DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phylogeography of Rakaia denticulata (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) in the South Island of New Zealand

像许多孤立的岛屿一样，新西兰是各种动物群体进化辐射的家园，如天鹅绒蠕虫，蟑螂，陆地Planarians或更着名的平胸鸟（几维鸟，巨型恐鸟和盟友）。 其中一种辐射发生在蜘蛛科Pettalidae中，这是一群南半球分布在冈瓦纳前温带碎片上的小型收割者。一个显着的60%的描述这个家庭的多样性是在新西兰。这项研究，集中在一个常见的物种（Rakaia denticulata），将提供深入了解的过程，有助于在小生物的物种形成，生活在森林凋落物和土壤生态系统的功能是必不可少的。此外，这笔赠款将有助于女研究生的培训，女性和少数民族本科生的支持，以及K-12推广计划的发展。

Like many isolated islands, New Zealand is home to evolutionary radiations in various animal groups such as velvet worms, cockroaches, land planarians, or the better-known ratite birds (kiwi birds, giant moas and allies). One of these radiations has occurred in the arachnid family Pettalidae, a group of tiny harvestmen with Southern Hemisphere distribution across the fragments of the former temperate zone of Gondwana. A remarkable 60% of the described diversity of this family is found in New Zealand. This study, focusing in one common species (Rakaia denticulata), will provide insight into the processes contributing to speciation in small organisms that live in the forest litter and that are essential for the functioning of soil ecosystems. In addition, this grant will contribute to the training of a female graduate student, support of female and minority undergraduates, and the development of K-12 outreach programs.