DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Evolutionary History of Lagenorhynchus Inferred from Nested Phylogeography of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Loci

德州农工大学（Texas a&m University）的罗德尼·l·霍尼卡特（Rodney L. Honeycutt）博士和阿普丽尔·d·哈林（April D. Harlin）女士获得了一笔拨款，用于研究世界范围内黑海豚遗传变异的模式。这种小而杂技的海豚出现在新西兰南岛、南非、阿根廷和秘鲁海岸的深水中。DNA序列形式的遗传信息将用于估计每个地理区域内的遗传变异水平，以及比较区域之间的总体差异水平。这项研究的主要目标是重建这种分布广泛但又高度细分的海洋哺乳动物的遗传历史，以努力重建导致其当前分布和遗传变异总体水平的事件。此外，来自黑海豚的信息将与南美洲或北半球其他地区的相关物种进行比较。本项目所支持的研究具有更广泛的科学价值和影响。与类似的研究不同，这项研究涉及的是一种生态多样且分布广泛的海豚物种，所收集的遗传信息将代表对任何小型海洋哺乳动物的最彻底的评估。在新西兰，黑海豚是具有重要经济意义的生态旅游业的焦点。该物种的遗传信息将有助于在该物种分布范围内制定保护策略。拟议的研究也有很强的国际成分，将促进与包括秘鲁在内的几个国家的科学家的合作。此外，这项赠款支持的活动将有助于代表性不足的研究生和本科生群体的职业发展和科学培训。由于公众对海豚有普遍的兴趣，本研究的结果可以用于非正式的科学教育，通过使用多种媒体资源和与调查人员的K-12教育相关的活动。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Rodney L. Honeycutt and Ms. April D. Harlin at Texas A&M University to examine worldwide patterns of genetic variation of the dusky dolphin. This small and acrobatic dolphin occurs in deep waters off the coasts of the south island of New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Peru. Genetic information in the form of DNA sequences will be used to estimate levels of genetic variation within each geographic region as well as to compare overall levels of divergence between regions. The primary goal of the study is to reconstruct the genetic history of this widely distributed, yet highly subdivided, marine mammal in an effort to reconstruct events responsible for its current distribution and overall levels of genetic variation. Furthermore, information from the dusky dolphin will be compared to related species occurring either in South America or other regions of the Northern Hemisphere.The research supported by this project has broader scientific merit and impact. Unlike similar studies, this research pertains to an ecologically versatile and broadly distributed dolphin species, and the genetic information collected will represent the most thorough assessment of any small-bodied marine mammal. In New Zealand dusky dolphins are the focus of an ecotourism industry of economic importance. Genetic information from this species will be useful for developing conservation strategies in all parts of the species' range. The proposed research also has a strong international component that will foster collaboration with scientists from several countries including Peru. Additionally, activities supported by this grant will contribute to the career development and scientific training of underrepresented groups of graduate and undergraduate students. Because dolphins are of general interest to the public, results from this research can be used for informal science education through the use multiple media sources and activities associated with K-12 education at the investigators'