Advisor John E. Olney, Ph.D.

M.A. Biology, with distinction - California State University Northridge August 1992 Marine Science Emphasis Advisor Dr. Larry G. Allen, Ph.D.

B.A.  Biology, June 1988 - California State University Northridge

A.A. General Education, December 1984 - Los Angeles Valley College

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Lara, M.R., J. Schull, D.L. Jones, R. Allman. 2009. Early life history stages of goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara (Pisces: Epinephelidae) from Ten Thousand Islands, Florida. Endang Species Res 7:221-228

Vasquez-Yeomans, L., E. Sosa-Cordero, M. R. Lara, A.J. Adams, J. A. Cohuo. 2009. Patterns of distribution and abundance of bonefish larvae Albula spp. (Albulidae) in the western Caribbean and adjacent areas. Ichthyol. Res. 56(3): 266-275

Capo, T.R., A.T. Bardales, P.R. Gillette, M.R. Lara, M.C. Schmale, J.E. Serafy. 2009. Larval growth, development, and survival of laboratory-reared Aplysia californica: Effects of diet and veliger density. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C 149:215-223

Lara, M. R.  2008. Development of the nasal olfactory organs in the larvae, settlement-stages and some adults of 14 species of Caribbean reef fishes (Labridae, Scaridae, Pomacentridae). Mar. Biol. 154: 51-64

Lara, M.R., D.L. Jones, Z. Chen J.T. Lamkin and C.M. Jones. 2008. Spatial variation of otolith elemental signatures among juvenile gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) inhabiting southern Florida waters. Mar. Biol. 153:235-248

Lara, M. R. 2005. Chapter 124. Apogonidae. Pages 1363-1400 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Lara, M. R. 2005. Chapter 203. Bothidae. Pages 2327-2344 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Lara, M. R. 2005. Chapter 125. Epigonidae. Pages 1401-1408 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Jones D. L., M. R. Lara, W. J. Richards. 2005. Chapter 157. Labridae. Pages 1835-1872 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Jones D. L., M. R. Lara and W. J. Richards. 2005. Chapter 158. Scaridae. Pages 1873-1892 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Lindeman K. C., W. J. Richards, J. L. Schultz, D. M. Drass, C. Paris, J. M. Leis, M. R. Lara and B. H. Comyns. 2005. Chapter 137. Lutjanidae Pages 1549-1586 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic.

Richards W.J. and M.R. Lara. 2005. Chapter 118. Howellidae. Pages 1221-1224 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Whitcraft, S. and M.R. Lara. 2005. Chapter 97. Gibberichthyidae. Pages 1075-1078 in: W. J. Richards, Ed. Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western central North Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton.

Robles, M.D., T. Armentano, D. DiResta, M.R. Lara, D.L. Jones, and M.J. Butler. 2005. Condition of the Natural Resources of Biscayne National Park, A State of the Parks Technical Report. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. 103 pp.

Robles, M.D., M.R. Lara, D.L. Jones, and M.J. Butler. 2005. Condition of the Natural Resources of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park, A State of the Parks Technical Report. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. 102 pp.

Vasquez-Yeomans L., M. Lara, E. Sosa-Cordero, J.A. Cohuo Colli and R. Herrera Pavon. 2005. Report on the collection of larvae of bonefish from the coast of the Mexican Caribbean. Contributions in Marine Science 37:101-102