Dissertation Research, Patterns of Diversity and Host Specificity in the Cestodes of Freshwater Stingrays

根据目前已知的情况，南美洲淡水黄貂鱼的绦虫似乎比海洋同行的种类少得多，宿主特异性也低得多。然而，新的数据表明，可能有更多的物种比以前认为的，每种绦虫物种可能是高度具体的黄貂鱼宿主物种。本项目用分类学和系统化的工具来研究这个问题。作为研究基础的绦虫标本包括存放在博物馆的标本和最近野外收集的标本。特别是两个属，或组绦虫物种，将进行调查。从秘鲁新的地点和黄貂鱼主机收集的绦虫将进行研究的方法，以前没有实施的组，特别是组织学和扫描电子显微镜。新描述的物种的特征将用DNA序列数据来增强。将与巴西圣保罗大学的Fernando Marques博士一起研究博物馆标本，包括许多巴西机构的标本。绦虫之间的进化相关性的测试将作为一个分析框架，以探索广泛的进化问题，如主机和寄生虫，地理模式之间的共同进化，以及南美淡水黄貂鱼绦虫的起源。这项工作将揭示绦虫和黄貂鱼宿主的淡水和海洋系统之间是否存在根本差异。这项研究有可能产生有用的信息，适用于未来的研究重点是进化生物学，系统学，地理学，生物多样性，生态学和保护。 对秘鲁等南美国家的动物群进行基本的有机体研究，既有助于记录生物多样性，又有助于在原产国更好地了解生物多样性。标本被存放在它们被收集的国家的博物馆里，这些标本可供世界各地的科学家以及初学者研究和分析。与Marques博士的合作具有互惠互利的潜力。通过这种交流，跨界分享鲜为人知的群体的专门知识，将保护和扩大分类学专门知识，并在国际同行评审期刊上联合发表成果，继续研究，相互之间和未来的学生之间交流思想和合作努力。

Based on what is currently known, the tapeworms of South American freshwater stingrays appear to be much less diverse and host specific than their marine counterparts. However, new data indicate that there may be more species than previously thought, and that each tapeworm species may be highly specific to its stingray host species. This project investigates this problem with taxonomic and systematic tools. The tapeworm specimens that are the basis of the study include specimens deposited in museums, and specimens from recent field collections. Specifically two genera, or groups of tapeworm species, will be investigated. Tapeworms collected in Peru from new localities and stingray hosts will be studied with methods not previously implemented on the group, specifically histology and scanning electron microscopy. Characterization of newly described species will be augmented with DNA sequence data. Museum specimens, including many that are located at Brazilian institutions, will be studied in conjunction with Dr. Fernando Marques of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Tests of evolutionary relatedness among the tapeworms will serve as an analytical framework to explore broad evolutionary questions such as coevolution between host and parasite, geographic patterns, and the origin of the tapeworms of South American freshwater stingrays. This work will shed light on whether there are fundamental differences between the freshwater and marine systems of tapeworms and stingray hosts. This study has the potential to generate information useful and applicable to future studies focusing on evolutionary biology, systematics, biogeography, biodiversity, ecology, and conservation. Basic organismal research on the fauna of South American countries such as Peru serves to both document biological diversity and make knowledge of that biodiversity more available within the country of origin. Specimens are deposited in museums in the country from which they were collected, and these become available for study and analysis by scientists throughout the world, as well as beginning students. The collaboration with Dr. Marques has the potential for reciprocal benefits. Such exchanges in which expertise of poorly known groups is shared across borders will preserve and expand taxonomic expertise, as well as result in joint publications of the results in international, peer-reviewed journals, continued research, and exchange of ideas and cooperative efforts among one another and among future students.