REVSYS: Classification of Loxandrini and Species-level Revisions of Feronista, Australian Loxandrus and New World Oxycrepis and Stolonis (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

本项目将对分布在澳大利亚和美洲的一种甲虫进行分类，并对其进行专题修订和高级类群。预计在这些分类群中将有100多个新种被描述。该研究将结合形态学和分子分析来产生分类假设、属和种（再）描述和诊断、内部/外部特征的完整插图、物种范围图、栖息地数据、基于互联网/CD和传统印刷形式的属和种识别密钥、可访问的互联网标本数据和属/种网页。所有澳大利亚洛黄碱物种将被修订和描述，并为非专业人员提供鉴定工具。这群甲虫将被纳入保护规划。本研究的重点分类群是一组澳洲瓢虫，本工作将是澳洲第一个进行瓢虫枝分类分析和现代分类的主要瓢虫枝。澳大利亚对我们了解全球分布模式至关重要，这些甲虫是这类研究的一个很好的模型分类群。在进化意义上，本研究将探讨生殖生物学和捕食者的化学防御。利用系统发育假说和生态信息，这一谱系中防御性化合物变化的历史将被揭示出来。这一修正性综合建议将汇集来自世界各地主要收藏的标本数据，然后返回到这些收藏中对标本进行分类、鉴定和建立数据库。分布和生活史数据，以及基于网络和标准出版的识别工具将提供给所有生物学家。这些属的专题修订和鉴定标本的工具将允许非系统学家鉴定这些分类群，并从生态和历史的角度评估它们的发生。对于一组目前完全无法研究的数据来说，这将是一个重大的进步。该项目将研究生和本科生整合在一起，对他们进行实地研究、标本收集、制备、昆虫形态学、序列获取、数据收集和系统发育分析等方面的培训。本科生将获得在实验室设施和博物馆藏品中工作的经验，并将学习基本的鉴定和昆虫形态学。研究生将全面整合博物馆研究、标本收集、解剖、形态和序列分析以及网络资源的开发和实施。

This project will develop a classification and monographically revisespecies and higher-level groups of a tribe of beetles distributed inAustralia, and the Americas. Over 100 new species are expected to bedescribed in these taxa. The study will combine morphological andmolecular analysis to produce taxonomic hypotheses, generic and species(re)descriptions and diagnoses, full illustrations for internal/externalfeatures, species range maps, habitat data, identification keys forgenera and species in both internet/CD based and traditional printedforms, internet accessible specimen data and genus/species web pages.All Australian loxandrine species will be revised and described andtools for identification will be provided for non-specialist. This groupof beetles will then be available for consideration in conservationplanning.The focus taxa of this study are a group of Australian Carabid beetlesand this work will be the first major carabid clade in Australia toundergo cladistic analysis and modern classification. Australia isessential to our understanding of worldwide distribution patterns andthese beetles are a good model taxon for such studies. In terms ofevolutionary significance, this study will investigate reproductivebiology and predator avoidance by chemical defense. Using thephylogenetic hypothesis and ecological information, the history of howdefensive compound changes have occurred in this lineage will be broughtto light.This revisionary syntheses in systematics proposal for loxandrinecarabid beetles will bring together data for specimens from majorcollections worldwide and then return to these collections sorted,identified and databased specimens. Distributional and life historydata, and web-based and standard published tools for identification willbe made available to all biologists. Monographic revision of thesegenera and the tools to identify specimens will allow non-systematist toidentify these taxa and assess their occurrence in both ecological andhistorical terms. This will be a significant advance for a set of taxapresently completely unavailable for study.The project integrates graduate and undergraduate students throughout bytraining them in field studies, specimen collection, preparation, insectmorphology, sequence acquisition, data collection and phylogeneticanalyses. Undergraduates will gain experience working in laboratoryfacilities and museum collections and will learn basic identificationand insect morphology. Graduate students will be fully integrated intomuseum research, specimen collection, dissection, morphological andsequence analyses and development and implementation of web resources.