Taxonomic and Cladistic Studies of Agathidium Beetles

首席研究员昆汀惠勒提出继续他的研究，以进化的一组甲虫，饲料主要是黏菌。他以前的研究分析了甲虫的进化关系，以及与真菌物种的关联模式。拟议的项目将完成他的系统描述和分类的北美代表属的圆球蕈甲，并将有助于大型数据库惠勒已建成的真菌-昆虫相互作用。这项研究的意义超出了甲虫分类学的范围。惠勒的研究将确定密切相关的甲虫是否倾向于专门针对同一真菌物种，以及每个甲虫群体的特征如何利用其特定的食物资源。惠勒还将研究利用甲虫早期幼虫特征重建它们进化关系的新方法。

Principal investigator Quentin Wheeler proposes a continuation of his research into the evolution of a group of beetles that feed predominantly on slime molds. His previous studies have analyzed the evolutionary relationships of the beetles, as well as the patterns of associations with fungal species. The proposed project would complete his systematic description and classification of the North American representatives of the genus Agathidium, and would contribute to the large database Wheeler has constructed for fungal-insect interactions. The proposed research has implications beyond the limits of beetle taxonomy. Wheeler's research will establish whether or not closely related beetles tend to specialize on the same fungal species, and how the characteristics of each beetle group provide for utilization of its particular food resource. Wheeler will also be investigating new ways to use the early larval characteristics of the beetles to reconstruct their evolutionary relationships.