I am a passionate animal behaviourist with a fondness for rodents. I studied a BSc majoring in Zoology and Ecology, Environment and Conservation at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, South Africa, and followed this with a BSc Honours in Zoology, focusing on the behavioural ecology of Kalahari tree skinks Mabyua spilogaster. I then moved to the University of Pretoria, South Africa, to study an MSc with specialisation in Mammalogy. I returned to Wits to study my PhD under the supervision of Prof. Neville Pillay. My project focused on the ontogeny and function of paternal care behaviour in the African striped mouse Rhabdomys pumilio. I moved to James Cook University in 2012, where I am currently employed in the College of Science and Engineering. My current research focuses on the behaviour of Australian mammals, specifically the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat Melomys cervinipes, although I have some students favouring marine gastropods.

Teaching

• BZ1006: Diversity of Life (Level 1; CNS)
• BZ2490: Toolkit for the Field Biologist (Level 2; CNS)
• BZ2820: Evolutionary Biology (Level 2; CNS)
• BZ3061: Behavioural Ecology (Level 3; CNS)
• BZ5061: Behavioural Ecology (Level 5; CNS)
• BZ5820: Evolutionary Biology (Level 5; CNS)
• BZ5990: Toolkit for the Field Biologist (Level 5; CNS)

Research Disciplines

• Zoology (0608)
• Evolutionary Biology (0603)
• Ecology (0602)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding Knowledge (9701)
• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Rowell M and Rymer T (2020) Innovation in a native Australian rodent, the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes). Animal Cognition, 23 (2), pp. 301-310, DOI:10.1007/s10071-019-01334-6.
• Maxwell S, Bordon A, Rymer T and Congdon B (2019) The birth of a species and the validity of hybrid nomenclature demonstrated with a revision of hybrid taxa within Strombidae (Neostromboidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 132 (1), pp. 119-130, DOI:10.2988/19-00007.
• Maxwell S, Dekkers A, Rymer T and Congdon B (2019) Recognising and defining a new crown clade within Stromboidea Rafinesque, 1815 (Mollusca, Gastropoda). ZooKeys, 867, pp. 1-7, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.867.34381.
• Maxwell S, Dekkers A, Rymer T and Congdon B (2019) Laevistrombus Abbott 1960 (Gastropoda: Strombidae): Indian and southwest Pacific species. Zootaxa, 4555 (4), pp. 491-506, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4555.4.2.
• Paulling K, Wilson D and Rymer T (2019) Olfactory recognition of snake cues by fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats Melomys cervinipes. Behaviour, 156 (12), pp. 1235-1253, DOI:10.1163/1568539X-00003563.
• Callaway W, Turner A, Croshaw O, Ferguson J, Julson Z, Volp T, Kerr S and Rymer T (2018) Melomys cervinipes (Rodentia: Muridae). Mammalian Species, 50 (968), pp. 134-147, DOI:10.1093/mspecies/sey015.
• Maxwell S, Liverani V, Rymer T and Congdon B (2018) Revision of Terebellum delicatum Kuroda and Kawamoto in Kawamoto and Tanabe, 1956 (Gastropoda, Seraphsidae). Royal Society of Queensland Proceedings, 123, pp. 61-67.
• Maxwell S, Congdon B and Rymer T (2018) A new species of Paraseraphs (Gastropoda, Seraphsidae) from the Priabonian White Limestone Formation of Jamaica. Paleontological Journal, 52 (12), pp. 1371-1373, DOI:10.1134/S0031030118120122.
• Rymer T and Pillay N (2018) An integrated understanding of paternal care in mammals: lessons from the rodents. Journal of Zoology, 306 (2), pp. 69-76, DOI:10.1111/jzo.12575.
• Maxwell S, Rymer T and Congdon B (2017) Sex-ratio bias in Laevistrombus canarium Linné, 1758 (Gastropoda: Strombidae) from Far North Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 60, pp. 133-138, DOI:10.17082/j.2204-1478.60.2017.2016-15.
• Pillay N and Rymer T (2017) Behavioural correlates of group size and group persistence in the African ice rat Otomys sloggetti robertsi. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 71, Article: 62, pp. 1-13, DOI:10.1007/s00265-017-2293-5.
• Pillay N and Rymer T (2017) Preference for outbreeding in inbred Littledale's whistling rats Parotomys littledalei. Evolutionary Biology, 44 (1), pp. 21-30, DOI:10.1007/s11692-016-9383-6.

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 33+ research outputs authored by Dr Tasmin Rymer from 2007 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• A revision of Canarium urceus Linnaeus 1758 (s.l.) contrasting classical and phylogenetic taxonomy (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• From factors to contexts: analysing changes in funnel-web spider personality based on venom profile, body state and condition (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• The Ontogeny of Problem Solving in an Australian Rodent Melomys cervinipes (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• A classical taxonomic revision of Seraphsidae Jung 1974 (Gastropoda) using a pluralist approach to species assessment (2019, Masters , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.