Global Relevance in Space and Time for the New-Found Chinese Caddisfly Fauna

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9318074 MORSE Until very recently the Chinese government would not allow specimens to leave the country for study. This project is based on careful efforts by the Principal Investigator to foster collaboration with Chinese scientists and to receive governmental approval/permission for such collaboration. Extensive collecting in six provinces of the People's Republic of China during the summer of 1990 established that approximately 70% of the caddis fly fauna (Insecta: Trichoptera) is undescribed. These insects are extremely important as indicators of water quality. This research project will involve description of this understudied group of insects from China, revisionary studies for four families, and biogeographic analyses. It is thought that the biogeographic analyses of the Chinese faunas will be very important to understanding the biogeography of these insect groups on a worldwide basis. Two Chinese scientists will be trained in modern systematic methods for study of Trichoptera at Clemson University. %%% Caddis flies are important indicators of water quality. However, for the People's Republic of China, these and other aquatic insects remain poorly studied. This project will describe many new species recently collected in China and undertake studies of relationships among species and their biogeographic distributions. Fostering collaboration with scientists from the People's Republic of China is an important element of this project. ***