doc. RNDr. Jakub Prokop, Ph.D.

Division of  Entomology

Area of expertise: Evolution of insects, Comparative and functional morphology, Insect wings and flight apparatus, Ontogeny.

Research:  Our research group studies the evolutionary history of insects mainly from the perspective of the fossil record - palaeoentomology. We address more general questions in evolutionary biology, such as the origin and development of insect wings, the evolution of colouration and anti-predator strategies, adaptation to the transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments, or the life strategies of larvae and adults of extinct insects. The key topic of our research is insect wings with regard to the structure and flight capabilities of the first actively flying animals – the winged insects. I have authored a chapter on insect wings and the evolution of the first fliers in the monograph Arthropod Biology and Evolution - Molecules, Development, Morphology (Springer, 2013), as well as review articles in the Annual Review of Entomology (2023) and Current Opinion in Insect Science (2025).

Teaching: I teach courses on  Entomology, General entomology, System and phylogeny of insects I and II, Introduction to Insects and Invertebrate zoology.