REVSYS: Classification, Phylogeny, and Biology of the Parasitic Wasp Family Scelionidae

天敌是控制害虫种群数量的主要因素之一。寄生蜂科的微小寄生蜂攻击并杀死其他昆虫和蜘蛛的卵，包括许多农业，林业，医学和兽医重要性的害虫。 正确认识这些黄蜂在昆虫自然控制中的作用以及有效利用它们作为生物控制剂依赖于准确识别它们的能力。 Scelionidae是一个很大的群体，有超过3，000种已知物种，可能多达10，000种。该项目的目标是修订这些黄蜂的现有分类。这将是一项全球性的研究，涵盖200多个属。 这项工作将基于过去25年来世界自然历史收藏中积累的大量新材料，即数十万个标本。本研究将利用遗传学的技术分析该类群的进化历史，以便建立一个预测性的、稳定的分类。这项分析的结果也将为科学界提供一个框架，以了解这些黄蜂的生物学和宿主关系。现代信息技术，包括关系数据库、数字图书馆、电子识别工具和图像库，将在研究和成果传播方面发挥关键作用。人类与数百万种不同的植物、动物、真菌和微生物共享地球，并依赖它们提供食物、纤维和无数生态服务。每年都有数以千计的新物种被发现，其中每一个都有造福社会的潜力。然而，能够识别和识别这些生物的人数每年都在减少。生物多样性研究的培训是该项目的一个组成部分，这项工作将涉及高中生、本科生和研究生的实质性贡献。在实践层面上，研究结果将大大提高识别这些黄蜂的能力，并将其作为一种自然和生态安全的害虫防治方法。这项研究的结果将是重要的，在更广泛的科学背景下，通过发展和实施现代信息基础设施，研究生物多样性。公众将可以通过万维网免费获得该项目产生的关于scelionids的所有信息。

Natural enemies are one of the major factors controlling the population size of insect pests. The minute parasitic wasps of the family Scelionidae attack and kill the eggs of other insects and spiders, including many pests of agricultural, forestry, medical, and veterinary importance. Proper appreciation of the role that these wasps play in the natural control of insects and effective use of them as biological control agents relies on the ability of accurately identify them. Scelionidae is a large group, with over 3,000 known species and perhaps as many as 10,000 in all. The goal of this project is to revise the existing classification of these wasps. This will be a worldwide study, encompassing over 200 genera. The work will be based upon the extensive new material, hundreds of thousands of specimens, that has accumulated in the world's natural history collections over the past 25 years. The evolutionary history of the group will be analyzed using the techniques of phylogenetics so as to develop a predictive and stableclassification. The result of this analysis will also provide the scientific community with the framework within which to understand the biology and host relationships of these wasps. Modern information technologies, including relational databases, digital libraries, electronic identification tools, and image banks, will play a critical role in both the research and dissemination of results.Humans share the planet with millions of different species of plants, animals, fungi and microbes and depend on them for food, fiber, and a myriad of ecological services. Thousands of new species are discovered each year, each one of which has the potential for benefitting society. However, the number of people capable of recognizing and identifying these organisms decreases every year. Training in the study of biodiversity is an integral part of this project, and the work will involve substantive contributions from high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students. At a practical level, the results will significantly enhance the ability to identify these wasps and make use of them as a natural and ecologically safe method of pest control. The results of this study will be important in a broader scientific context through the development and implementation of a modern information infrastructure for the study of biodiversity. The public will have free access to all information on scelionids emerging from this project through the World Wide Web.