Dissertation Research: Systematics and Morphology of Metalmark Moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae)

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The family Choreutidae, members of which are commonly known as metalmark moths because of metallic markings on their wings, is a poorly known microlepidopteran group. Choreutids, with 400 currently described species worldwide, are most diverse in the world's tropics. Using a broad range of methods, this project will address some of the numerous unanswered questions about this group. We will employ molecular and morphological techniques to resolve the phylogenetic relationships within the family and infer choreutid relatives among other Ditrysian Lepidoptera. With one mitochondrial (cytochrome oxydase I) and two nuclear genes (elongation factor 1-alpha and wingless) and careful examination of a number of morphological structures, from both adult and immature stages, we will construct phylogenetic trees using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. The resulting trees will be used to improve the current classification of choreutids so that the named taxa are based on natural groups. They will also be used for the study of the evolution of choreutid morphology, host plant usage, behavior, and life history parameters. Using scanning electron microscopy, a detailed morphological examination of the ultrastructure of immature stages of six choreutid genera that have not yet been described will be done and with that work, previously unknown morphological structures will be illustrated. New species will be described, as well as a new genus, of choreutids from the Neotropics. The family has many more species left to be discovered - over 40% of choreutids that were collected in Central America are new to science. Today, in the age of an extinction crisis, there is an urgent need for systematic work on taxa from tropical ecosystems. With this project, information about the life of these imperiled biotas will be recorded and made readily available to everyone through a website developed for the family Choreutidae.