Luiz A. Rocha

• Name — Luiz A. Rocha • Birthplace — João Pessoa, Brazil • Citizenship — American • Fields — Ichthyology Marine conservation Evolutionary biology • Workplaces — California Academy of Sciences • Education — University of Florida Federal University of Paraiba • Thesis Title — Ecology, the Amazon barrier, and speciation in western Atlantic Halichoeres (Labridae). • Thesis Url — https: ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00050270/00001 • Thesis Year — 2003 • Doctoral Advisor — Brian Bowen

Rocha has obtained a PhD in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, and a BS in Biology and Masters in Zoology from the Federal University of Paraiba in Brazil. He also conducted post-doctoral work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Hawaii.

Rocha has authored one book and more than 150 scientific articles. He is best known for his work in speciation in coral reef fishes using advanced genomic methodologies to understand fish evolution, and more recently has been actively exploring the diversity of deep (mesophotic) coral reefs throughout the tropics. He has also published an opinion piece in the New York Times about the problems associated with the creation of large marine protected areas in the open ocean, and has evaluated the conservation status of hundreds of species for the IUCN Red List, including the endangered Social Wrasse.

• See:Category:Taxa named by Luiz A. Rocha

The following is established of the heading itself.

The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count. Rocha is recorded with the occupation ichthyologist. It is also recorded that luiz A. Rocha is recorded with the gender male. The record continues: luiz A. Rocha was born in João Pessoa.

• The Parrotfish Sparisoma rocha Pinheiro, Gasparini & I. Sazima, 2010 and • The Sweeper fish Rocha's sweeper Pempheris rochai J. E. Randall & Victor, 2015 were named in Rocha's honor for his contributions to ichthyology.

In 2019 he won the inaugural Margaret M. Stewart Achievement Award for Excellence in Ichthyology or Herpetology for his scientific contributions and scholarly impacts on the field of ichthyology. In 2024, he was an awardee and inductee into the Explorers Club 50 (EC50).