PEET: Biogeography, Morphology, and Molecular Systematics of Cumaceans: Training Taxonomists for the 21st Century

9521783沃特林在世界海洋和大陆边缘的大片地区，对甲壳类目Cumacea知之甚少。cumac纲是一种小型甲壳类动物，与片足类、等足类和其他几个类群同属一类，它们都把幼崽放在育儿袋里。在许多浅海习性中，它们是幼鱼饮食中的重要食物。事实上，人们对这个群体的进化史一无所知。cumac纲分类中使用的许多特征也存在不确定性，这是其他几个小甲壳类动物的特征，因此，为这一类群制定的原则可能用于揭示其他分类群中的类似问题。本研究的分类学目的是对美洲海岸和东南太平洋沿岸的cumacean动物群进行专题研究，并检验有关该类群的分类学特征和生物地理历史的效用假设。此外，该项目还将通过编写分类学专著，培养下一代甲壳类系统学家，使他们掌握形态学和分子系统学方法。最后的目标是为这些分类学数据提供电子存储和归档。该项目的意义在于更好地了解这种鲜为人知但在生态学上很重要的甲壳类动物的分类和进化关系。此外，这项研究将培养出受过广泛训练的科学家，他们在经典专著和分子系统学方法方面受过良好的教育。＊＊＊

9521783 Watling The crustacean order Cumacea is largely unknown for large areas of the worldOs oceans and continental margins. Cumaceans are small crustaceans, allied with amphipods, isopods, and several other groups, all of whom carry their young about in a brood pouch. In many shallow marine habits they are important food items in the diets of young fish. Virtually nothing is known about the evolutionary history of the group. There is also uncertainty associated with many of the characters used in the taxonomy of cumaceans, a feature which characterizes several other groups of small crustaceans, therefore, principles developed for this group may be used to unravel similar problems in other taxa. The taxonomic objective of this research is to monograph the cumacean fauna of AmericaOs shores and those in the southeastern Pacific, and to test hypotheses regarding utility of taxonomic characters and biogeographic history of the group. In addition the project will train the next generation of crustacean systematists in both morphological as well as molecular methods of systematics through the production of taxonomic monographs. A final objective is to provide for the electronic storage and archiving of this taxonomic data. %% The significance of the project is to provide a better understanding of the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships among this little known but ecologically important group of crustaceans. In addition the research will produce broadly trained scientists well schooled in classic monographic as well as molecular methods of systematics. ***