Molecular Phylogenetics of the Major Lineages of Adephagan Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera), with an Emphasis on Carabid Diversification

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9420219 MADDISON This project will reconstruct the phylogeny or pattern of relationships of the major lineages of beetles of the suborder Adephaga (Insecta: Coleoptera) using molecular sequence data. Adephagans are a geologically old lineage of beetles with members currently found in terrestrial, arboreal and aquatic habitats. With over 30,000 species, they are more diverse than mammals, birds and reptiles combined and are among the dominant small predators in temperate and arctic regions. Previous studies based on morphological data have yielded a large number of competing hypotheses about relationships and the nature of ecological change within the suborder. It is anticipated that molecular data will resolve some of these conflicts. The resolved phylogenetic frame sought with this project is necessary for studies of diversification within particular families and tribes, for example the rapidly radiating bembidiine carabids, or studies of the structural, cytogenetic, biogeographic and ecological diversity in Adephaga as a whole. For this project which will use molecular sequence data to explore the relationships of adephagan families as well as the relationships of the major lineages of ground beetles, 60 focal taxa have been chosen to encompass the diversity of the suborder as well as outgroup representatives from the three remaining beetle suborders. The adephagan representative species chosen represent major players in the current controversies or conflicting hypotheses of relationships. Taxa have been chosen to challenge the monophyly of each family and to minimize the number of long lineages on the phylogeny (as these increase the error rate of phylogenetic inference methods). Portions of three genes, totalling about 2,600 base pairs, will be sequenced: 18S ribosomal DNA (a nuclear gene), 12S ribosomal DNA (mitochondrial), and one protein-coding gene. In examining a diverse collection of genes, the potential biases caused by distinctive modes of change in any one piece will be a voided. The end product of this study is expected to be a well-supported phylogeny or map of relationships of adephagan families and the major lineages of carabid beetles, that will serve as a foundation for future comparative studies within these beetle groups. %%% Support of this research will contribute to our knowledge of biodiversity of a large number of beetle lineages by establishing relationships among major groups. This information will form an important basis for future ecological studies of these groups which include many important predators and are thus a major component of a diversity of food webs. ***