Collaborative Research: The Butterflies of Ecuador (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) - A Comprehensive Survey of a Megadiverse Fauna

该项目将完成对厄瓜多尔蝴蝶的分类、分布和生态的长期调查，厄瓜多尔是世界上物种最丰富的国家之一。它将通过在厄瓜多尔所有地区进行世界范围的博物馆研究和实地考察，更新厄瓜多尔大约2 700种真正蝴蝶的分类和分布数据。分布数据将用于地理学和保护分析，培训美国和厄瓜多尔的工作人员和学生，并通过传播项目成果促进生物多样性研究和博物馆的价值。由于厄瓜多尔拥有约50%的新热带蝴蝶物种，项目成果和出版物将在该领域产生广泛影响。在美国和厄瓜多尔的干燥标本和酒精保存的组织样本的广泛参考收藏的形成，结合几个副axonomists，研究生和本科生的培训，将为厄瓜多尔和新热带蝴蝶的未来研究提供了坚实的基础。调查结果将通过讲座、科学和大众出版物、一系列实地指南、项目网站、博物馆展览和其他教育媒体广泛传播。此外，该项目还将帮助厄瓜多尔履行其对《生物多样性公约》的义务，并与已确定优先保护领域的环境组织合作。

This project will complete a long-term survey of the taxonomy, distribution and ecology of the butterflies of Ecuador, one of the world's most species-rich countries. It will update classification and distributional data for Ecuador's approximately 2700 species of true butterflies through conduct of worldwide museum research and fieldwork throughout all regions of Ecuador. Distributional data will be used in biogeographical and conservation analyses, training of US and Ecuadorian staff and students, and promoting the value of biodiversity research and museums through the dissemination of project results. Since Ecuador harbors about 50% of Neotropical butterfly species, the project results and publications will have a broad impact in the field. The formation of extensive reference collections in the US and Ecuador of dried specimens and alcohol-preserved tissue samples, combined with the training of several parataxonomists, graduate and undergraduate students, will provide a strong foundation for future research on Ecuadorian and Neotropical butterflies. Findings will be broadly disseminated through talks, scientific and popular publications, a series of field guides, a project website, museum exhibits and other educational media. In addition, the project will help Ecuador meet its obligations to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to collaborating environmental organizations that have identified priority areas for conservation.