Dissertation Research: Catfish Spine Evolution: A Comparative Approach to a Prickly Problem

鲶鱼科具有重要的经济和科学意义。它包括经济上重要的物种，如海峡鲶鱼、蓝鲶和平头鲶鱼。所有的ictalurid鲶鱼的胸鳍和背鳍上都有刺和相关的毒腺。这些刺被认为是防御捕食者的主要手段。胸棘和毒腺的大小和形状在不同物种之间差异很大，但目前尚不清楚胸棘的形状是否与毒腺结构有关。本研究将阐明描述ictalurid鲶鱼关系的系统发育树；这棵树将被用来研究脊椎形状和毒腺结构的演变。本项目将提供向本科生讲授系统生物学原理和进化生物学中的假设检验的机会。被招募来帮助收集数据的学生将学习技术技能，包括分析分子和形态数据。通过做实验室研究来学习这些技能比课堂项目更有效地教会学生解决问题和批判性思维的能力。这个项目的成果将在贝尔自然历史博物馆的各种论坛上向公众展示。除了这些直接的教育效益外，该项目还将提供对垂钓者和水产养殖者很重要的一组鱼类的生物学信息。

The catfish family Ictaluridae is of great economic and scientific significance. It includes economically important species such as the channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. All ictalurid catfishes have spines with associated venom glands on their pectoral and dorsal fins. These spines are thought to be the primary means of defense from predators. The size and shape of these spines and venom glands varies greatly among species, but it is unclear if pectoral spine shape is related to venom gland structure. This research will elucidate the phylogenetic tree describing relationships of ictalurid catfishes; the tree will be used to examine the evolution of spine shape and venom gland structure. This project will provide the opportunity to teach undergraduate students the principles of systematic biology and hypothesis testing in evolutionary biology. Students recruited to aid in data collection will learn technical skills including analysis of molecular and morphological data. Learning these skills by doing laboratory research teaches problem solving and critical thinking skills more effectively than classroom projects. Results from this project will be presented to the public in a variety of forums at the Bell Museum of Natural History. In addition to these immediate educational benefits, this project will also provide valuable information on the biology of a group of fishes important to anglers and aquaculturalists.