**About the Editors**

#### **Andrea Luchetti**

The main research interest of Andrea Luchetti is the study of molecular evolution in different Arthropoda with special regard to the study of the evolution of repetitive DNA: tandem repeats (satellite DNA, ribosomal DNA) and interspersed repeats (transposable elements). Since the evolutionary dynamics of these sequences is strictly linked to the taxonomy and the biology of analyzed animal systems, he also investigated the phylogeny, phylogeography, molecular systematics and the reproductive biology of several insect and crustacean species.

The main research lines are:

–Molecular phylogenetics, systematics and reproductive biology of Insecta, particularly Isoptera and Phasmida; Crustacea, Branchiopoda: Choncostraca and Notostraca.

–Evolution of eusociality, colony structure and breeding system in termites (Reticulitermes spp., Rhintoermitidae; Kalotermes spp., Kalotermitidae).

–Evolutionary dynamics of repetitive DNA (mainly satellite DNA and retrotransposons) in the genome of arthropods with non-canonical reproductive strategies (parthenogenesis; ermaphroditism) or non-panmictic (eusociality).

#### **Federico Plazzi**

Federico Plazzi is Adjunct Professor of Applied Statistics and Evolutionary Zoology at the University of Bologna since 2015. While dealing above all with bivalve molluscs, he also worked and still works on other groups, such as hexapods and bony fishes. His research interests focus on phylogenetics, phylogenomics, and mitogenomics, as well as on the impact of small regulatory elements (like retroposons and small noncoding RNAs) on eukaryotic genomes. To this extent, he also aims to develop statistical and computational methods and tools.
