AToL: Collaborative Research: Systematics of Cypriniformes, Earth's Most Diverse Clade of Freshwater Fishes

本研究将发展鲤形目鱼类的系统发育和分类，鲤形目是世界上最大的淡水鱼群，有3285种已被描述，还有多达2600种未被描述的物种。这一组包括鲦鱼、吸盘鱼、泥鳅、河泥鳅和食藻鱼。这些鱼类中有许多具有经济和科学意义。一些大型鲤鱼在亚洲是重要的蛋白质来源，而矛盾的是，在北美却是令人讨厌的入侵物种。斑马鱼是发育生物学家的模式生物；在环境工作中，黑头鲦鱼被用作指示物种；生理学家广泛研究金鱼。许多物种都是由水族馆饲养的，这一爱好对教育和经济都有巨大的影响。我们的项目是国际性的，有27个合作者，包括来自世界各地的一些最杰出的鲤形系统学家。该小组包括古生物学家、新生儿学家、发育生物学家和分子系统学家。我们将使用一组核和线粒体基因的基因组数据，包括完整线粒体基因组的子集以及化石和现存物种的形态学数据来发展系统发育。更广泛的影响-系统发育，包括发育信息，将扩大基于斑马鱼和其他模式物种的工作范围，并将产生一个稳定的分类。我们将描述新的物种，扩大我们对生物多样性的理解。我们的研究在系统学、进化、生物多样性、发育和形态学、国际合作以及斑马鱼、黑头鲦鱼和金鱼等模式生物的关键信息方面具有重要的影响，而不仅仅是单纯的研究。首席和联合首席研究员代表了处于不同职业阶段的不同科学家群体（10名中有2名是女性；2名是少数民族；2名有身体残疾；5名是新研究员），来自不同的机构（3所私立大学和4所公立大学；4所机构在EPSCoR管辖范围内）。将制作一个NOVA电视节目，并举行公众会议。信息将通过项目门户网站（http://bio.slu.edu/mayden/cypriniformes/projects.html）以及传统的科学出版物传播。

Intellectual Merit - This study will develop a phylogeny and classification for the fishes of the Order Cypriniformes, the largest group of entirely freshwater fishes in the world with 3,285 described, and as many as 2,600 undescribed species. This group contains the minnows, suckers, loaches, river loaches and algae eaters. Many of these fishes have economic and scientific importance. Several large carp are an important protein source in Asia, and paradoxically, are nuisance, invasive species in North America. The zebrafish is a model organism for developmental biologists; the fathead minnow is used as an indicator species in environmental work; and goldfish are widely studied by physiologists. Many species are kept by aquarists, a hobby that has vast educational and economic impacts. Our project is international in scope with 27 collaborators, including some of the most prominent cypriniform systematists from across the globe. The group includes paleontologists, neontologists, developmental biologists, and molecular systematists. We will develop phylogenies using genomic data for a set of nuclear and mitochondrial genes, including a subset of complete mitochondrial genomes as well as morphological data from fossil and extant species. Broader Impacts - The phylogeny, including the developmental information, will broaden the scope of work based on the zebrafish and other model species, and will produce a stable classification. We will describe new species, expanding our understanding of biodiversity. Our study has significant broader impacts beyond pure research with student education in systematics, evolution, biodiversity, development, and morphology, international collaboration, and critical information on model organisms like the zebrafish, fathead minnow, and goldfish. The prncipal and co-principal investigators reresent a diverse group of scientists at many career stages (2 of 10 are female; 2 of 10 are minorities; 2 of 10 have physical disabilities; 5 of 10 are new investigators) and come from diverse institutions (3 private universities and 4 public universities; 4 of the institutions are in EPSCoR jurisdictions). A NOVA television program will be produced and public meetings will be held. Information will be disseminated via a project web portal (http://bio.slu.edu/mayden/cypriniformes/projects.html) as well as conventional scientific publication.