PEET: Crustacean Systematics: Monographic Research in the Leptostraca, Conchostraca, and Brachyura

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9978193 Martin and JacobsAlthough third in number of species (behind insects and molluscs), crustaceansare the most morphologically diverse group of animals on earth. The NaturalHistory Museum of Los Angeles County (LACM) contains the country's secondlargest collection of crustaceans and is a logical staging area for broad-based training in crustacean monography and systematics. Area universities such as UCLA offer exceptional opportunities for the integration of museum-based monographic and taxonomic research with modern systematic and molecular laboratory training and coursework. This project supports student training and monographic and systematic research in three broad areas of crustacean diversity where current world expertise is lacking: (1) the order Leptostraca; (2) the branchiopod order Conchostraca (Spinicaudata); and (3) the infraorder Decapoda (superfamily Xanthoidea). The Leptostraca contains small (6-15 mm) marine detritivores and scavengers of tremendous ecological importance and phylogenetic significance. The Conchostraca (clam shrimp) are members of the class Branchiopoda, an ancient and presumed primitive lineage extending back to the middle Cambrian; all are restricted to freshwater ephemeral pond habitats and are thus species of special conservation concern. Among the decapod crustaceans, few groups are as troublesome as the former family Xanthidae, an enormous assemblage of brachyuran (true) crabs that contains some 130 genera and well over 2,000 species. Our work will be restricted initially to the "Carpiliid" line, most members of which are small to large crabs found on or near tropical reefs. We will train three doctoral students over a 5-year period as graduate students of UCLA, working jointly with LACM curatorial staff. Morphological systematic and monographic research overseen by Martin at LACM will be complemented by molecular genetic studies guided by Jacobs at UCLA. Trainees will become well versed in database management and web sitedevelopment via formal coursework at UCLA and through the construction of their own monograph web pages; each student will oversee the creation of arelational database that will be posted on the web.