Field Sampling of Insects Associated with Ants and Termites in North Queensland

研究人员将对澳大利亚北昆士兰三个地区的蚂蚁和白蚁巢穴中发现的红蚁进行采样。这些地区是铁岭、约克半岛的顶端以及苦难角周围地区。蚁蚁科（通常称为嗜蚁目和嗜白蚁）属于多种分类群，与蚂蚁和白蚁表现出多种生态关系，从寄生虫到清理巢穴厨房残渣的碎屑饲养者。这次拟议探险的意义在于收集标本和数据，研究人员和许多其他分类学专家将在未来的研究中使用这些标本和数据。将立即受益的具体项目是Termitonannini（鞘翅目：Staphylinidae）的修订、Dorylomimini（鞘翅目：Staphylinidae）的修订和Phoridae（双翅目）的修订。该项目将通过增加来自难以采样和独特地区的昆虫样本来增加美国和澳大利亚的科学资源。

The investigators will sample the inquilines that are found in the nests of ants and termites in three general areas of North Queensland, Australia. These areas are the Iron Range, the top end of the York Peninsula, and the area around Cape Tribulation. The inquilines (usually called myrmecophiles and termitophiles) belong to a wide variety of taxonomic groups and exhibit a wide variety of ecological relationships to the ants and termites ranging from parasites to detritus feeders that clean up the kitchen middens of the nests. The significance of this proposed expedition lies in the creation of collections of specimens and data which will be used in future research by the investigators and by many other taxonomic experts. Specific projects which will benefit immediately are the revision of the Termitonannini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), the revision of the Dorylomimini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and the revision of the Phoridae (Diptera). The project will increase the scientific resources of the United States and Australia through the increase of our samples of insects from hard to sample, and unique areas.