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

根据目前所知，南美淡水黄貂鱼的绦虫似乎比海洋同类的多样性和寄主特异性要低得多。然而，新的数据表明，可能有比之前想象的更多的物种，并且每种绦虫物种可能对其黄貂鱼宿主物种具有高度特异性。该项目利用分类学和系统工具研究这个问题。作为研究基础的绦虫标本包括存放在博物馆的标本以及最近野外收集的标本。具体来说，将研究两个属或一组绦虫物种。在秘鲁从新地点收集的绦虫和黄貂鱼宿主将使用以前未在该群体中实施的方法进行研究，特别是组织学和扫描电子显微镜。新描述的物种的特征将通过 DNA 序列数据得到增强。博物馆标本，包括许多位于巴西机构的标本，将与巴西圣保罗大学的费尔南多·马克斯博士一起研究。绦虫之间进化相关性的测试将作为一个分析框架来探索广泛的进化问题，例如宿主和寄生虫之间的共同进化、地理模式以及南美淡水黄貂鱼绦虫的起源。这项工作将揭示淡水和海洋系统中绦虫和黄貂鱼宿主是否存在根本差异。这项研究有可能产生有用且适用于未来研究的信息，重点关注进化生物学、系统学、生物地理学、生物多样性、生态学和保护。 对秘鲁等南美洲国家的动物群进行基础有机研究，既可以记录生物多样性，又可以使原产国更容易获得有关生物多样性的知识。标本存放在收集它们的国家的博物馆中，可供世界各地的科学家以及初学者进行研究和分析。与 Marques 博士的合作具有互惠互利的潜力。这种跨境共享鲜为人知群体的专业知识的交流将保留和扩大分类学专业知识，并导致在国际同行评审期刊上联合发表研究结果、继续研究、彼此之间以及未来学生之间的思想交流和合作努力。

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.