Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Function in Labrid Fishes

9815614种西鱼属于唇形科，是生活在世界各地的珊瑚礁上的一个由600多个物种组成的多样化群体。珊瑚礁的丰富使它们成为珊瑚礁生态系统的组成部分，也是一种重要的经济资源。尽管唇齿类的生物学一直是深入研究的主题，但人们对它们的祖先-后代关系知之甚少。这项建议要求支持利用结构和分子特征来研究唇形科之间的历史关系。这项研究的中心目标是(1)解决唇形科主要鱼类群体之间的关系；以及(2)将物种之间的亲缘关系模式与运动和摄食机制的信息结合起来。本研究的重点是对新的鱼类种类和解剖区域进行解剖学研究。DNA中的核苷酸序列是一组流行的、现在很容易获得的可用于系谱分析的特征，将获得细胞色素b和12S rRNA基因的完整序列数据。这个项目将使用多个数据集为物种关系理论提供解剖学和分子数据的比较。这项研究将利用唇形科的系统发育来了解这些鱼的摄食和运动系统的主要特征。在这一群体中发现的生物多样性反映在它们对广泛的觅食和运动行为的开发上。嘴巴的结构和功能反映了以多种猎物为食的生态多样性。运动是通过使用胸鳍在水中划船或飞行来完成的，具有广泛的鳍结构和游泳性能。这里提出的系统发育研究为解释世界上最大、最多样化的鱼类之一的功能和生态提供了框架。这一项目对生物学领域具有重要意义，因为它提供了一大类重要鱼类的新的系统发育信息。该研究为10%以上活鱼的系谱研究提供了一个起点。更广泛的意义是使用系统发育树来解释结构和功能特征的变化模式。从组织到整个生物体，对生物结构和功能的综合理解是生物学的主要前沿之一。这项工作通过为研究鸟类生态学、生物力学、行为和进化提供了一个系统发育框架，从而为实现这一目标做出了贡献。最后，这项研究做出了重大的教育贡献，因为它涉及到本科生、研究生和博士后水平的学生。

9815614 WestneatFishes of the family Labridae are a diverse group of over 600 species that live on coral reefs throughout the world. The abundance of labrids makes them an integral part of the ecology of reef systems as well as an important economic resource. Although the biology of labrids has been the subject of intensive research, little is known about their ancestor-descendant relationships. This proposal requests support for a study of the historical relationships among the Labridae using both structural and molecular characters. The central objectives of this study are (1) to resolve relationships among major groups of fishes in the family Labridae; and (2) to integrate patterns of relatedness among species with information on locomotor and feeding mechanisms. This study focuses on anatomical study of new fish species and anatomical regions. The sequence of nucleotides in DNA is a popular and now easily obtained set of characters that can be used for genealogical analysis, and complete sequence data from the genes cytochrome b and 12S rRNA will be obtained. This project will provide a comparison of anatomical and molecular data for a theory of species relationships using multiple data sets. This research will use the phylogeny of the Labridae to understand major features of the feeding and locomotor systems of these fishes. The biodiversity found within this group is reflected in their exploitation of a wide range of feeding and locomotor behaviors. The structure and function of the jaws in labrids mirrors the ecological diversity of feeding on many types of prey. Locomotion is accomplished by using the pectoral fins to row or fly through the water with a wide range of fin structures and swimming performance. Phylogenetic studies proposed here provide the framework for interpretation of function and ecology in one of the largest, most diverse fish families in the world. This project is significant to the field of biology due to its contribution of new phylogenetic information on a large group of important fishes. The research provides a starting point for the study of genealogy among more than 10% of living fishes. Of broader significance is the use of phylogenetic trees to interpret patterns of change in structural and functional characters. The movement toward an integrated understanding of biological structure and function, from tissues to whole organisms, is one of the major frontiers of biology. This work contributes to that goal by providing a phylogenetic framework for studies of labrid ecology, biomechanics, behavior, and evolution. Finally, this study makes a significant educational contribution as it involves students in research at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.