PEET: Systematics, Ontogeny and Ecology of the Family Acaridae (Acari: Astigmata)

OCONNOR螨虫是一种极其多样化的无脊椎动物（螯角目：蛛形目：刺形目），包括陆生、水生、自由生活和寄生形式。该奖项将支持螨科螨科的专题研究，螨科螨科包含约90个属，包括储存食品中最重要的螨类害虫以及导致室内粉尘过敏的物种。奥康纳博士是一位公认的螨虫系统学家，非常有资格培养新一代的研究人员。该奖项将支持两名美国研究生和三名博士后的教育和培训，他们将把系统的专业知识带回日本、哥斯达黎加和澳大利亚。研究结果将以出版物和电子形式提供，并将编制储存产品和室内灰尘的螨虫害虫实用指南。这项研究将有助于我们对螨类生物多样性的认识，这是一组非常需要系统关注的生物，并将培养能够进一步研究这些生物的新系统学家。这项研究的结果在医学和经济上都有明确的意义。除此之外，还需要进一步研究这些螨虫的复杂发育或生命周期以及它们通过寄存或搭便车传播昆虫的方式。

9521744 OCONNOR Mites are an extremely diverse invertebrate group (Chelicerata: Arachnida: Acariformes) including terrestrial, aquatic, free living and parasitic forms. This award will support monographic research in the mite family Acaridae which contains some 90 genera and includes the most important mite pests of stored food products as well as species responsible for house dust allergies. Dr. OConnor is a well recognized mite systematist and highly qualified for training a new generation of researchers. This award will support the education and training of two United States graduate students and three postdoctoral associates who will return their systematic expertise to Japan, Costa Rica and Australia. Research results will be made available in published and electronic form and a practical guide to mite pests of stored products and house dust will be produced. This research will contribute to our knowledge of the biological diversity of mites, a group of organisms in great need of systematic attention, and new systematists capable of further research with these organisms will be trained. The results of this research have clear implications of both medical and economic importance. Beyond that, further research concerning the complex development or life cycles of these mites and their dispersal by phoresy or hitchhiking on insects will be enhanced.