My research interests are in the field of evolutionary genetics and animal behavior. I study a variety of animals and use genetic, behavioral, and molecular methods to test hypotheses aimed at understanding the mechanisms of natural selection in natural populations. Presently my research is focused on the effects of natural selection on molecular genetic variation in a species of fruitfly, Drosophila ananassae, from the South Pacific Islands and Asia. I am interested in the interactions between natural selection, migration, genetic drift, and chromosomal crossing-over during adaptation and speciation.

Schug, M.D., J. Baines, A. Killon-Atwood, S. Mohanty, A. Das, S. Grath, S.G. Smith, S. Zargham, S. McEvey, W. Stephan 2008. Evolution of mating isolation between populations of Drosophila ananassae. Molecular Ecology 17:2706-2721.

Schug, M.D., Shelly G. Smith, Allison Tozier-Pearce, Shane F. McEvey 2007. The genetic structure of Drosophila ananassae populations from Asia, Australia, and Samoa. Genetics 175:1429-1440.

Moehring, A.J., J. Li, M.D. Schug, S.G. Smith, M. DeAngelis, T.F.C. Mackay, J.A. Coyne 2004. Quantitative trait loci for sexual isolation between Drosophila simulans and D. mauritiana. Genetics 167:1265-1274.