COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: GLOBAL SURVEY AND INVENTORY OF SOLIFUGAE

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Collaborative Research: Global Survey and Inventory of SolifugaePaula E. Cushing & Lorenzo Prendini co-PIsSolifugae are the sixth most diverse order of arachnids in number of families, genera, and species, yet their evolutionary relationships and diversity are largely unknown. New species continue to be discovered. The objectives of this project are: 1) to conduct fieldwork in four regions of greatest solifuge diversity to discover new species, document their distributions, and gather fresh material for morphological, anatomical, behavioral, and genetic studies; 2) reconstruct the evolutionary relationships and revise the higher classification of the order; 3) establish international collaborations and provide resources for solifuge specialists currently working in isolation; 4) train new specialists; and 5) disseminate knowledge about solifuges to the public through scientific publications, seminars, and the internet. Solifugae are the dominant insect predators in arid ecosystems on all major terrestrial landmasses except Antarctica, Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand, and form important prey for vertebrates in such habitats. They are indicators for desert environments, their disappearance signaling habitat degradation. Those studied in any detail appear to be habitat-specific and range-restricted, exacerbating their risk of extinction due to human activities, yet they receive no formal protection. Many species may disappear before being described. The activities planned in this project, including training of new taxonomic specialists, will enhance scientific infrastructure and will vastly improve our understanding of these poorly known arachnids.