The evolution of elaborate antennae in insects

该项目将解决化学通讯和昆虫多样性领域中几个被忽视但基本的问题。其中包括交流系统中受体结构的进化重要性，以及昆虫最具决定性特征之一——触角的多样性基础。拟议实验中的飞蛾是农作物的商业害虫，因此了解形成其通信系统和交配行为的进化过程将有助于更好地预测针对它们的控制措施的效果。该项目还将涉及国际合作，以学习和发展分析信息素交流的新技术。

This project will address several neglected but fundamental issues in the field of chemical communication and insect diversity. These include the evolutionary importance of receptor structures in a communication system, and the basis of diversity in one of the most defining characteristics of insects: antennae. The moth species in the proposed experiments are commercial pests of crops and therefore understanding of the evolutionary processes shaping their communication systems and mating behaviour will contribute to better predictive knowledge of the effects of control measures used against them. The project will also involve international collaboration to learn and develop new a technique in the analysis of pheromone communication.