Ichthyologist and geneticist, I am interested in the mechanisms behind the gradients of diversity and establishment of aquatic fauna in the tropics. For 20 years, I have been mobilizing phylogeny and biogeography approaches to explore the spatio-temporal dynamics of species proliferation in areas of high diversity. Specialized in historical inferences, my research is anchored in a process of testing major hypotheses in biogeography. I am particularly interested in the state of tropical biomes (expansion versus contraction) through approaches at different scales of biological complexity. Mobilized very early on the DNA barcode approach within the framework of the International Barcode of Life (iBOL) project, I am involved in the implementation of inventory procedures allowing a lasting association of molecular approaches (species delimitation, diagnostics) and traditional taxonomy (nomenclature, museology) with a view to improving biodiversity knowledge and developing automated systems for identifying species.