PEET: The Diplopoda: Systematics Research, Training and Tools

倍足纲，千足虫，是一个非常丰富的物种组（超过7,000描述的物种），是最古老的生存陆地节肢动物之一。 尽管已知的多样性，公认的生态重要性和有趣的进化历史，这个群体仍然在很大程度上未被研究。 根据已知的特有程度，目前的估计表明，今天地球上可能有多达80，000种现存物种。 这里总结的项目是以前的合作伙伴关系，提高分类学专业知识（PEET）培训计划的延续，以开发新的千足虫分类学和系统学专业知识。 调查人员佩特拉·谢尔瓦尔德（自然历史博物馆），杰森·邦德（东卡罗莱纳大学）和威廉·希尔（汉普登-悉尼学院）建议通过利用以前PEET奖获得的见解来维持千足虫研究和学生培训的既定计划。预期的主要项目产品是在原始文献中发表的进化和分类研究，（例如分类识别键），以帮助其他非专业研究人员，收购标本存放在自然历史收藏，和一个世界范围内的物种目录，其第一个封装千足虫分类文献跨越两个世纪。最重要的是，该项目的目标是建立一个由知识渊博、训练有素的研究人员组成的可持续社区，从事这一重要生物群体的研究。 这一目标将通过培养至少三名博士后研究人员，两名研究生和至少六名本科实习生来实现。 实习生项目包括对倍足类的系统发育评估，以及对至少三个独立目中的千足虫群进行分类和系统学研究。 简而言之，该项目旨在通过培养下一代千足虫系统学家，为科学和教育做出重大贡献。在博物馆（自然历史收藏）和大学环境中，学员将获得方法和技能，为他们将来担任生物学和昆虫学研究人员，教师和资源管理人员做好准备。 就千足虫而言，在这个为期5年的项目中，系统发育结构的改善、分类学的修订和方法学的进步将为未来的系统学工作者提供一个良好的基础。

The class Diplopoda, the millipedes, is a very species-rich group (over 7,000 described species) that is among the most ancient of surviving terrestrial arthropods. Despite this tremendous amount of known diversity, recognized ecological importance, and interesting evolutionary history, the group remains largely unstudied. Current estimates based on known degrees of endemism suggest that there may be as many as 80,000 extant species on the planet today. The project summarized here is a continuation of a previous Partnership for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) training program to develop new millipede taxonomy and systematics expertise. The investigators Petra Sierwald (The Field Museum of Natural History), Jason Bond (East Carolina University) and William Shear (Hampden-Sydney College) propose to maintain an established program of millipede research and student training by capitalizing on the insights achieved from the previous PEET award. Major project products anticipated are evolutionary and taxonomic studies published in the primary literature, web disseminated tools (e.g. taxonomic identification keys) to aid other non-specialist researchers, acquisition of specimens to be deposited in natural history collections, and a worldwide species catalog, the first of its kind encapsulating the millipede taxonomic literature spanning over two centuries.Foremost, the goal of this project is to develop a sustainable community of knowledgeable, trained researchers working on this important group of organisms. This goal will be achieved by training at least three postdoctoral researchers, two graduate students, and at least six undergraduate interns. Trainee projects include a broad phylogenetic assessment of the Diplopoda and taxonomic and systematics studies of millipede groups chosen from across at least three separate orders. In short this project aims to make significant contributions to science and education by training the next generation of millipede systematists. In both a Museum (natural history collections) and University environment, trainees will acquire methods and skills that will prepare them for future positions as researchers, teachers, and resource managers in biology and entomology. In terms of millipedes, the improved phylogenetic structure, taxonomic revisions, and methodological advances attained over the course of this 5-year project will provide a sound foundation for future systematic workers.